Equipping 300+ Taliban fighters to start/ scale businesses and help serve millions of people needs in Afghanistan
This article may stir emotions. However, the reader is kindly asked to read this article in its entirety before making premature judgements. By the end of the article, the reader may agree that the proposition to “educate and equip” Taliban fighters to start and scale business makes good sense: First, it will bring in fresh courage and determination to successfully build businesses and strengthen the private sector. Second, it will help better provide for the fundamental needs of millions of Afghan people (food, water, electricity, housing, healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, jobs, etc.). Third, it will help eliminate people group divides. Forth, it will maintain peace giving fighters transferable skills to succeed in other roles in society; to lay down their arms and use their abilities to help build the private sector and overall Afghanistan. Fifth, the proposition is in line with government direction and Sharia law compliant. Sixth, it will overall lead to a more harmonious and prosperous society in Afghanistan.
Review of the current situation in Afghanistan
A great problem is notable apathy, passivity, and lack of stamina of many common local Afghan adults
One of the biggest challenges to build Afghanistan is arguably the mental & emotional state of many local Afghans. Many adults feel discouraged and depressed. They display little stamina to take own initiative and carry out tasks to full completion.
Another problem is the victim mentality of common Afghans expecting “other people to do things for them”
Many Afghan adults feel that the current state of Afghanistan is all other people’s fault and that foreigners, donors, NGOs, the government and others should just “build their country”. Meanwhile many local Afghans feel entitled to have tea, complain, and wait until things become easier for them. Their attitude seems “I hope somebody will somehow do something for me” or “I cannot do anything unless the situation changes”. Many highly educated Afghans with Master degrees have not done any for 1000 (!) days. Question: Why should foreigners build Afghanistan?! It is the responsibility of Afghans to build their own country! Like any other nation in the world!
Many common people just see problems, while few smart Afghans recognize and take advantage of the many business opportunities.
There are dozens of high profitable business opportunities across each industry to develop multi-million-dollar companies and help millions of Afghan people address needs. READ in later section below.
Afghanistan offers business opportunities with extremely high profit margins, at minimal risk, with very short payback cycles, and little competition! This is unique in the world! Come to Afghanistan and become rich in 3-5 years!
However, local Afghans seem to be completely blind to it. And they rather wait for “somebody” to give them “somewhere”, “sometime”, “somehow” a job... But Afghanistan does not offer a job market. Instead, it offers a great market for entrepreneurs and businesspeople to start and scale companies! So, looking for jobs cannot produce tangible results. Instead of learning from the situation and doing business to help their families and build Afghanistan many people simply give up. As a result, some grown up, healthy men dare to sit home, drinking tea and doing nothing, while their own children are begging in the streets. How wrong and sad!
NGOs are not the solution, but part of the problem in Afghanistan!
For decades NGOs have failed to address the problem. Rather than helping Afghans build profitable/ sustainable businesses, NGOs have fed local people day by day. As a result, many Afghans feel mentally and emotionally incapable to work hard (as any business requires). READ The good and bad sides of NGOs in Afghanistan | LinkedIn
NGOs have created a realistic utopia world in Afghanistan where many people wait for free NGO hand-outs, “just get an NGO job” or “start their own NGO to get foreign donor money directly”.
This perversion and abuse of foreign donor & taxpayer money must stop now, if Afghanistan ever wants to become independent, self-reliant, sustainable country!
Afghanistan needs a new approach: Introduce Taliban-fighter spirit (courageous, committed, focused, multi-tasking) as new lifeblood into the weak private sector!
It requires courage, commitment, focus, multi-tasking to start a business. Doing business is a constant daily learning journey of recognizing challenges and bold tackling/ resolving problems. The Taliban fighters with their years of training & practical combat may be some of best people to start and scale businesses! They will not fear or run away from problems (like many of the highly educated Afghans). They will not give up but find ways to achieve defined outcomes. They Taliban fighters will work hard and long-hours. They will make the necessary personal sacrifices to become successful.
Ethical concerns? Look at the bigger picture!
It is time for the people of Afghanistan to forgive and embrace. If Afghanistan ever wants to become a prosperous nation, Afghan people need to embrace each other: all people groups, all diversity, educational backgrounds, strengths & weaknesses, religion beliefs & interpretation. It is time to let the wounds heal, to respect each other as human beings. That includes leveraging each other’s strengths rather than looking down on another person’s weaknesses.
Educate and equip Taliban fighters for their own good and for Afghanistan
Fighters are trained to fight. Peace is not a normal environment for them. It is like the situation of a gifted football players that is not allowed to play… Sooner or later the football player will get depressed, or angry, or fight with the coach...
Like NGOs who constantly seek out/ create humanitarian crisis to justify their existence (to the detriment of Afghanistan sustainable development), so fighters will naturally look for situations where they apply their fighting skills... Reflect on what that means!
So, in the interest of peace, it is important to help fighters transition to a time of peace and to help them play a valuable contribution to their country. It is not their fault to lack certain education. It is hard to go school when you are in a war. The Taliban-fighters need training of transferable skills and enablement to help build their country in time of peace!
Remember that many successful entrepreneurs and today’s multi-billionaires worldwide were little educated
Many billionaires started as poorly educated, average-brain gifted individuals. Their differentiators: They worked very hard, surrounded themselves with subject matter experts to solve problems at hands and build organization leading as example by character, determination, and audacious fearlessness. Many Taliban-fighters could be very successful entrepreneurs with proper support and coaching.
Complement Taliban-fighters strong “doer-abilities” with business-educated people
One of the biggest misconception in Afghanistan is that you an entrepreneur needs all business skills to start a company. No, that is absolutely wrong! The world is too complex to know everything in sufficient detail in business. Doing business is a continuous journey. Sometimes you win, and sometimes you learn. There is no failure in business. Only learning, improving and becoming better. The success is determined by how much the entrepreneur can satisfy the needs of the customers at good quality and affordable price, while making a fair profit for himself and other shareholders & investors.
Taliban-fighters will bring the necessary courageousness, problem-solving, and dedication to success. Those Taliban-fighters’ strengths are missing in today’s Afghanistan’s business (as mentioned)!
Businesspeople from different disciplines can surround and support that Taliban-fighter with business planning, financial projects, IT and other business services.
Case studies for the sceptic: Yes, similar models work in other countries!
Case study: German soldiers transition successfully into private sector through upskilling
Case study: Ex-soldiers of the Israeli Army have produced many of the most innovative companies in the world!
Case study: US companies employ highly successfully former soldiers to work a project managers.
Case study: French Foreign legion trains ten thousands of people from doubtful backgrounds to highly skill productive members of society later
Case study: and more
Case study: Personal experience at Black & Veatch Solutions Group
The Consulting arm of Black & Veatch, one of the largest private Engineering Procurement & Construction companies in the USA with operations worldwide successfully implemented a program where they recruited military soldiers for serving as leaders and managers of their organization and projects. Those soldiers leveraged their strong aptitude to focus on goals, work around problems and deliver results. Clients and colleagues were equally impressed by these former soldiers who role-modelled top performance, attitude, aptitude and business results.
Build a specific program to upskill and equip 300+ Taliban fighters to become entrepreneurs and project managers
Develop practical programs that help Afghan fighters to become effective entrepreneurs.
o All information must be customized and leverage existing attitude and skills
o Focus efforts on how to manage teams
o Teach only what business skills are helpful for business and how to engage with the respective subject matter experts
o Do not try to give the Afghan fighters all business knowledge (that will come from their support team)!
Support Afghan fighters through ongoing mentoring and coaching.
A direct word to the Afghan-fighters from a German who cares
I come out a family where my sixteen-year-old cousin Helmut threw himself as volunteer soldier against Russian tanks, when the second world war was long lost for Germany. Why? He gave his life so that German women would get a chance to flee and not get raped/ killed. My family, many healthcare professionals, sacrificing their lives for the good of people. I am here in Afghanistan to help build your country free of charge, not seeking my profit, just to help meet the needs of millions of Afghans. Simply to enable Afghans (like you) to build Afghanistan.
There is a “time for war, and a time for peace”. Now it is time for peace.
You have demonstrated great commitment to your cause. Now it is time to apply your skills to build Afghanistan in time of peace.
Taliban fighters can leverage their skills and abilities to build profitable, sustainable businesses that help build Afghanistan and help millions of Afghans. Here, how it works and how it is fully compliant with government guidelines and Sharia law!
Many common Afghan adults are complacent, passive, lazy and fearful to do business. Afghanistan needs to apply Taliban-fighter spirit courageous, committed, focused, sacrificial for the higher good!
How to build Sharia compliant business:
Select from the list of business opportunities (benefit millions of Afghans, profitable, and Sharia Law compliant)
Recommended by LinkedIn
Specific examples of highly profitable projects that will impact millions of people
READ the respective document to each opportunity!
Large industry initiatives that create many other project opportunities
For all Afghans: Make a difference to the glory of the Almighty God
Assume there is an Almighty God who has personally created you. Assume further that this Almighty God gave each of us unique skills and talents according to HIS divine purpose. Is it then not fair to believe that the Almighty God wants each of us to use all those individual gifts and talents for HIS purpose and glory?! And if you are born Afghan, is not normal to believe that the Almighty God wants you to build Afghanistan? One day each of us will stand before the Almighty God. Each of us will not only be judged by our wrong doings, but also by our faithfulness to use all our unique received gifts & talents. “Whosoever knows to do good, but does not do it, to him it is sin/ haram.”
Read the story that the holy Isa Al Masii told to his followers about the “lazy servant” and reflect on your life
14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. 18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ 23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
(Matthew 25:14-30) BibleGateway.com
Conclusion:
This article suggested to equip 300+ Afghan-fighters to start businesses to help build Afghanistan and help meet the basic needs of millions of Afghan people. It suggested to leverage the attitude, courage and other skills to overcome problems and achieve results. The Afghan-fighters should be empowered with subject matter experts from business, technology and administration to create a team that has all necessary skills to succeed. Existing accelerator programs could create a customized program to practically equip Afghan-fighters to assume the roles of leaders, entrepreneurs and project managers. The article offers case studies of where similar programs have achieved high success in other countries. Last but not least the article offers specific business opportunities that have impact on the needs of millions of Afghans, are highly profitable, and are government/ Sharia law compliant.
Legal Disclaimer
This article reflects the opinion of Alex Steinberg only. It does not claim to represent the viewpoints of any present/ former client, employer, or partner. The author acknowledges that there are often different viewpoints on a topic, which are equally valid. Constructive discussion rather than criticism can lead to better ideas and positive outcome & value to business and society.
About the author
Alex Steinberg is an industry expert and business advisor who has helped develop and transform 30+ multinational companies and has guided governments to build their countries across key industry sectors.
Alex has designed education & training curricula, trained, and educated over 300,000 people on five continents.
Alex is currently in Afghanistan to help build the country focusing on key initiatives that positively impact the lives of millions of Afghans including Food & Agriculture, Telecommunications, Energy & Water, Mining, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Education, and other.
Alex’s life mission is to help and positively impact 700 million people using his business & technology expertise, methodologies of working with world-leading consulting firms, as well as insights into 230+ projects across all business functions, process, and value chains.
You can reach out to Alex Steinberg by connecting with him through LinkedIn Alex Steinberg 方澤昂 | LinkedIn, WhatsApp +966 531824178 (Alex is in Kabul, but keeps his international number), or email at alexwsteinberg@hotmail.com