How to Become a Good Businesswoman?
Many women who aspire to become businesswomen do not have sufficient information about how will they achieve that goal. They want to open their own businesses and become good businesswomen but without enough knowledge and courage to take the right steps that will walk them up the ladder, is hard.
While most of these women come with less or no education they initially have to learn the ABCs of business. Most of them find it very hard at first and are hesitant to move forward.
Zardozi has solved this situation by working closely with women to go through each phase slowly so that they don’t feel helpless and alone in this journey. The women learn about theoretical concepts along with lessons from videos that illustrate real life experiences of animated women who want to do business and succeed.
The business training videos are developed from Zardozi’s training modules in collaboration of the DFID-funded Afghan business support initiative Harakat. They have been effective for several years now, since it has made learning easier and more practical for the women. Amina says, “At first I didn’t understand what the instructors were explaining to us. I was lost about how I can relate myself to the lessons. But ever since I saw Roya (character in the video), she practically showed us what to do.”
After the business training, the marketing team walks with these women to do a shop-tour by introducing them to different markets and shopkeepers in different parts of city. Some women who demands to take order are accompanied by Zardozi staff and secures first three orders for them from a shopkeeper so that the women are familiarized with the process of contact building and contract making.
On a warm morning in Kabul, 20 women crowd together in a small room where the air of fan also does not change the fainting temperature. The women meet regularly in the same room every morning for five to six days listening carefully and enthusiastically to their trainers and video lessons that are played on a blank wall.
For Shafiqa, the heat does not seem to be much bothering. “These problems are part of our daily lives. To learn, one has to go through all troubles and I don’t want to miss this opportunity,” said Shafiqa, cleaning the sweat from her forehead.
Sitting next to Shafiqa, her close friend, Khadija said, “I always dreamt to open my own tailoring workshop, but I didn’t have any idea what I should do. With start of this training I have learned a lot especially the marketing training has been very helpful. I was able to identify my customers need and it also connected me with other tailors and production workshops in the market. I will be opening my first workshop by the start of next year.”