Instagram and Snap Chat are exciting places to be.
It can be a place to showcase hobbies and be inspired, or it can be a toxic place where day after day, one is going down a deep hole with no end in sight. Some revert to these platforms to attain external endorsement when they cannot give recognition to themselves internally, and others use it to move forward in their careers or personal passions.
For some women, it causes their insecurities without their realisation. For them, it appears as though the entire female population in the world, except for themselves, have perfect button noses, crystal clear skin, plump lips, and feathers as eyelashes. For others, it is empowering, as they learn about healthy lifestyles, productivity and physical health. For some, it is about showing off a life that does not exist in reality, and for others, it is about knowing like-minded people who share the same interests.
As for me, dearest reader, I share my thoughts around coffee; and for many women in my community, these two platforms are the secret key to their entrepreneurial success. How, you may ask.
A few weeks ago, I visited a friend whose generous hospitality included Kulicha (traditional pastry stuffed with walnuts or dates) with chai (tea). It was probably the most tasteful Kulicha I have had. The type that melts away in your mouth without you needing to chew a single time (probably thanks to all the oil in the recipe- but that is not our point at the moment). My immediate response was, “I need the recipe”; she told me it was purchased via Snap Chat. You can imagine my raised eyebrows, “Snap Chat?”. I learned that day that so many Kurdish women, from the comfort of their own homes, make desserts and sweets. They post it on Snap Chat, and their friends, neighbours and friends of friends make orders. My friend informed me that:
“Sara Khan, she puts on Snap Chat everything she cooks and makes at home, and if you want it, you just send her a message. You can then go pick it up, or she can send it to you with a taxi driver.” I came home that day and did exactly that. This is how the messages went with Sara Khan*
Me: Hello, I want to make a Kulicha order, just like the ones you make for Vian khan
Sara Khan: Sarchaw (on my eyes) how many kilograms?
Me: 2?
Sara Khan: Will you pick it up or shall I send it?
Me: Can you deliver?
Sara Khan: Yes, send me your phone number.
At four o’clock that afternoon, I received two kilograms of Kulicha freshly made, still warm, packed and labelled, at my doorstep. Ready to freeze for whenever needed. Easy as that.
And the cost? I paid more than I would when buying from any supermarket in town. Although I am well aware, the quality of the ingredients is very different.
In a society where 80 percent of the population do not have credit cards, where online ordering from abroad can take weeks (and weeks) and Amazon Prime does not exist, direct messages to individuals on Instagram and Snap Chat make the business run smooth- at least for those starting new. This is both for new and young entrepreneurs more aware of the social media world, but also the older generation with support of their children.
It is not just older Kurdish women who can cook wonders in their home kitchens, but young girls who make jewellery in the their own homes like Nask Collection and The Dali Store also have their boutiques as an Instagram page. In fact, there are various different business who have taken on the online world for their virtual shops and boutiques. This includes everything from humble businesses like sewing clothes for women on Lady Design, Notebook orders on Tenus and Kurd Notes, artwork and cups on Rengine; personalised dolls from Julia Dolls, Tote Bags from Bayal, Cards from one of my favourite businesses, Kurdish Doodle, higher-end, quality clothing pieces and even stickers.
Some young female entrepreneurs have made their own products like makeup and skincare by Taff, Chera for hair products and Çiwale – a Kurdish cosmetic brand made locally.
Should they have rented a physical shop, many of these businesses most likely would not have sustained for long. The official paperwork required, the rent fees, staff salary, water and electricity bills and the fact that only so many people within the local community have access to a particular corner shop, the success may or may not have worked in their favour. In the Kurdistan Region there is currently no official paperwork required for working in social media platforms.
Online platforms such as Instagram and Snap Chat (for some even Facebook) allow for a wider reach of audience; a young girl in Basra can order from a shop in Duhok in a single second and receive the delivery the following day. I have made orders from Sulaimani and had the delivery at midday in Erbil the next day.
As a result of these online businesses, a few delivery companies have emerged. These are taxi drivers who pick up and drop off the items from door to door. The payment method is cash at the door as you receive your order. Of course, every purchase made on these platforms has a delivery fee attached – this usually ranges from $2 to $10 depending on where the location is across Iraq.
While this is an easy gateway, where a young woman, in the comfort of her own home, can open a start-up business in just minutes by creating an online account, for bigger businesses, it can be inefficient.
Popular business like Shopasar is taking online orders via a website, and Lala Candles, which I previously introduced on Ebtedy, is starting to transfer to website orders for efficiency purposes. However, a direct message requesting an order for so many young female entrepreneurs at home can make their day and bring them income.
To help these entrepreneurs, trainings and opportunities like those provided by the Takween Accelerator, Five One Labs and the Iraq Response Innovation Lab help build the entrepreneurs’ business knowledge, growth and in some cases provide networking opportunities, funding and even introduce them to investors. This was almost the lost key in the past years for those with talent, ideas, and hobbies, but not the financials to start a physical business in the “real world”.
Furthermore, Ebetedy, has recently launched a mentoring program, Meet your Mentor, where mentoring programs are designed for local start-ups, among the targeting countries is Iraq. This is not a lonely program of the Goethe-Institut, there is also the Design and Resilient Business Bootcamp for Iraqi Designers. These internationally funded and supported programs can help boost businesses running from home, by increasing and improving the knowledge and skills of their owners.
*Khan is a Kurdish word referring to a female. It indicates respect when mentioning Khan alongside the name of the female.
By: Sazan M. Mandalawi, a facilitator, a PhD candidate in the field of education, and a passionate blogger herself focusing on culture and the creative scene in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.