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Historic Women: Kamila Sidiqi

In March we bring you these amazing women who have marked a "before and after" in the history of entrepreneurship


There's no such thing as an impossible feat for people determined enough to achieve it, no matter the gender, sex or age. This is proven by Kamilia Sidiqi, the Afghan female entrepreneur who currently revolutionizes her country as an example that in a society where women are strongly oppressed, their voices can still be heard and transform the world.

 

She was 19 years old when the Taliban imposed their regime on Kabul in the mid-90s. Being left in charge of her home for reasons beyond her control, she’d have to resign herself to stow away her newly acquired degree in Education for the sake of her family.

 

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At that time, she would be forced to follow strict Islamic laws. In this environment of pessimism and oppression, they would keep her down, but Kamilia had an idea.

 

With the help of her older sister, she learned to sew and began making clothes. These creations then became more and more popular, and in a very short time, the laborious hands of their younger sisters would not be enough to accommodate demand.

 

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By the end of the Taliban occupation, Sidiqi created the Kaweyan Business Development Services (KBDS), a company that dedicates itself to the promotion of other Afghan women in the field of personal business development and consulting.

 

This is how KBDS would be Afghanistan's first business development training company, training 5,000 people, 70% of them women, in business and leadership.

 

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