She was an economics student in Afghanistan’s Parwan Province. But when universities were closed to girls, the course of her life suddenly changed.
Losing her place at university also meant losing opportunities to earn an income. She returned to a skill that had once been just a hobby: knitting. She learned from a woman who ran a similar business and gradually developed a style of her own.
For four years, she kept going. She knitted bags, wallets, and jewelry while searching for ways to reach customers. But the challenges were significant: she had no place to work outside the home and no suitable local market to sell her products. Her monthly income was around 4,000–5,000 Afghanis—far from enough to meet her financial needs.
Then she found another path online. After taking business and digital skills training, she launched her own online shop, allowing her to reach customers beyond Parwan.
Today, she says she earns an income, is able to address some of her financial challenges, and is moving toward greater self-reliance.
The university was taken away from her, but she worked to build another path toward independence.
This story is based on a story published by UN Women.
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