BUILDING SELF- SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH A TRADITIONAL VENTURE BY MAZAN, KABUL

Carpet weaving is predominantly within the female domain although some men also have taken up these occupations. While many women in Afghanistan still wear the traditional burkha to cover the hair and face, they have begun exploring to find alternatives. Women are coming forward for their own advancement. Many borrowers of BRAC Afghanistan microfinance programs have received loans to establish their own entrepreneurs. Mazan, 45 year old woman of Maidani haidary in Kabul province, began carpet weaving in her own house. She and his husband have one son and six daughters.

Mazan had bad times as she was not able to meet the needs of her family. Her husband is a daily labourer. They could not earn enough money to buy adequate food for them. The situation has become different now. Now, they can buy nutritious food and fruits for their daily meals. She received loan from BRAC and invested in carpet weaving. Mazan makes carpets with the help of her daughters. She sold one carpet with Afs 5000. She regularly attends village organization (VO) meetings and pays her dues. She now feels empowered to make decisions on her own in the family as she can now financially support her family.

“ Thanks small loan by which we benefited a lot”: Mohammad Ayub

Mohammad Ayub, son of Mohammad Azim, 50 years old, having two sons and six daughters living in Qala Rasheed village under Charah Asyab district, Kabul province, he is the representative of two villages (Qala-e-Rasheed and Qala-e-Jafar). His core occupation is farming and he has in total 5 jeribs cultivated land. He has no other income source to run smoothly in his daily life except cultivation. engaged with Agriculture, Livestock, and non-farm.

He received 10,000 Afghani from BRAC and purchased two sheep, he is very happy with his business because he has not only received financial support, but also he received technical support in the field of Poultry and Livestock as extension worker as well. He also said that he has plan to expend the number of livestock in future with the support of BRAC, as he explained “I think BRAC support is necessary especially in Agriculture and Livestock, which are completely absence in the past three decades of home fighting and war.

He added, “Only traditional knowledge of Poultry and Livestock is not enough to change the condition of the poor people, now we need new technology, improved breeding of animals, professional training and credit support for running our businesses.

I am extremely happy with the support offered by BRAC and I do believe that they will continue to support our all village people through expanding their activities, which are really needed for the development of Afghanistan .

A Women Ignites the Flame of her Family's Future

Born and raised in Kabul , Zakia, a 42 years old woman, is raising 4 of her children after her husband's death. Currently living in Qalai musa, Kabul , life has been a struggle for her since her husband died during the war. They were very poor and not able to find work out. In before she was passing her very agonizing daily life. With her large family, she was not able to meet her all family expenditure smoothly. They did not have any extra family savings in that time. She provided food with small pieces to her children. Sometimes she could not arrange food for them. But now the scenery has changed totally than before. She has received loan from BRAC, which she feels feel has been helpful to them since there is no other way they are able to earn an income. She is the leader of the group and meetings takes place in her house.

After that she took the first loan of Afs 10,000. She has skill of cloth swing. She bought swing machine and other materials and started for making cloth. She sold these cloths in local bazaar. In a week, she earns Afs 1,500 by selling her finished goods. She has never failed to pay back any of her installments. Now she is able to send her children to school. She can provide food, cloths, education and other living materials to her children. She is very much happy and grateful to BRAC, especially for members of BRAC Qalaimusa branch office. They were very poor in before, but now they can able to improve their family condition. She is even able to purchase more vegetables and once in awhile fruit as a treat for her family. Most of her neighbors use to come everyday and inspired by her hard exertion. Now she also becomes an admirer person of the society. She always motivates to other women to start up this type of business for their empowerment and which will ultimately change the economic condition in Afghanistan .

Yeaz Ali's Bakery Shop - A new door open in Afghanistan

What a tremendous confidence in his mind. But we do not believe it without seeing himself. We can see with a good businessman in Poli Sukta. His name is Yeaz Ali. His family is not face any big financial problem likes before. Because Yeaz Ali has a Bakery factory shop. He has a fireplace as like an old woven in his factory and also some bakery instrument. This instrument does help him to make good and quality cookies / bakery items in everyday. His shop has fill up by various bakery items like as biscuit, cake. These product prices start from 50 Afs and above. He never forgets his previous distress life. One day one of the PO (SEP) came to his shop and introduced him BRAC - Afghanistan activities. He ensured that with the help of the BRAC Afghanistan, he might be able to establish him in near future. After that he went to the BRAC, Poli Sukta Branch Office and got some knowledge about the credit facility of BRAC.

After agreeing every terms and conditions in BRAC SEP Program and he got a loan with total amounting 40,000 Afs which helped him to open a new era of his life. Now his financial condition getting improves day by day. Now he can send his children to school. Yeaz Ali now thinking that, he needs more money to expand his bakery business. Because now the demand for his product has enormously increased as local customer and also small vender shop owner buy bakery items from him. This is a grate achievement for him and also for the enlargement of bakery business in Afghanistan .

Farid is a twenty eight year old, happily young afghan man with seven members in his family. They live in Guzore de khana in Charikar province. Farid seems to be quite satisfied with his life, because, just a few years ago, he was passing his most agonizing daily life. He had no work to do anything to run their family. They were passing a very poverty life. He had no income source to run smoothly in his daily life. One day he had been informed by one of the BRAC ALDCSP program organizer about the small loan facility which is given to those people who are engaged with Agriculture, Livestock, and non farm.

After that, he got in-depth knowledge about loan facility and got membership of the BRAC ALDCSP Program. He received 10,000 Afghani from BRAC and purchased turnip seeds to cultivate vegetable. He sells his cultivated vegetables in the local bazaar and earn money. He is quite able to meet his family expenditure easily now. He also pay back installment weekly to BRAC. He is very happy with his business because he has not only received financial support, but also he received technical support in the field of growing vegetables. He also said that he has plan to expand agriculture production in future with the support of BRAC, as he explained “I think BRAC support is necessary especially in Agriculture and Livestock, which are completely absence in the past three decades of home fighting and war.

He added, “Only traditional knowledge of agriculture is not enough to change the condition of the poor people, now we need new technology, high yield seeds, professional training and credit support for running our businesses.

I am extremely happy with the support offered by BRAC and I do believe that they will continue to support our all village people through expanding their activities which are really needed for the development of Afghanistan .