Many Afghan female students have turned to running small businesses in Badakhshan province, in Afghanistan, after the Taliban banned women and girls from getting an education.
Halima, a 23-year-old student at Badakhshan University, has started a poultry farm after the universities closed to girls.
Halima’s farm not only provides her with an income but also offers job opportunities to four other women in her community.
“After being deprived of an education, I decided not to be a recluse and stay at home anymore and to continue working inside the house, so I organized a small poultry farm so that both myself and the girls who are deprived of education like me can create a field for growth,” Halima said.
Another inspiring woman in Badakhshan, Shohra Tamanna, has opened a shop for women in the province.
With an initial investment of 350,000 afghanis, she created a store where women can easily purchase essential items.
“With 350,000 afghanis, I created a women’s-only store for women in Badakhshan, so that women can easily buy goods they need from us, and also provide job opportunities for women during these hard times; and if there is no education and training, we can make a living in this way,” she said.
Many Afghan women lost jobs at both domestic and foreign institutions, following the Taliban takeover in August 2021. The Taliban has also banned women and girls from secondary and university education.
