Training Program in Pakistan Helps Afghan Women
2023-10-05
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1In a small building in Peshawar, Pakistan, a group of Afghan women watch a teacher show them how to use a sewing machine.
2The training program was established last year by Mahra Basheer who saw an increasing number of women coming from neighboring Afghanistan.
3Since the Taliban took over in 2021, women in Afghanistan have faced growing restrictions and an economic crisis.
4Basheer created the program to provide choices for women to support themselves.
5She teaches sewing, digital skills and beauty treatments.
6And Basheer quickly found hundreds of women wanting to join the program.
7"If we get assistance, I think we will be able to train between 250 and 500 students at one time, empowering women who can play an important role in the community," Basheer said.
8Officials say hundreds of thousands of Afghans have traveled to Pakistan since the Taliban took over in 2021.
9Even before then, 1.5 million registered refugees were in the country.
10This is one of the largest such populations in the world, the United Nations refugee agency says.
11More than a million others are estimated to live there unregistered.
12Struggling with an economic crisis of its own, Pakistan's government is increasingly worried about the number of Afghan refugees.
13Many Afghans have been arrested in recent months. Lawyers and officials say they do not have the correct legal documents to live in Pakistan.
14Basheer said that her main aim was expanding operations for Afghan women.
15But she has also included some Pakistani women in the program to increase their choices in the conservative area.
16The training program lasts three months.
17When they complete the program, the women direct their attention to earning enough money to survive. Many women begin their own businesses.
18Fatima, a nineteen-year-old from Afghanistan, completed the training program.
19She said she wants to open a beauty salon in Peshawar.
20It is currently banned in her home country just a few hours away.
21"Right now my plan is to start a salon at home. Then to work very professionally so that I can eventually open a very big salon for myself," she said.
22I'm Gena Bennett.
1In a small building in Peshawar, Pakistan, a group of Afghan women watch a teacher show them how to use a sewing machine. 2The training program was established last year by Mahra Basheer who saw an increasing number of women coming from neighboring Afghanistan. Since the Taliban took over in 2021, women in Afghanistan have faced growing restrictions and an economic crisis. 3Basheer created the program to provide choices for women to support themselves. She teaches sewing, digital skills and beauty treatments. And Basheer quickly found hundreds of women wanting to join the program. 4"If we get assistance, I think we will be able to train between 250 and 500 students at one time, empowering women who can play an important role in the community," Basheer said. 5Officials say hundreds of thousands of Afghans have traveled to Pakistan since the Taliban took over in 2021. Even before then, 1.5 million registered refugees were in the country. This is one of the largest such populations in the world, the United Nations refugee agency says. 6More than a million others are estimated to live there unregistered. 7Struggling with an economic crisis of its own, Pakistan's government is increasingly worried about the number of Afghan refugees. Many Afghans have been arrested in recent months. Lawyers and officials say they do not have the correct legal documents to live in Pakistan. 8Basheer said that her main aim was expanding operations for Afghan women. But she has also included some Pakistani women in the program to increase their choices in the conservative area. 9The training program lasts three months. When they complete the program, the women direct their attention to earning enough money to survive. Many women begin their own businesses. 10Fatima, a nineteen-year-old from Afghanistan, completed the training program. She said she wants to open a beauty salon in Peshawar. It is currently banned in her home country just a few hours away. 11"Right now my plan is to start a salon at home. Then to work very professionally so that I can eventually open a very big salon for myself," she said. 12I'm Gena Bennett. 13Mushtaq Ali reported this story for Reuters. Gena Bennett adapted it for VOA Learning English. 14______________________________________________ 15Words in This Story 16sew-v. make or repair clothes by hand 17digital-adj. electronic technology 18empower-v. to give authority or power to do something 19role-n. the part that a person or something plays in an activity or operation 20salon-n. a type of store for beauty products 21eventually-adj. in the end