Zahra’s story
Zahra* was married as a young girl and was forced to flee her home because of the beatings she received at the hand of her husband and mother-in-law. Back with her parents, her life was uprooted again when conflict in Faryab province forced her and many of her community to leave. Now, she lives with her father, mother and brothers on the edge of Mazar-e-Sharif, in a small community of internally displaced people.
The situation
While there is no fighting here, the situation is still desperate. Zahra’s community, though large, has only one well and one small store, and there is no mosque, clinic or school – in fact, the closest school and clinic are a 45-minute walk away. Most families have left their livelihoods behind, with land and crops back in Faryab and little prospect for employment here. The International Assistance Mission’s Mazar Livelihoods and Development Project (MLDP) aims to help increase economic opportunity and improve the lives of people like Zahra, providing a number of ways for community members to generate income.
Students hard at work practicing their embroidery skills
One of the ways MLDP is helping communities is by facilitating lessons – taught by a community member – in potential income-generating activities like hand embroidery and sewing. By finding a local that is already has a skill like this, MLDP is able to empower a community member to be a teacher, as well as giving other community members the opportunity to learn new skills.
Zahra’s part
When MLDP came to Zahra’s community, the women’s council selected her as a teacher for the hand embroidery course that would be held in her community. MLDP gives Zahra a small salary as an incentive to continue teaching the course. “That money means a lot to me and my family,” Zahra says.
It’s not just the money that Zahra is thankful for, however. She’s also happy to be empowering other women and girls in her community. The course has been running for a few months now, with students hard at work picking up a new skill – one they hope will enable them to earn much-needed money to help support their families.
If you would like to help people like Zahra and her students, click here to donate.
You can also read more about our work in development here.
*Name changed