With support from the Advancing Women-led Agro Businesses to Reach Economic Empowerment (AWARE) project, Save the Children organised a trade show in Jawzjan province on 13 August 2024. The event exclusively featured female participants and allowed only female visitors.

The primary goal of the trade show was to develop sustainable market linkages, showcase products and services from women-led enterprises, and promote collaboration between existing business services and networks. The event aimed to introduce participants to new markets, potential collaborators, and opportunities for selling their products, thus creating lasting business connections.

44 project beneficiaries, including heads of Women Agro Business Cooperative (WABC) groups from Sheberghan and Faizabad districts, participated in the trade show. The project provided essential inputs such as glass jars, plastic jars, and packaging materials to help beneficiaries display and sell their vegetable, saffron, and almond products. The participants showcased a diverse array of items, including fresh tomatoes, tomato ketchup, tomato paste, pickles, okra, melon, watermelon, eggplant, garlic, dairy products, cucumber (fresh and processed), almonds, saffron, and handicrafts. They sold their products, earning significant revenue and establishing connections for future business opportunities.

Bibi Gul* (38), from the vegetable WABC, said: "This is my first time participating in this trade show. We had two previous agricultural trade shows organised by Save the Children, which my group members participated in. They informed me about the many benefits, including how to arrange and sell products. This made me eager to experience it myself. The business marketing training provided by AWARE staff has been very helpful, and this trade show has been a great opportunity to apply these skills. It feels rewarding to see our hard work pay off."

Laila* (42), a participant, said: "I am a farmer and businesswoman, and representing my group at this trade show makes me very happy. It is empowering to see women like me have the opportunity to be visible in this way."

Najia* (29), a participant, said: "I brought my almond products to sell at the trade show. We offer high-quality almonds at low prices, and I managed to sell more than half of my products, earning 8,000 AFNs today."