HERAT -- A woman in Herat province has established a vocational training course for more than 80 other girls and women who have either not completed their education yet or who have lost their jobs.
These women, who have been deprived of going to school for the past nine months, are now learning tailoring, embroidery, computer skills and the English language.
Shukria Ahmadi, head of the Elham Bakhsh Association in Herat city, said she launched the effort to help women get out of their homes, become productive members of society and improve their mental health.
Initially, many of the participants showed symptoms of serious mental health problems when they started attending the training courses, she said.
![Female students who are deprived of going to school learn tailoring at Elham Baksh Association May 4 in Herat city. [Emran/Salaam Times]](/cnmi_st/images/2022/05/17/35421-w_2-739_416.webp)
Female students who are deprived of going to school learn tailoring at Elham Baksh Association May 4 in Herat city. [Emran/Salaam Times]
"Most of them suffer from depression and anxiety," she said. "Firstly, we conduct mental health sessions with the help of psychologists, and only then do students start learning the skills."
"Most girls and women who come to us say that they are so tired of their lives and have lost hope," she said.
Thousands of Afghan women, who used to work in public and private sector institutions, have become jobless and without an income over the past nine months.
Meanwhile, thousands of female middle and high school students have interrupted their education and are forced to stay home due to the closure of their schools.
Determined to gain knowledge
Deprived of going to school, many female students have found alternative ways to acquire knowledge and increase their academic capacity.
Samia Ahmadi, a 12th grader from Herat city who attends the course, said she decided to learn the tailoring profession after she could not go to school anymore.
"Tailoring is not my favourite, and I would love to be a doctor instead," she said.
But "we continue with our education even though our schools are closed... and will pass on what we have learned to other girls", she added.
Ahmadi said the closing of schools does not necessarily mean shelving their books, but it rather reinforces girls' determination to increase their efforts and learn harder.
She said Afghan women and girls will never give up and will continue their fight to learn and become educated.
"I vow that I will complete my 12th grade no matter if it happens after 10 or 20 years."
Khatera Afzali, a 10th grader from Herat city also taking part in the course, said that many female students have turned to vocational courses despite losing hope after the closure of schools.
"We hope school doors reopen so that we can continue our studies," she said.
Dreams on hold
Several of those attending the vocational training course had lost their jobs and are seeking alternative ways to earn a living.
Sohaila Hashimi, an engineer by trade, previously worked at the Herat provincial Rural Rehabilitation and Development Department.
"I suffer a great deal for being deprived of serving my country and fellow countrymen," said Hashimi, who now works as a tailor. "I wish I could utilise my knowledge towards building and developing my country."
Nevertheless, she said, her husband is unemployed and she supports her family of four with the income she makes from tailoring.
"I do not want to be confined at home and witness my family starve," Hashemi said. "I must work and feed my children."
Fatema Ghulami, who previously worked at Herat's provincial Agriculture and Irrigation Department, is now working as an embroiderer.
After she stopped receiving a salary from her government job, she said, her family was facing severe poverty.
Now she earns between 3,000 and 4,000 AFN ($34-46) per month to support her family.
"I was confined at home for five months and did not go out due to restrictions, but I had no other choice but to go out and work," she said. "Now I embroider in a workshop with other women and have found a source of income."
"All my dreams and 16 years of study have been destroyed," Ghulami said. "I pray that a miracle happens with the help of Allah almighty so that I can return to work."
It is a pleasure to read the news about this training course in Herat. I recently read the following news on the BBC Pashto website. On the one hand, I am happy to read such news, and on the other hand, I am worried that these school principals may face problems. ((A secret school for girls in a densely populated area of Afghanistan - a strong resolve to fight Taliban sanctions. More than a dozen girls came together to learn in a math class. "We are aware of the threats and are concerned about them," the school's only teacher told me, adding that girls' education was valued at "any risk." The Taliban have closed girls' secondary schools in almost all provinces of Afghanistan. The secret school we visited had to work very hard to make it look like a real classroom - with tables and chairs lined up. The teacher told me, "We try to hide it all, but even if I get caught and beaten - it's still worth it."))
Reply5 Comment
On the same day last year (May 18, 2021), three food factories started operating in the industrial town of Herat province. Officials said that the plants had cost USD 10 million and would provide employment to 500 people. Today (May 18, 2022) is one year since that news, but we have not heard any promising news from Herat, Khost, Kandahar, and Nangarhar. Now, hearts are broken. People are tired of living. They are desperate. Things were left to those who did not have a sense of patriotism and did not let anyone else have patriotism. I can realize the compulsions of these Herati women. May God give you the courage to eat legitimate food, and may the rulers of the time remove the restrictions on this helpless class and not press them like imprisoned birds.
Reply5 Comment
In my opinion, the number of institutions created in a country depends on the need. The community's people go to those institutions, or those institutions have their work to do. In the past 20 years of Afghanistan's system, many institutions have been created out of necessity, with progress in some areas, solutions to the problems of the people, and creating employment opportunities for a few well-educated and skilled people; however, with the advent of the Taliban, some institutions have been abolished, which has not only made people unemployed but has also created many problems in the daily life. Several days since the Taliban government dissolved the Human Rights Commission, the National Security Council, the Constitutional Review Commission, the Afghan National Assembly Secretariat, and the National Reconciliation High Council. If we forget about the other aspects, thousands of people were laid off with the dissolution of these administrations, including both men and women. Still, the Taliban do not care whether the people are employed. The abolition of critical institutions is another blow to human rights, the rule of law, and peace. After decades of conflict and war, all these foundations are necessary in Afghanistan and must remain in place! Taliban leaders are only thinking about how to impose restrictions on women, close educational institutions, and stop them from going to work. Leaders of the Islamic Emirate should at least read this report and learn from these wome
Reply5 Comment
Leaders of the Islamic Emirate, who have been working all day to impose restrictions on women, close their schools, bar them from traveling and prevent them from working in offices, should learn something from this woman. The Taliban, who have themselves widowed thousands of women, have a responsibility as the current rulers of Afghanistan to mourn the loss of women, widows, and orphans beyond the hijab and veil, who are being crushed by the ongoing economic crisis. When women are made unemployed, fired from their offices, and have no guardian of the household, corruption begins. These women are forced to either sell themselves or force their children to work, which in both cases leads to their corruption. The Taliban must learn from their past and stop harassing Afghan women.
Reply5 Comment
Salute to the brave and determined women of my country who have tried in every way to defend their rights. Despite receiving millions of dollars in the name of women, the world, and especially the human rights organizations and women’s rights advocates and the international organizations, have so far done nothing but donation of a sack of flour or wheat with the women of the country. The so-called Islamic Emirate has so far not been able to expand its field of activity from wearing of veil and imposing restrictions on Afghan women. So in this case, the existence of such entrepreneur women like Ms. Ahmadi is really a blessing and we should all appreciate them.
Reply5 Comment