In celebration of International Women’s History Month, IEEW is proud to share a story of strong will, determination, and perseverance. Hard times and unimaginable obstacles are nothing new to PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® 2014 student, Bibinaz Alijuma, owner of Mahrin Manufacturing. But neither is the determination to overcome oppression and thrive on the lessons learned.
Bibinaz suffered indescribable personal hardship as a young lady—enduring a forced marriage at age 14 to an abusive man and his sons and then being subjected to life on the streets of Afghanistan. In contrast, Bibanaz now owns a successful design and tailoring shop in Kabul, can conduct transactions in English and teaches others.
Bibinaz began by making gloves from home and quickly moved into tailoring school uniforms for her children and those in her community. Mahrin Manufacturing was established in 2011 to provide quality school uniforms for an ever-increasing demand. To improve her designs, Bibinaz attended a 3-month course in Karachi, Pakistan to learn pattern drafting and sewing. Combining this newly acquired skill with market research, Mahrin Manufacturing quickly grew.
Bibinaz loves the idea of “hiring more people and creating more job opportunities which contribute to the country’s economy.” Today she employs 2 ladies to make the uniforms, while 2 men sell them in the market—receiving a commission on sold items. Overmore, Bibinaz is finding new success designing and sewing evening dresses for Afghan’s middle class and hopes to enter the arena of handbags and shoes in the near future.
By participating in PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS®, Bibinaz hopes to learn how to better manage her business, as well as identify new markets for her products.
