JAWZJAN, Afghanistan — In a remote village in Jawzjan province, a former journalist has turned to fish farming to support her family after losing her job three years ago. Muzhgan Ahmadzai, once a reporter, now tends to 2,500 fish on a small farm she built from scratch.
“It has been three years since I turned to fish farming due to economic challenges,” Ahmadzai said. “I used to be a journalist; now I am raising fish. I hold two bachelor’s degrees.”
Ahmadzai began the venture after the media outlet she worked for shut down, one of many closures that followed the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan. With limited opportunities for women to work, she saw fish farming as a way to make ends meet.
Despite her efforts, Ahmadzai said she faces significant challenges, including securing adequate feed for her fish. She has appealed to both the Taliban authorities and international organizations for assistance, but so far, her calls for help have gone unanswered.
“No international organizations or the government are helping us to secure feed for the fish,” she said. “We started from scratch, and up until now, we have relied on God’s help. The main problem is that the fish aren’t growing well.”
Ahmadzai’s fish farm began with 5,000 fish, but she now manages half that number, underscoring the difficulties of sustaining the business without proper resources.
Since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, women have faced unprecedented restrictions on education, employment, and freedom of movement. Many have been forced to abandon careers, turning instead to small businesses to support their families and cope with the mental pressures of exclusion from public life.
Women across Afghanistan have resisted the Taliban’s policies through protests, advocacy, and grassroots initiatives. Despite the risks, some, like Ms. Ahmadzai, have found ways to adapt, carving out new roles in a society that increasingly sidelines them.
“I started this business out of necessity,” she said. “But without support, it’s a struggle every day.”
Ahmadzai hopes her efforts will inspire others and ultimately lead to greater recognition of the economic and social contributions women can make, even under the harshest conditions.
