Handicraft companies: Job applicants outnumber buyers

KABUL (Khaama Press): Companies and handicraft stores say that despite the recent boom in women’s handicrafts, the number of applicants for work is higher than the number of buyers of these products.
The work chain of these stores is intertwined with the hands of anonymous women and artists who, after receiving raw materials including pieces and threads, deliver a beautiful and precious piece of work to their employers after several months of effort.
Each of the handicraft stores distributes materials for work to 200 to 300 women embroiderers. However, according to them, the number of applicants for work is higher compared to customers who visit these stores to buy products.
Sediqa Tufan, in charge of one of these stores, says she indirectly employs nearly 300 women from various provinces of the country. According to her, her sales market has had a good boom lately, but most people who come to her need work.
According to Ms Tufan, the majority of job applicants are young girls who are unemployed and deprived of education.
She further explains that by requesting from a health institute, their students receive raw materials from her, and with the money they earn from producing the goods, they pay for their educational expenses.
Latifa Husseini, the manager of the Gul Sib handicraft store, also says that the number of job applicants is higher than the number of people who buy from her. According to Latifa, dozens of women and girls come to her shop daily to request work.
Preparing a handicraft product for a woman takes from two to six months, and the proceeds of this several-month effort meet the needs of women who may have no other income.
Women’s handicrafts have had a significant boom in recent years due to unemployment, as many women and girls not only meet their own needs with the income from these products but also provide for their families in some cases.