Grandmothers are an unseen and unheard powerful force in Afghanistan work market and in the near future their value is due to increase as women are moving increasingly fast to the business world. Husbands having to migrate to Turkey, Iran and Tajikistan or having to support husbands looking for work are relevant factors but so is the fact that many women trained by the UN Nations Funds are not finding employed work and Afghan Expats and International Investors are not engaging in having their products sourced from Afghanistan as it would be expected.
When it comes to promptness to source their products from Afghanistan, Afghan Expats are being surpassed by Chinese, Pakistani and Tajikistanis.
While Pakistani and Chinese are more prompt to high volume exportation of natural resources, Tajikistanis are taking advantage of Tajiks entrepreneurial spirit and consumer demand in commercial spots like Mazar-e-Sharif, in Faizabad and Kunduz.
Currently Tajikistan have three Consulates in Afghanistan to provide Consular services and general assistance to Tajikistanis in Mazar-e-Sharif, Fayzabad and Kunduz.
No Afghan Expat Commercial Enterprise exists in these Commercial areas and considering that Afghanistan is a member of the World Trade Centre and Afghans could easily source their products out of Afghanistan, this raises serious questions as to the business initiative of Afghans abroad.
Perhaps the Taliban ambitions towards places like Fayzabad, with access to water and unemployed fit working force might be a deterrent to Afghan Expats but the Government forces have successfully secured the Taliban exit of the local villages back in May 2018.
The SCORED project implementation in the region between Afghanistan and Tajikistan and Uzbekistan borders will fund many businesses, bazars and infrastructures projects between the three countries like bridge constructions and funding of transportation businesses.
Priority will be given to women businesses, small commercial enterprises and the production of consumption goods.
Afghan Expats can benefit from these funds – while they are available!! -by submitting projects with Banks recipients of Funds to cover Trade Finance. Afghan women in the borders between the three countries are in serious need of businesses and international investors abroad willing to source their products into Europe and the US.
If the Afghan Expat take the first step this will increase the value of the invisible powerful force that Grandmothers are proving to be in helping Afghan women succeed as active workers and business women in Afghanistan.
A.Brito
AFGHANISTAN UK BRIDGE MAGAZINE 