SENYA MORADÎ

Sanandaj- Avoiding responsibilities; women do not have such a word in their vocabulary. Women illuminate not only their own lives but also the lives of others with their strong will, intelligence and love for peace.

They never support war or conflict; they always want a peaceful world.

Batoul Mohammadi, Atiyeh Shirini, Saada Sadeghi and Shapar Ahmadi are four women living in Sanandaj, a city of Rojhelat Kurdistan (Eastern Kurdistan or Iranian Kurdistan), who have broken gender stereotypes imposed on them by the patriarchal mindset by achieving their own economic independence.

Horaman: Women’s owned bakery

These women are not only the protagonists in their lives but also authors of their life stories. They do not want to be heroines because they are women, who have already inspired others.

They have been running a bakery named “Horaman” in the city of Sanandaj since 1991.

This bakery is not only a workplace; it is a place where four women work together in solidarity with each other. Every day, they bake traditional Kurdish bread.

“We opened this bakery in 1991 without receiving any support,” Atiyeh Shirini told NuJINHA. Four women bake bread for four seasons. “We also have to do the housework. Despite all the challenges, I am happy to be here.”

‘It’s hard but we have gotten used to it’

Saada Sadeghi thinks baking bread the whole day is hard but “We have gotten used to it. Being together makes it easier. The customers trust us because they know that women are more careful.”

Shapar Ahmadi never complains even though she gets tired. “We have a work distribution. Everyone is responsible for something.”

The power of solidarity

These four women running the “Horaman” bakery represent their society by having different character traits. Their differences unite them rather than separate them thanks to the power of solidarity among them. The bond among them is like a chain.

Horaman is not only a bakery but also an autonomy built by women. At the bakery, women make decisions and bake bread together in solidarity with each other.