KABUL, Jun 25 (IPS) – It was a sunny winter day in Kabul. I made a decision to step out and take a stroll round my environment. With my lengthy gown and hijab on, I left the home. Since I used to be not too removed from residence, I didn’t want the corporate of a Mahram, a male guard, by my aspect – a strict restriction positioned on Afghan ladies by the Taliban.
Life within the metropolis was bustling, youngsters promoting plastic luggage by the roadside whereas peculiar folks went about in numerous methods.
As I walked, my eyes caught an indication that indicated a restaurant for girls solely, serving quite a lot of native and nationwide dishes. I used to be intrigued, provided that in a metropolis stuffed with quite a few lodges and eating places, largely run by males, this specific one was operated by ladies catering to solely ladies prospects.
I made a decision to pursue additional. The signal took me fifteen stairs deep into the basement of a constructing, the place the ladies working within the restaurant couldn’t be seen from outdoors.
From Dwelling-Kitchen Hustle to Full-Blown Restaurant
I used to be met by a girl who pleasant welcomed me. As I sat within the restaurant, recollections of the previous flooded my thoughts. I had visited eating places with my household and pals previous to the Taliban takeover of our nation. There was once laughter, we shared meals and loved one another’s firm with out worry or restriction.
We may sit collectively, converse brazenly, and luxuriate in life, free from the oppressive environment that now defines our present scenario. These days have been filled with pleasure and risk, and the recollections are among the many happiest I’ve ever had; now they really feel like a distant, virtually unreachable previous.
A waitress snapped me again to the current as she took my order. I used to be curious to know the way the ladies had managed to arrange a office outdoors residence within the coronary heart of Kabul.
One of many proprietors who needed to stay nameless narrated the story: “My daughter and I have been pushed by unemployment and poverty into making ready scrumptious meals at residence and promoting it on-line at low value”.
“The enterprise progressively flourished, although initially we made many errors”, stated the younger lady, a legislation diploma holder, pressured by the Taliban to desert additional research.
After saving 800,000 Afghanis, and an extra 100,000 European Union help, they determined to start out their very own restaurant. The rented place has a completely geared up kitchen and a big corridor for patrons.
Contained in the superbly embellished partitions, ladies are busy making ready dough for bolani, a thin-crusted flat bread broadly consumed in Afghanistan usually stuffed with potatoes, leeks, grated pumpkin, or chives.
As a result of Taliban crack down on ladies outdoors residence, the restaurant has turn into a lifeline to many of the ladies working there, who not too long ago misplaced their jobs.
Amongst them is Wahida, a younger lady who stated she misplaced her job as an workplace employee. “It has been over three years since my colleagues and I misplaced our jobs with the arrival of the Taliban,” she stated, including, “I used to be left questioning what to do”.
However now with the opening of the women-only restaurant by the 2 enterprising ladies, she and ten of her colleagues, have had a salaried job for the previous one month.
And that was exactly one of many motivations for Farhard and her mom opening the restaurant – creating jobs and offering monetary independence for girls who had been thrown out of jobs by the Taliban.
“Ladies’s work outdoors the house has introduced nice hope to the ladies working in our restaurant, as a result of they will help their households with their salaries”, stated Farhard.
“In addition to that”, she continued, “a restaurant is an effective supply of earnings and reintroduces the tradition of cooking genuine Afghan meals for folks in probably the most lovely manner attainable”.
They’re licensed by the Ministry of Commerce and their buyer base is steadily growing. The proprietors present coaching in catering and repair to candidates earlier than hiring them.
Navigating the Tightrope of Taliban Guidelines
Ever for the reason that Taliban burst onto the political scene 4 years in the past with indiscriminate ban on ladies from working outdoors residence, Afghan ladies are exploring income-generating enterprise choices. Tailoring and custom-made dressmaking are among the many commonest, whereas the restaurant sector additionally gives a viable various for a lot of others.
This women-only restaurant can solely function as a result of it strictly follows all Taliban guidelines. It’s situated in a basement to make sure that no ladies might be seen from outdoors, as ladies should not allowed to work outdoors or eat in public with males.
They pay month-to-month taxes to the Taliban, all employees are ladies, they usually comply with hijab and different spiritual laws set by the Ministry for the Promotion of Advantage and Prevention of Vice.
But regardless of the good lengths, which ladies take to generate incomes, the Taliban are nonetheless looming not far behind.
“Officers from the so-called Ministry for the Promotion of Advantage and the Prevention of Vice conduct weekly inspection visits to our restaurant,” complains Wahida.
The inspections, she says, “make sure that all the ladies are carrying their hijabs correctly, with their faces coated, and dressed within the applicable lengthy gown, because the laws demand”.
Other than that, they totally examine the whole restaurant to make sure no males are working there, since ladies are strictly forbidden to work in the identical place as males.
To the ladies working within the restaurant, these inspections are undoubtedly seen as pointless harassment. They really feel scrutinized and but powerless to battle towards it.
Nevertheless, Wahida has a message for the courageous Afghan ladies: “Do not despair, discover the small niches the personal sector permits, and preserve transferring ahead.”
© Inter Press Service (2025) — All Rights Reserved. Authentic supply: Inter Press Service
