Gul Lalah, the daughter of Abdul Aziz, is a 32-year-old resident of Sultan Abad Village, located in the Shindand District of Herat Province. She is a mother of two sons and three daughters. Gul Lalah embarked on a transformative journey when she joined the project titled “Creating Economic Opportunities for 1050 Poor Households through an Inclusive Poultry Farming Value Chain and Building their Capacity in Shindand and Pashtun Zarghoon Districts of Herat Province.” As part of the project, she received 30 chickens from Hand in Hand Afghanistan to start her own small chicken farm.
Under the guidance of Hand in Hand Afghanistan, Gul Lalah underwent poultry training, which encompassed various aspects of poultry farming such as constructing chicken coops, caring for chickens, and administering vaccinations. She also gained knowledge about poultry farming systems, nutrition, water management, disease prevention, primary care, and marketing strategies.
Reflecting on her life before joining the project, Gul Lalah shares, “After the unfortunate demise of my husband, I faced financial difficulties, making it challenging to sustain our livelihood. I resorted to spinning wool and working as a cleaner and baker in people’s houses just to make ends meet.” While I aspired to manage the household, the income generated from these odd jobs was inadequate for our needs. I persistently searched for a profession that could support my family’s expenses, which eventually led me to the opportunity provided by Hand in Hand Afghanistan’s project. This initiative had a significant impact on our village, and fortunately, I was included in it.”
Discussing the positive changes in her life, Gul Lalah expresses her joy, saying, “I now have a sustainable business and earn around 3,000 to 4,500 Afghanis per month. By selling eggs, I earn 100 to 150 Afghanis per day, enabling me to cover our living expenses. This has substantially improved our quality of life.”
Gul Lalah is grateful that she can now afford to send her young children to school and envision a better future for them. Inspired by her own success, she aspires to expand her small business by selling eggs, animal manure, and poultry products. Additionally, she aims to create employment opportunities for other women who are heads of households through poultry farming, empowering them to achieve financial independence and enhance their lives, just like her.
In conclusion, Gul Lalah wishes to motivate other women to leverage their skills and seize the opportunities available to establish their own businesses, ensuring enduring financial independence. She expresses her heartfelt gratitude to the Hand in Hand Afghanistan Organization and AHF for their invaluable assistance and collaboration in empowering and creating employment opportunities for women like herself.
