Each day that Benazir Yakta opens her Kabul-based business she is conscious of the responsibility she carries as a business owner and employer. Benazir long dreamed of starting her own business venture to express her entrepreneurial talent and provide a source of income for Afghan women. Benazir Yakta Trading Company, which exports an assortment of Afghan fruit and nuts, is the fulfillment of that dream and her unwavering determination to succeed. Today the company employs 105 persons, of which 100 are women. Receiving a recent Islamic financing from the ADF to purchase produce from Afghan farmers was yet another milestone for this proud business owner.
In Afghanistan, women entrepreneurs need courage and resilience to overcome many obstacles, not the least of which are managing an own business in a traditional society where cultural sensitivities are often front and center. And for Benazir Yakta Trading Company – being a distributor of high value crops such asapples, apricot, grapes almond, pistachio, walnut, and raisins – there were additional and sometimes complex challenges to overcome. This included establishing supply linkages with Afghan farmers across various provinces; securing export contracts that require strict quality compliance; and ensuring safe and secure transport of product across borders. All of this would not be possible without an owner manager driven by a desire and commitment to succeed.
Access to finance through an ADF Islamic financing has also been crucial. In the past the company purchased fruit and nuts from agents and wholesalers (at higher cost). The recently approved Islamic finance of AFN 2 million will be used by the company to purchase directly from farmers, increase its procurement volumes and increase exports. The company also plans to expand its operations and produce fresh fruit juice.
By offering finance to women owned enterprises, ADF provides much needed capital for income generating activities. Since inception, ADF has disbursed more than AFN 7.6 billion in Islamic finance to agribusinesses and financial intermediaries across Afghanistan.
“The ADF Islamic financing was a great help for me to expand my business and reach my business goals”
Benazir Yakta, owner of Benazir Yakta Trading Company, a recipient of an ADF Islamic finance in Kabul, Afghanistan