A 70-year-old Kandahar woman is the city's only female shopkeeper and has been running her store for decades. 

The woman, Bibi Gul, said she has refused to bow to challenges and hardships thrown at her over the years and has instead kept her business running. 

According to her, she was a young woman when her husband became paralyzed and was unable to work. With no income, and six children to feed, she decided to open a shop. 

Bibi Gul said she has had her shop for almost 50 years and has kept the store going even during the Taliban regime. 

“I have been a shopkeeper for almost 50 years. I faced many hardships during both the Soviet era and the Taliban's regime. But now there are no problems," she said. 

“I buy my products and I sell them myself. None of my family helps me,” said added.

According to her she sleeps in her shop most nights but goes home to her house in the suburbs of Kandahar once a week. 

“When my husband became paralyzed then I opened a shop,” she said.

When asked about her children she said she lost one of her sons in a traffic accident, a second son was killed by unknown gunmen and one of her daughters passed away. She said this was her "greatest pain in life."

“I have a number of orphaned grandchildren, from one son and my daughter, and I have to look after them; I go home once a week because I have to work hard as there is no one to work for me and look after my family,” she added.

Bibi Gul said she has never once given in to life's challenges and has continuously worked to provide a better life for her children.