Fatema Akbari facts for kids

Fatema Akbari (Persian: فاطمه اکبری) was born in 1974 in Daykundi, Afghanistan. She is an Afghan entrepreneur and a strong supporter of women's rights. She started the Gulistan Sadaqat Company and a group called the Women Affairs Council. In 2011, she won the 10,000 Women Entrepreneurial Achievement Award for her amazing work.

Her Journey as an Entrepreneur

Fatema Akbari became a carpenter out of need. After her husband passed away in 1999, she needed to support her children. Her family had moved to Iran when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. There, she worked on building sites.

In 2003, she returned to Afghanistan. She started her own furniture business called Gulistan Sadaqat Company in Kabul. She also opened a carpentry school. Her goal was to help women whose husbands were killed or hurt in the conflict. She wanted to give them a way to earn money.

In 2009, Fatema joined the 10,000 Women program. This program was sponsored by Goldman Sachs at the American University of Afghanistan. It helps women from developing countries learn about business and management.

Working in Difficult Areas

Fatema Akbari has even worked in areas controlled by the Taliban. She talked with local leaders to expand her business and offer literacy classes for women. She once said, "It would be good for the Taliban to be involved in the country, to see that there’s nothing wrong with women leaving the house." This shows her courage and belief in women's roles.

Helping Women Through the Women Affairs Council

In 2004, Fatema Akbari started an Afghan NGO called the Women Affairs Council. An NGO is a group that works for good causes, not for profit. This council teaches women how to make handicrafts. It also teaches both boys and girls about human rights.

By 2011, it was estimated that she had trained 5,610 people across Afghanistan. This was through her NGO and her business.

Winning the 10,000 Women Award

On April 12, 2011, Fatema Akbari received the 10,000 Women Entrepreneurial Achievement Award. This award was given at the Global Leadership Awards. The organization Vital Voices praised her work. They said she helped other Afghan women by:

• Providing training and jobs through her carpentry business.
• Offering literacy and skills training through her NGO in areas controlled by the Taliban.

More of Her Important Work

Fatema Akbari also took part in a special conference. This event happened on March 30-31, 2011, in Dallas, Texas. Former United States President George W. Bush and Afghan President Hamid Karzai hosted it. The conference was called Building Afghanistan’s Future: Promoting Women’s Freedom and Advancing Their Economic Opportunity. Fatema was a panel member, sharing her insights.

See also

In Spanish: Fatema Akbari para niños