HASSINA SYED
An outspoken 30yr old former refugee and mother of two,despite numerous obstacles,including threats by warloads , government officials and rival male interests who deeply resent a female in their presence.
Hassina now ranks as one of the most successful successful entrepreneurs in Afghanistan.She is the founder of "Non profit Afghanistan National women's organization(NOW)" along with creation of her own expanding companies.
NOW helps women to develop their own livelihoods.
At 31, Hassina Syed holds an advance degree in business that only few can rival.Its not that she received through formal studies at university.She has earned it being a young female entrepreneur who has managed to amass a mini conglomerate in war torn Afghanistan and a male dominated business world.
"They will let women do a small business , which they don't care about,''says Syed,who went into business 12yrs ago.''But once they discover a women is doing positively well they really want to stop her by any way.But i never listen because my father,my husband and family are always supporting saying 'you can do it '' these were the words by Hassina.
Hassina is in U.S as a part of month long program sponsered by US state department that gives rising women leaders in emerging economics a chance to learn from some of this countries most powerful female executives.Her mentor,Lora Villarreal,executive vice president and chief people officier of Dallas based affiliated computer science Inc.thinks Syd's story is worth sharing.
Ironically Oama Bin Laden laid a foundation to Syed's grow network of business.
When Taliban collapsed in 2001,Bin Laden fled Kabul owing 3 months rent for his 4th wife's house.Desperate for money , the landlord demeaned himself by letting 22yr old Afghan women pay $300 tab and taken over the lease "He needed money and i had money so he didn't care . I fixed a problem "says Syed.
Hassina who borrowed money from her father,she spent $200 more sprucing up to two story house and then opened it as bread and breakfast for foreign corespondents. One of them Peter Juvenal, a celebrated freelance cameramen who worked for BBC and CNN became her husband.
Today a larger and relocated Gandamak lodge is a hotel of choice for foreigners-mostly members of the media , executives and international officials.Time magazine featured it last month in an article named ''Kabul nightlife":thriving between bombs.
Syed's other business are thriving in midst of chaos as well.
As chief executive of Syed group of companies,she owns a distributerships that imports military vehicles from England,repaints them and sells them to Afghan civilians;a security consulting firm and labor staffing company.
She also runs a experimental farm where she teaches farmers about drip irrigation system and hot houses.She buys their fruits and vegetables,sells them in Dubai and India through her international food trading company.
Hassina is the only women in 3000 member Afghan chamber of commerce and was the lone female in president Hamid Karzai's 40 person trade delegation to Europe,China and India in 2008.Her 39 male counterparts were horrified that she came unchaperoned and told her so.
She is very much pioneer in doing her own things because she doesn't expect any support from anybody says Juvenal,who is traveling with his wife as she visits ACS facilities around the country
a businessperson."That's so great about her experience here.To be in society with women are bosses of their business is a great tonic to her.In Afghanistan she has no peers.
So one of Syed's favorite takeaways from her U.S. experience is
a new phrase. "I'll get back to you," she says pointing a manicured
finger as she practices the line. "This gives me a really nice
sentence. I can always use it."
so friends women if determined on her goal she can do anything even with piles of obstacles.so please support women in her every single step than trying to pull her down!!!!!
Thank you all
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