ZABUL, Afghanistan – The Zabul Province Women’s Center Bazaar opened Mar. 8 on a Coalition base in the Qalat District, Zabul province.
The Women’s Center Bazaar will provide an opportunity for women to earn an income through the production of handmade crafts.
“This is the first bazaar in Zabul province to exclusively sell handmade goods that were made by women,” said the bazaar founder, Chief Petty Officer Raina C. Barthelme, a Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan representative. “The bazaar will employ one local national female as its shopkeeper, and 10 local national women will work from their homes to provide the bazaar with goods. Not only will this bazaar help employ and empower women in the area, the bazaar will also help earn money for the Qalat Women’s Center.”
Barthelme said all profits go to Women’s Center education programs and to the employment of women who will make the handmade goods for the bazaar. The Women’s Center educates the underprivileged and widowed women of Zabul province providing them with trades that can be used for future employment.
During the planning and construction phases of the bazaar, Barthelme said strong relations were built with Rajeeba, the Department of Women’s Affairs line minister.
“Coalition personnel have been engaging the local population throughout Zabul province through shuras, and through those shuras and Rajeeba, we have built a pretty strong relationship with the local population and the Women’s Center. These relationships will undoubtedly help with future bazaar projects in conjunction with other Afghan government projects,” said Barthelme.
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