Kurram’s Female Entrepreneurs

Shabbir Hussain Imam

The Kurram district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa encounters issues such as restricted access to education and healthcare. Nonetheless, increasing initiatives have aimed at empowering women. An increasing number of women are launching their own enterprises, supporting their families, and enhancing the local economy. Psychologist Dr. Kulsoom explains that achieving financial independence enhances women's self-perception and boosts their overall happiness.

?Empowering women financially not only strengthens families but also uplifts entire communities, creating a ripple effect of positive change.

Initiatives like the Khyber Business Support Program and the Insaf Rojgar Scheme provide vital assistance to women-run businesses. Currently, Kurram is home to over 500 shops and 100 beauty parlors, many operated by women in remote villages, allowing them to earn a livelihood. Zainab, a beauty parlor owner from Hussaini Colony, exemplifies this success, earning Rs 250,000 monthly. Overall, Kurram shows significant progress in women’s empowerment, providing new opportunities in retail, beauty services, and crafts.

Surveys reveal over 500 small shops, 100 beauty parlors, and many sewing and craft operations across the region, with women in even the most remote areas, like Mullabagh, Kis, and Trimangal, establishing and running businesses.

Through collaborations between the Social Welfare Department and NGOs, women in Kurram have access to vocational training, equipping them with skills in sewing, beauty services, and more. To date, 850 women have completed courses and received the necessary tools to start their businesses. Beyond these sectors, women in Kurram are engaged in other enterprises such as poultry farming, dairy operations, and handicrafts, contributing significantly to the region's economy.

?Women in Kurram are overcoming obstacles to enhance community welfare and foster economic development.

Despite ongoing tensions and challenges such as delays in deliveries and unmet demand, which disrupt business operations, women in Kurram remain resilient. They are calling on the government to address these issues and ensure that they can continue their businesses uninterrupted. As Member of Provincial Assembly, Ali Hadi Irfani, notes, the historical neglect of women in Kurram must be addressed. His plan to establish a center for producing school uniforms aims to further empower women by providing them with new income opportunities.

The women in Kurram have demonstrated that, despite encountering many obstacles, they are capable of fostering economic development and enhancing the social welfare of their community. Their dedication and effort are not just changing their own lives but also contributing greatly to the region's economic growth.

?Ends.