Team stories: Jamila

I am Hazara and I was born in Ghazni, Afghanistan. I moved to Pakistan as a baby and lived there until I returned to Afghanistan to study in my early 20s.

My husband and I lived as refugees in Indonesia for 6 years before being settled in Ōtautahi Christchurch in mid 2024. We have three children aged 2 - 9 years old.

I like being my own boss - I studied business in Afghanistan and I started a sewing business in Indonesia. I also love cooking and being part of the Share Kai Cooks Collective, with the encouragement of Share Kai I started my own food stall at the Riccarton Sunday Market in March.

I cook everything from scratch, I like fresh ingredients like mint, coriander and tomatoes, and I always use things to give lots of flavour like spices and dried roses. It’s not only about the taste, also about how the food looks when you use good ingredients. Because I grew up in Pakistan I cook both Afghan and Pakistani dishes, I love to cook what I learned from my parents.

I first hear about Share Kai when I attended the Ōtautahi Welcoming Dinner in September 2024. So many people were there, from so many places, and I thought - this is my place. I’m so happy to have found the Cooks Collective, we work together but we also feel like a family.

Jamila serves Pakistani food at the Share Kai Cafe, December 2024.