Ms. Anisa, the daughter of Mawlawi Gul Ahmad and a member of the Saadat Self-Help Group, is a mother of three and one of Afghanistan’s hard-working women. She has always dreamed of owning a small business so she could both support her family and gain financial independence. Despite her strong interest, at the beginning she lacked sufficient professional knowledge and experience in business and also faced the challenge of limited literacy in reading and writing.
Ms. Anisa faced several obstacles on her path to starting a business. As she explained; “lacked professional skills in both business and advanced tailoring, and my life skills and business management abilities were limited. In addition, I struggled with reading and writing, and I did not have enough capital to launch her own enterprise.”
Ms. Anisa enrolled in a professional training program offered by the organization Hand in Hand Afghanistan, through the “Supporting vulnerable households through skills development and entrepreneurial support in Herat province of Afghanistan” project. During this course, she received practical and advanced instruction in tailoring as well as business management. To provide further support, the organization supplied her with essential equipment such as a sewing machine, iron, scissors, and a chair. In addition, through her own initiative, Ms. Anisa borrowed 45,000 AFN from her brother and purchased a more advanced zigzag sewing machine.
After completing the course and receiving both training and equipment support, Ms. Anisa was able to officially launch her own tailoring business. She attracted students and began teaching sewing skills to others, while the tools and equipment she received helped her improve the quality of her work and draw more customers. She says; “my life skills such as self-confidence, time management, and planning, strengthened, and I made notable progress in basic literacy, including reading and writing.” Through the income from her business, Ms. Anisa gradually contributed to her family’s economic growth and built a brighter future for herself.
At present, Ms. Anisa has seven students, each paying her 300 AFN per month, while she produces and sells a variety of women’s and children’s clothing, including trousers, which she markets along the 64-meter street bazaar. Her monthly earnings include 2,100 AFN from her students and about 5,000 AFN from her own clothing production, bringing her total monthly income to 7,100 AFN. She says; “These earnings come solely from teaching and production, in addition to the contributions my family members also make to the household income.”
Ms. Anisa’s story is an inspiring example of how a combination of professional training, equipment support, and personal determination can transform a woman’s life. With persistence and dedication, she overcame limitations, made smart investments, and established a successful business. As she says; “Today, I am not only a skilled and thriving tailor but also a role model for other women in my community.”
