Resilience Afghan Woman: A tale of a baker’s life by the oven

Written By: Zahra Rashidi

It’s a cold morning in December, and many women, carrying large bowls of dough on their heads or shoulders, enter the bakery where Zarmina, a young baker, strives to keep her life going amid chaos. The laughter and chatter of the women, warmed by the heat emanating from the oven, fills the bakery. They all know each other’s names as if they have been acquaintances for a long time.

Zarmina, with her black eyes and an orange dress with black lines made of linen, sits near the hot oven. There’s a slight distance between her and the other women who are busy talking with each other. On one side, the conversation revolves around life and women worried about their children or facing family issues, and on the other side is Zarmina, whose face is occasionally illuminated by the flames of the fire.

She has started her mornings in the bakery with smiles and laughter for years, having learned the skill of bread baking from her mother when she was just a child. The smoke and heat emanating from the oven make Zarmina’s black eyes appear teary, seeming as though she is crying, but this is perhaps just an illusion, as Zarmina never loses focus on her work and the women who bring dough to her bakery are very satisfied with the results.

Zarmina rarely joins the ongoing conversations in the bakery and when she does, it’s usually brief and to the point: ‘I have spent half of my life by the oven, amidst fire and smoke.’

Zarmina was about one and a half years old when she lost her father and became an orphan. During her teenage years and thereafter, she worked in the bakery with her mother. If there was one thing Zarmina did not want, it was to continue her family’s business. As a teenager full of aspirations, she never wanted her future to be tied to working in a bakery, but that’s exactly what happened, and now she uses all her skills to keep her life going in these chaotic times, reflected in the stories of the women around her.

28-year-old Zarmina displays a level of expertise in bread-making that seems beyond her years. The marks of soot and wood are visible on her hands, her face warmed by the fire’s glow, and her eyes as fiery as the oven. She follows all the steps of bread-making with ease: smoothing out the dough, arranging the rows of coals, and with a dexterity unique to her, sticking the flattened dough to the oven’s wall. With the same agility, she skillfully removes the baked bread from the oven and places it in the designated area for fresh loaves.

Zarmina married early and now has four children. The only thing that might distract her from her work is her children. The worry on the face of this mother, illuminated by the fire’s blaze, is evident, always ensuring that her five-year-old twins stay safe from the oven’s fire. It seems that deep down, she does not intend to pass on this family business to her children, revealing a commonality she shares with thousands of Afghan mothers who wish for their sons and daughters to have educated lives with comfortable, well-paying jobs. Zarmina reflects: ‘In the span of my 28 years, I cannot remember how many years or days I have been happy and lived well.’

Zarmina’s Worries and Tough Life

Zarmina’s husband works as a porter in one of the shops, earning a modest income. The challenge of raising four children, economic difficulties, sharing a home with her family, and daily expenses have compelled Zarmina to bake bread in the bakery from 6 AM to 11 PM.

As noon approached and the bakery grew busier, the door suddenly opened and a relatively well-dressed woman, adorned with rings and gold jewellery around her neck and hands, entered with a bundle in her hand. She had crossed two intersections to get here because she believes ‘the bread baked by Zarmina is purer than the bread available in the market.

This woman, who seemed wealthier than the other ladies in the bakery, unwrapped the bundle and gifted the clothes inside to Zarmina. Receiving this gift made Zarmina look much happier than before.

The day before, while upset due to family issues and sitting by the oven, Zarmina had suffered a severe burn on her leg during baking. However, unable to leave her customers waiting, she did not seek medical attention. According to the women present in the bakery, she used traditional Greek medicines and homemade ointments, and despite her burnt leg, she continued to bake bread like on other days.

Zarmina says her life has been filled with hardship and necessity, spending half of her life amidst smoke and fire. But she strives to create a better future for her children.

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