Afghan Woman Entrepreneur Shares Picture From Before Taliban Takeover

Sara Wahedi, the CEO and Founder of Ehtesab, Afghanistan's first civic technology startup, shared an old photograph she took at Bost Restaurant, a restaurant owned and operated by women in Kabul. The photo was taken months before the Taliban's return to power.

Me in Kabul, at Bost Restaurant. It was woman-owned (@MaryAkrami), with 100% female staff. This was a few months before the Taliban takeover.

Behind me are images of legendary Afghan women. We smiled then - excited about the future. Afghan women were unstoppable.

Still are. pic.twitter.com/ZzRiFw63La

— Sara Wahedi (@SaraWahedi) January 14, 2023

Since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021, numerous discriminatory measures against women have been implemented, including the closure of girls' secondary schools, the ban on women attending universities, and restrictions on working for non-governmental organizations.

Twitter Post Catches Attention

Wahedi shared the image along with the caption, "In 1919, Afghan women secured the right to vote, a year ahead of women in the United States. In the background stands Queen Soraya of Afghanistan, a leading advocate for women's suffrage. We have a heritage of strong and formidable women. This is the Afghanistan I wish to showcase to the world. It's what we are striving for."

The picture was first shared in January this year. Since then, it has garnered more than 5.7 million views with the picture being liked more than 67,000 times. It has also been reposted over 7,800 times.

Netizens reacting to the picture commented on the power women of Afghanistan hold within themselves. One user commented, "Having seen girls & women protesting for their basic rights in the streets of Kabul against the most uninitiated, incompatible, & atrocious Neo-Taliban, I say they're the most courageous freedom fighters with indomitable spirits and persistence." 

Another user commented, "You possess more courage than the Afghan men you've brought up. Your men, who have failed to stand up for their wives, mothers, and daughters, should be ashamed."

Another user sharing her experience of visiting the restaurant said, "Had the pleasure of visiting this restaurant in 2017 with a delegation of women's peace activists from Pakistan and Afghanistan. Afghan women's resilience is unmatchable."

About The Restaurant

According to an article published on the Free Women Writers' website, Bost Restaurant was established by activist Mary Akrami. Men were not allowed to visit the restaurant on their own but could enter when accompanied by female family members.

The restaurant's staff consisted of survivors of gender-based violence. Akrami explained that one of the main reasons for opening the restaurant was to provide economic independence to the staff members who had escaped forced marriages and abusive households and were living in shelters.

Another article published in the Eater in 2017 shared that the restaurant employed over 17 ladies; 10 in the kitchen and seven on the front end. The employed women mostly belonged to the shelter home, a piece of information which was largely kept a secret from the customers.

The restaurant before shutting down after the Taliban takeover of 2021 aimed to expand into a franchise business, and intended to equip the women with skills for potential employment in other places. In Kabul, Bost was a sanctuary where women could previously enjoy a sense of freedom.

Suggested Reading: UN Reveals 1600 Human Rights Violations In Taliban-Owned Afghanistan