Meet first lady ‘Kashmiri Wazas’ from central Kashmir

Kashmiri ‘Waza’ (Chef), is no longer a male dominated job in the Valley as for the first time, nearly half a dozen ladies from central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district under the assistance of J&K Rural Livelihoods Mission’s (JKRLM) UMEED scheme have successfully been able to serve famous delicacies to the people and have earned their name as well.

One of the members of Self Help Group—Khushbu, Humaira told Asian News Hub (ANH) that they have been engaged with UMEED since 2013. “We faced many odds, but we never stopped as we knew that UMEED is going to provide us many benefits in the future,” she said.

Besides Humaira, Ishrat Irshad, Zahida Basheer, Akhtar Jan and Yasmeena Bano are part of Khushbu Humaria, who hails from Lar area of Ganderbal, said that Kashmiri Waza was a male dominated job here, but they have managed to get engaged in the field and started their training at Solina.

We have successfully set up our unit and are being invited for many functions like engagements and other marriage-related events as well,” she said.

“Though, we don’t have any restaurant, but last year, we prepared food for the Amarnath yatries at the base camp while some of our girls are running a canteen at Rambagh as well,” Humaira said.

Humaira is a member of SHG, who have installed their cart at NRLM’s SARAS here at Boulevard, Srinagar.