For the Love of Choi

During a discussion about our choice of warm liquid beverages, a Canadian diplomat explained: “I had enough tea rammed down my throat in Afghanistan to last a life time - somehow it loses its appeal when its offered by people who may or may not have poisoned it.”

While there is little to fear in the way of devious behaviour here related to my beverages, I can now understand where this man was coming from. I have just returned from two weeks of fieldwork in the traditionally Tajik region of Rasht Valley – where cultural norms are strictly adhered to, Sunni Islam prevails, and tea is the main sustainer of life. I’ve now seen the bottom of too many teacups to remember (and unfortunately visited an equivalently large number of outhouses) and the once aromatic freshly brewed black Tajik favourite has somehow lost its appeal.

I was in the region conducting a gender case study on women’s small businesses for AKF’s project implementing partner the Mountain Societies Development Support Program. MSDSP, through the financial assistance from international donors, supports poor rural women in setting up and expanding small businesses – and I was on a research mission to find out what factors are contributing to the successes and challenges owners are experiencing, all the while trying to understand how the businesses are impacting gender equality. Eight owners were strategically selected (based on location and business type) and these women were interviewed, in addition to their husbands, village leaders, our staff workers, and groups of village housewives.

Twenty-six interviews and 5 focus groups later, I’m now left with over 150pages of notes to analyze and over 55 hours of zap (recordings) to listen to. But I drove back to Dushanbe with a lot more than research notes in my bag. The experience has opened my eyes to a lot of the realities that women, families, entrepreneurs, NGOs, and the regions of Rasht Valley are facing as they try to improve living conditions in a very difficult environment. Using open-ending questions in my interviews, I was able to probe under the surface to gain a better picture of the day-to-day lives of my respondents and how being an entrepreneur has changed their lives.

Still faltering as a post-Soviet nation – where business markets are poorly developed, the capitalistic spirit is subdued, resources are scarce and expensive, and pockets of religious conservatism and traditional gender expectations prevail – running a successful independent business in Tajikistan is not exactly easy. However, I met numerous women who have beat the odds and now run successful bakeries, confectionaries, canteens, and sewing units. Nearly all of them are filling a gap in their village’s market, thus benefiting the whole community by offering a locally available product or service at a lower price than a distant city. This often results in service providers gaining respect and status in their villages, while acting as a role model to other women interested in business.

Even in the most conservative regions that I visited, women were rebelling against religious expectations and entering the marketplace in order to provide for their families – “times are getting harder” I heard over and over again. In the face of poverty, I witnessed women going to great lengths to put food on the table and clothes on their children’s backs. During these difficult times men were simultaneously recognizing that their female family members had the capability, strength, and determination to contribute to the economic welfare of the family and became appreciative and supportive.

One of the most surprising things I realized as my research progressed was that even between the 5 districts of Rasht Valley (which is only 1 of 4 regions in Tajikistan) the geographical, economic, social, and gender differences were distinct and diverse. This was a clear reminder that there are many sides of Tajikistan to explore, and that in six months I have only just begun to scratch the surface of this complex nation.

(Note: Photos to be added to this post in the near future)
(Note: This posting is my own opinion and is in no way representative of the opinions of MSDSP, AKF, AKFT, or CIDA).