Afghan women who worked in government institutions under the previous administration have started their own small businesses to address their financial difficulties.

They said that economic challenges have forced them to turn to such work.

Noorjan, who previously served as a school principal for a number of years, said that with 10,000 Afghani she began her business to help her family financially.

"I used to be the principal of a school, but I went into business to support my family. To advance in life, you must begin somewhere, I began with handicrafts,” Noorjan told TOLOnews.

Women who started small businesses asked the citizens of the country to use and support their domestic products.

"There have been many changes; in the past, the markets were full and people were buying things, but now, the marketplaces are very cold and no one buys anything,” said Mina, a business woman.

"Stand on your own feet. No matter what you say, I didn't have any capital. I began with twenty Afghanis, and now I'm here," another businesswoman, Fatema, said.

According to numbers provided by the head of the Afghanistan Women's Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 4,000 women have currently been granted formal permits for their services.