Biography

I’d like to mention the most prominent periods and events of my life.

How it all began ...

In 1960 I was born in Kabul.

From 1966 on, I attended Masturi Gori primary school in Kabul.

From 1970–1976 I was a student of the Jumhoriat Lycee - something special, since it is the only professional school where women were taught economics, finance, statistics, accounting, foreign languages and law according to German standards.

From 1976–1978 I worked as a personal secretary in the ministry of trade - which then belonged to the ministry of economics - in the department attending to the promotion of import and export.

From 1978–1980 I taught at the school of Sarina in the Afghan province Baghlan. My last job was teaching at the Char Qala high school in Kabul.

In May 1980 I escaped from Afghanistan for political reasons, reaching first London by way of Pakistan.

Now a new chapter in my life was opened:

In July 1980 I arrived in Frankfurt.

1981–1982 I attended Bachschule in Frankfurt.

From 1982-1992 I was involved in neighbourhood help in the St. Sebastian parish and in housing for asylum seekers in Schwalbach as well as helping asylum seekers at Frankfurt airport.

From 1983-1989 I worked as a cashier and saleswoman in various hardware stores.

From 1988–1993 I worked as a commercial clerk with the "Hartmannbund" - Alliance of Physicians in Germany - in Frankfurt.

From 1989–1991 I additionally worked as a nurse for the elderly in the August-Stunz-Altenhilfezentrum in Frankfurt.

And then, I mustered the courage to become self-employed.

In 1991 I founded my first enterprise QR Glas- und Gebäudereinigung (custodial services) Nadia Qani Meisterbetrieb, with its registered office in Frankfurt.

In 1993 the formation of AHP Ambulanter Häuslicher Pflegedienst (kultursensibler Pflegedienst) (domestic culture-sensitive nursing service) took place.

In 1996 I was one of the founder members of RAH, Verein zur Förderung der kulturellen Werte Afghanistans e.V. (association for the promotion of the cultural values of Afghanistan) and have been active in the managing committee ever since.

In 1999 I became a citizen of Germany.

In 2001 I founded ZAN, Verein zur Förderung der Rechte afghanischer Frauen e.V. (association for the promotion of the rights of Afghan women). I have been its president up to today.

I have been involved in the managing committee of the ASF (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Sozialdemokratischer Frauen - working group of social democratic women) since 2006.

Since 2008 I have been participating in the Interkulturelles Frauennetzwerk Hessen (intercultural network of women in Hessia) which is eventually founded in 2010.

In 2010 I was one of the founder members of IKU.NET, Netzwerk interkultureller Unternehmerinnen e.V. (network of intercultural women entrepreneurs).

My mother

My father