BUSINESS & ECONOMICS
Camelia Entekhabi-Fard
9/10/04
A EurasiaNet photo essay
In theory, Afghanistan’s constitution guarantees women political and economic rights, eradicating the legacy of Taliban rule, which reduced their status virtually to that of non-persons. Implementing those guarantees is proving difficult, however, amid Afghanistan’s ongoing uncertainty.
A few, determined Afghan women are making the most of whatever economic opportunities are open to them – mostly in home-related spheres such as craft making. Fahimeh, a 23-year-old former refugee who returned from Iran, is one such entrepreneur, who has overcome numerous obstacles to establish a successful small business. The photos in this essay document a day in the life of her beauty salon named Aroos’e Golha (Bride of Flowers).
Fahimeh now owns two beauty salons in the Pol-e-Sukhteh neighborhood of Kabul that are geared to preparing brides for their weddings. It is a comparatively lucrative enterprise, though it requires long hours and painstaking attention to detail, Fahimeh said. On average she earns 4,000 Afghanis (roughly $100) per wedding party, including brides and bridesmaids.
Her reputation is firmly established and clients must make an appointment weeks in advance, Fahimeh said, adding that she handles only a few customers each day to ensure that her high standards are maintained. With success has come added responsibility, as she has hired five women to assist her.
Fahimeh was born to Afghan refugee parents and spent the first 21 years of her life in Iran. She learned her trade at a beautician school in Tehran, the Iranian capital. Returning to Afghanistan two years ago fulfilled a dream. Yet, the transition has been difficult. The success of her business has played a pivotal role in helping Fahimeh cope with her new environment. "If I were not engaged in this trade, I might have died of sorrow," she said.
Editor’s Note: Camelia Entekhabi-Fard has reported from Afghanistan and Iran for EurasiaNet.
