A woman in Kabul has established a tailoring and handicrafts workshop, creating opportunities for other women to learn a profession and gain employment. At a time when unemployment is a serious challenge for women, her determination and creativity have opened new pathways for others to work and earn a living.
Tafsir Baraki, a 25-year-old from Kabul, launched her business four years ago under the name ‘Modelin Brand Tailoring and Handicrafts Workshop and Training Center’ with an initial investment of 100,000 Afghanis. She first started the business online and it has been one year operating it in person.
According to her, the workshop produces a variety of items, including traditional Gand-e Afghani dresses, bead embroidery, abayas, school uniforms, and handicrafts. Currently, six women are employed in different sections of the workshop.
“Bead embroidery is one of the most distinctive parts of our production. For every dress we design, a woman spends days and nights working on it. One of my future goals is to create job opportunities, especially for the suffering women of Afghanistan, who work from every corner of the country,” she says.
Women working in the workshop say that the income they earn enables them to support their families. Sadaf, a 22-year-old from Parwan, who works in bead embroidery, says the workshop has created income opportunities for several families and has improved their living conditions to some extent.
“In this workshop, we produce handicrafts that are marketed both domestically and abroad. This work has generated income for several families and has had a positive impact. It has improved my life and allowed me to cover my daily expenses,” she says.
Sadia, the workshop manager, says that working in the workshop has had a positive impact on her life. She explains, “This work has influenced my life greatly. First, it is a source of calmness in my life. Overall, I feel a deep sense of calm in this job. In addition, it has provided me with financial independence, which is especially important under the current circumstances in Afghanistan.”
Sadaf, a 20-year-old from Kabul, who is responsible for training and supervising women in the workshop, says that learning new skills has been one of the major benefits the workshop has provided her. She says,
“This job has created income opportunities for several families and also improved my life. I have learned precision in production, teamwork, time management, and other technical skills.”
Meanwhile, Abdulzohor Mudaber, an economic expert, says that any kind of entrepreneurship, even small-scale, can have a meaningful and positive impact on the country’s economy.
“Small workshops, tailoring businesses, or any other type of enterprise can play an important and positive role in economic dynamism and growth. They create employment opportunities, enabling people to earn wages and salaries, increase their purchasing power, and generate effective market demand.”
Officials at the Afghanistan Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry say the organization serves as a bridge between women entrepreneurs, the government, and donor institutions, and is working to create opportunities to support women and promote their growth.
Fariba Noori, a member of the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, says, “Women entrepreneurs, whether running small or large businesses, will receive our cooperation as we work to find ways to improve their enterprises. The Chamber has planned several programs for 2026.”
Meanwhile, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) reported in 2025 that it supported more than 89,000 small businesses in Afghanistan, 91% of which are led by women.
Reporter: Zarafshan Sharifi
