How an Afghan supermarket chain in Hamilton is helping newcomers find work

After immigrating from Pakistan to Toronto in July 2001 in hopes of building a better life and future, Mirways Babakarkhail workedodd jobs at factories and moving companies.

Buthis visits to friends who lived in Hamilton and worked in Jackson Square mall changed the Afghan man's life.

People came up to him and asked, "'Can you bring traditional Afghan rice and bread for me,'" Babakarkhailsaid.

"So I started one day, two day, three days a week to bring food for them to help them."

In September 2005, Babakarkhail took a chance and opened a small storein the city's coreSamirSupermarket, a1,000-square-foot grocery locationnamed after his son that sold a range of traditional Asian groceries.

His intuition paid off. The shop was a success and he moved it to its current location in Stoney Creek.

Seeing increased demand and a growing Afghan community, Babakarkhail eventually opened a store on the Mountain and another in Burlington, Ont.

Last week, he marked the opening ofhis fourth shop just in time for the end of Ramadanand forEid al-Fitr celebrationsonWednesday.

Babakarkhail said it gets very busythis time of year, adding that many shoppers buy up all the sweets and dried foods.

'This is my first job': dozens of newcomers employed

The new 15,000-square-foot locationis nestled in the city's downtown area at 20 George St., just blocks from Jackson Square.

It's a nod to the chain's humble beginnings, and has a halal butcher to offer customers custom cuts of meat andSamir-branded items like authentic imported rice.

Babakarkhail who also runsa separate Samir Kabab business said a downtown store was needed because "a lot of our communities are here and most of them do not have a car."

Along the way, Babakarkhail brought on Mohammad Asghar as a co-owner to help expand the business.

Asghar said he met Babakarkhail at Samir's.

"I was a customer," Asghar said.

Asghar isn't the only newcomer who is part of the chain.

Babakarkhail and Asghar said they make an effort to hire newcomers because manystruggle to find work when they first arrive in Canada.

When the new store was announced, Asghar said, over 100 people applied for work, most ofthem newcomers. Now there are some 46 employees at the downtown location.

Zohra Karimi said she spent three months looking for work before she started at Samir's.

"This is my first job I'm so happy," said Karimi, who immigrated from Afghanistan half a year ago. She said the chain's success is "a success for all Afghan and Muslim people."

Babakarkhail and Asghar said he encourages his workers to learn English, get an education and work hard to pursue their dreams.

Babakarkhail said the goal is to open storesin cities across the province.He's setting his sights next on Guelph, London, Kitchener, Waterloo, St. Catharines, Brantford and Milton, he said.

Babakarkhail and Asghar said it's not about the moneyit's to make it easier for peopletravelling from other cities to visit the store.

"That's why I have to help," Babakarkhail said.