Kiwis in Kabul: Running a Business Under Taliban Rule

Two New Zealand businesswomen are struggling to keep their sustainable enterprise running in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, facing power cuts, high freight costs, and other relentless obstacles that threaten its survival. Emma Conyngham and Afghan-born partner Rahila Sayed nearly closed their Kabul-based company, Waste Free Celebrations, this year after costs outweighed benefits. Conyngham perseveres after an Afghan employee pleaded with her not to shut the factory, saying families could not eat without the jobs. The women continue operating despite daunting challenges, driven by the livelihoods of their Afghan workers. Their situation highlights the extreme difficulties foreign businesses face in Afghanistan under Taliban rule.