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Kabul: A reality TV show broadcast in Afghanistan has encouraged Afghans to start their own enterprises, stirring entrepreneurial spirits in a country that has been ravaged by three decades of war.
The programme, Fikr wa Talash, or "Dream and Achieve" in English, is loosely based on the popular Dragons Den series, in which contestants pitch their business ideas to a panel of tycoons in return for cash for their companies.
The programme, the latest in a series of popular reality shows that have taken Afghanistan by storm, is more than just entertainment. Its supporters hope that by encouraging small businesses, the programme will help Afghanistan's economy become more self-reliant.
"Small and medium-sized businesses, which are by far the largest employer, be it small self-employed farmers selling a surplus or a shop-keeper, trader ... are the key to achieving such self reliance," said David Elliot, a development consultant for the programme's makers.
"Yet business skills and thinking, such as financial planning, marketing, competitive strategy, are all relatively new concepts that are needed to create a stronger, more resilient and healthy private sector, capable of being the 'engine of growth' for the economy," added Elliot.
Decades of war have devastated the Afghan economy and infrastructure. The government relies on aid for about 90 per cent of its total expenditure. Unemployment stands at 40 per cent with 80 per cent of Afghanistan's labour force employed in agriculture.
The show's sponsors, including US government aid agency USAID, mobile phone operator Roshan and Bank-e-Milli, saw the programme as an opportunity to foster an entrepreneurial spirit among ordinary Afghans.
The first series ended in August with the final contestant winning $20,000 (Dh73,400) towards his plastic recycling business. It was broadcast on Tolo TV, Afghanistan's most popular channel which also aired the hugely popular Afghan Star, a homegrown version of the US singing contest, American Idol.
"Reality TV is very big all over the world, that's why we wanted to make something where we could both help people, get ideas and also provide entertainment," said Masood Sanjar, a production manager for Tolo TV. "At first we couldn't believe we got so many people," said Sanjar.
"Then we saw that after every show we would get even more people coming forward." The show's top five contestants represented Afghanistan's complex and diverse social makeup, including an ex-warlord who had laid down his guns to start up a dairy.
"What I really like is that one of our contestants, a former commander, still comes with 10 armed guards to the show," said Sanjar. "But when he goes in, there is a woman sitting there asking him questions. This shows a real balance. It shows the change of life in Afghanistan."
The winner was Faizulhaq Moshkani, a middle-aged father of nine who owns a plastic recycling plant in his native Kandahar in southern Afghanistan.
Moshkani had shut down the factory due to the high cost of fuel to power generators. But the $20,000 prize money will enable him to move the business to Kabul where he plans to build a mini hydroelectric plant to power the new recycling factory.
"I feel very good," said Moshkani after the show. "Starting a business in Afghanistan is very easy but moving this business forward is very problematic."
Moshkani's recycling plant will enable the recycling and production of plastic inside Afghanistan rather than relying on imports from neighbouring countries such as Pakistan.
"It was a great pleasure for me to start producing something in Afghanistan," said Moshkani.
Mariam Al Ahmadi, a 25-year-old mother of five from western Afghanistan, collected the runner-up prize of $10,000. Five years ago Al Ahmadi set up her own jam and sauce company.
Collecting fresh produce from villages and farms around her native city of Herat, she produced jars of conserves and sauces that she sold at local shops.
"After this programme I can now make my business bigger. I am very happy with the result," she said.
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