Habiba learns about US food safety and starts cleaning up in Afghanistan

“Sanitation and safety are the two main areas that are not explored much in Afghanistan especially in Kabul. Before BART, I encountered a lot of problems because some of my products turned bad after a short period of time. I also struggled to sell my products and most of my money was sleeping on the shelves of multiple stores while I needed to have money to buy more raw materials. By visiting several host companies which has been made possible by Bpeace in the US, I found out how sanitation and safety are important. Now, I take safety and sanitation precautions with my employees such as use of hair covers, gloves, aprons, and washing hands before touching food, etc. I also decided to switch from plastic jars with fair quality to glass bottles and use PH # indicator for the right amount of acidity for pickles and chutneys and put jam and jelly in glass jars at boiling point. The quality of my products has already improved and my packaging system is more appealing to the customers and market. The people in Afghanistan have to have pickles and chutney at their dinning table at all times, it is almost a ritual for them.”

Editor’s note: Habiba spent most of October in Maine, apprenticing at food processing companies as part of BART (Bpeace Apprentice Road Trip.) Her 8 workers support 56 family members.