• Fahima is an Afghan entrepreneur and an alumna of the UNITAR programme “Great Ideas Space 2023 Programme for Afghanistan: Food Security and Job Creation Through Entrepreneurship and Innovation”.
• The UNITAR programme trained 120 Afghan entrepreneurs in fundamental business skills and knowledge.
• Fahima learned about marketing and branding, received feedback on income generation, and determined to diversify her network of contractors to minimize business risks.
• Fahima is applying her knowledge to build her business and to empower women and youth in her community.

Fahima knows too well the difficulties of running a business as a woman in Afghanistan. She started her clothing fashion company in 2016 with a desire to create employment opportunities for other women. But changes in domestic laws and policies since the 2021 regime change have slowed her business’s progress. Fahima’s is not an unusual case: many businesses are similarly struggling, and according to the International Labour Organization (ILO), female employment in Afghanistan has dropped by a quarter since 2021.

A former high school principal, Fahima turned to entrepreneurship from a desire to create more livelihood opportunities in her country, especially for women. Her first step as the company founder was to work with her team to create designs, establish a blueprint for her business, and introduce her products to the market. Being new to the fashion industry, however, Fahima knew she needed more skills to help her navigate the complexities of running a business, so when she heard about the UNITAR entrepreneurship programme, she quickly applied. 

The “Great Ideas Space 2023 Programme for Afghanistan: Food Security and Job Creation Through Entrepreneurship and Innovation” programme ran from July 2023 to March 2024 with 120 male and female entrepreneurs. The programme, funded by the Government and the People of Japan, taught the participants fundamental business knowledge and skills.

Fahima enjoyed her experience. Through online training and an in-person workshop, she learned about marketing and branding and how to develop a strategic business plan. Fahima also determined that she needed to diversify her network of contractors to minimize business risks. Fahima shared and received feedback from fellow participants on their businesses and projects, and found particularly memorable the guidance on income generation that she received from experts during the in-person workshop. She is excited to apply her new knowledge to her business and share what she learned with her employees. 

We have great strategic plan for the future. When you have a clear path, you have good planning, good aim and goal, you can receive anything in the world.” —Fahima, Afghan entrepreneur and UNITAR alumna

Fahima knows what it means to overcome hardships. Financially, the low point came when her finance manager absconded in 2021 with all her invested money and she had to sell her jewellery and borrow money to revive her business. Helped by what she learned in the UNITAR programme, Fahima overhauled her business model and marketing strategy, which led to substantial growth. Her business now employs 60 people, showcasing her resilience and capacity to innovate and recover from profound financial disruptions.

Fahima remains optimistic about the future of her company. Her primary goal is to establish a renowned brand that produces quality clothing, while helping as many people as possible. Alongside women’s employment, Fahima also supports youth in local development, with the majority of her workers being between 18 and 35 years of age.

Fahima is committed to playing an active role in Afghanistan’s economy and development and hopes her actions will inspire and empower women in her community.

By empowering women entrepreneurs, we can create a more inclusive society. Let us all uplift one another, and collectively, we can achieve great things. The future is bright if we work collectively towards beautiful goals.” —Fahima, Afghan entrepreneur and UNITAR alumna