In January, Thunderbird hosted fifteen women entrepreneurs from Afghanistan for two weeks of intensive business training. The innovative program, called “Project Artemis,” paired each woman Fellow with an Arizona business woman mentor. This program gives promising Afghan businesswomen access to learning and contacts that will allow them to create successful, sustainable businesses in their country. Kellie Kreiser ’04 interviewed Artemis Fellow Katrin Fakiri about her progress since returning to Afghanistan and current conditions in the country.

Q. What have you gained from your involvement in Project Artemis?

Katrin: The experience at Thunderbird was one that I will not forget anytime soon. It was an honor to be invited to such a prestigious school, and I respect Thunderbird's initiative to reach out to Afghan women all the way across the world. It was inspiring for us to meet so many successful women, united and supporting one another in their business associations. Although I found the classroom sessions to be extremely valuable, what made the most impact on me were the connections we made and seeing how women who are in well-managed business associations can be very powerful. This is why we have decided to have an Artemis business association and model it after some of the business associations we visited.

Q. What type of business are you starting in Afghanistan?

Katrin: I would like to start an HR Consulting Firm. Human Resource departments and practitioners are a new thing here, but the overseas organizations who work in Afghanistan need to have HR services. Currently, companies are spending a lot of time and energy to streamline their organization’s functions. If they had a properly running HR department, they could have better trained employees, processes and procedures in place in an environment that is very challenging for employers to work in.

Q. What is the current business climate in Afghanistan?

Katrin: The business climate is both exciting and challenging. Only the most adventurous – or visionary, depending on how you see them – investors are committing to business in Afghanistan. It’s quite exciting to be part of rebuilding a country and those who love a challenge and building something from nothing will be drawn to conducting business here. In addition, Afghanistan is introducing friendly investor laws to attract the private sector and has even established a one-stop shop for investors to register businesses in less than one week. There are over 10 international commercial banks operating in Kabul. English is spoken by the large majority of the national workforce and on the computer.

However, it’s a difficult environment for several reasons: first and foremost is security. Although generally security is good, there are times when we go through a wave of incidents that unsettles everyone and disturbs business. The second reason is that the government still has not made a lot of improvements in public services and infrastructure in the past two years. Roads are in bad shape in Kabul, electricity is scarce, though it is getting better. The third challenge is that Kabul is an expensive place to live. Cost of living is very high compared to other countries in the region. For example, the average rent price for an office or home can start from $3,000 - $12,000 USD a month!

Q. What opportunities do you see for foreign investment in Afghanistan?

Katrin: This is a country that is being rebuilt from practically zero. There are all sorts of investment opportunities, especially in the telecommunications sector, water and electricity, construction, rebuilding of factories and all the service businesses that would cater to the needs of these new sectors.

Q. Of course, the world has heard about the restrictive environment the Taliban created for women. What is the business and social environment for women now?

Katrin: Afghanistan is a country in transition both politically and socially. This is why you might at times hear conflicting perspectives on the situation of women in Afghanistan. To compare the environment now to the time of the Taliban and prior to them, the Mujahadeen (Afghan women), have come a long way in just three short years, especially in the urban areas. Women are being encouraged to engage in business activities and currently there are a few hundred women-owned businesses registered. However, the majority of women-owned businesses are in the informal sector and involved in micro businesses. It is estimated that there are over 80,000 microfinance clients in Afghanistan, the majority of them women.

On the other hand, if you compare Afghan women’s situations socially to Western standards or even regional standards, women’s social status leaves a lot to be desired. The majority of women still do not have any rights even though it’s guaranteed in the constitution. Women are the most vulnerable members of this society. There is practically no legal protection as women are bound by cultural and religious norms. Even in urban areas, successful women have to be very careful as they are under scrutiny. Often any steps that they might take towards social progress will be exploited by the conservative elements and will be seen as becoming “westernized.” The positive news is that this country is in transition, and changes happen every day. We just have to accept that there will be sacrifices along the way.

Kellie Kreiser ’04 (kreiserk@thunderbird.edu) is director of “Thunderbird for Good,” an initiative aimed at providing learning experiences to non-traditional students who can utilize business and management skills to fight poverty, secure peace and improve living conditions in their communities. Project Artemis was the first Thunderbird for Good program; it will be repeated in the spring of 2006.

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Development Gateway: Afghanistan Reconstruction