THE DRESSMAKER OF KHAIR KHANA gives us a glimpse of what
it's like to be a woman in Afghanistan at a time when we,
as Americans, assume we know that they are oppressed. In
reality, the capital city of Khair Khana was a liberated
city where women worked, were educated, and dressed as they
pleased before the Taliban made their violent appearance.
As the women's lives are turned upside-down by the ever-
tightening restrictions of the Taliban, Kamila Sidiqi
struggles to find a way to provide for her family.
Finally, she realizes that with the edict that all women be
completely covered by a chadri (the body covering with
only a 2"x3" mesh slit for their eyes), baggy pants, and
long-sleeved shirt, there is a gap in the
tailoring business; most women do not own these items.
She comes to believe that if she were to train to become a
seamstress, she could not only provide income for her
family but jobs for her sisters and neighbors, all within
the restrictions of the Taliban. Not to say that this
endeavor was easy by any means, but Kamila saw hope, and
was constantly moving forward, refining their plans and
making changes to their business as necessary.
This book really opened my eyes. I had no idea that
Afghani women moved about freely before the Taliban and
that it was THEIR restrictions that caused women to be
treated in the way we Westerners now consider the norm; it
was not the norm for them at all. We really get to know
Kamila as we move through the story and I get the sense
they are just like us in a lot of ways: preparing meals,
worrying, listening to music, reading and swapping books,
talking about fashion, wanting to improve their educations
and lots in life---I found them more similar to me than I
thought! Very interesting read that is full of tension
that had me coming back time and again. Great story to
spark discussion! I highly recommend it!
The life Kamila Sidiqi had known changed overnight when the
Taliban seized control of the city of Kabul. After receiving
a teaching degree during the civil war—a rare achievement
for any Afghan woman—Kamila was subsequently banned from
school and confined to her home. When her father and brother
were forced to flee the city, Kamila became the sole
breadwinner for her five siblings. Armed only with grit and
determination, she picked up a needle and thread and created
a thriving business of her own.
The Dressmaker of Khair Khana tells the incredible true
story of this unlikely entrepreneur who mobilized her
community under the Taliban. Former ABC News reporter Gayle
Tzemach Lemmon spent years on the ground reporting Kamila's
story, and the result is an unusually intimate and
unsanitized look at the daily lives of women in Afghanistan.
These women are not victims; they are the glue that holds
families together; they are the backbone and the heart of
their nation.
Afghanistan's future remains uncertain as debates over
withdrawal timelines dominate the news. The Dressmaker of
Khair Khana moves beyond the headlines to transport you to
an Afghanistan you have never seen before. This is a story
of war, but it is also a story of sisterhood and resilience
in the face of despair. Kamila Sidiqi's journey will inspire
you, but it will also change the way you think about one of
the most important political and humanitarian issues of our
time.
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