‘Sewing’ the seeds to empower women

The school stays in one neighbourhood for six months and then relocates.

SUKKUR: Farzana’s husband does not earn enough to support his wife and seven children so she sought her father’s help. When he died five years ago, the family was struggling to make ends meet.

When the Vocational Dastkari School was set up in her neighbourhood, Shah Khalid Colony, she decided to learn sewing to train for her own business. “I attend school from 9 am to 12 noon and then go home to look after my children,” she explained.

A proud mother, Farzana told The Express Tribune about her eldest daughter Rehana who received a scholarship to attend the Institute of Business Administration, Sukkur.

The school, established by the Pakistan Baitul Maal, has 30 students in the morning shift and 30 in the evening shift. The administration takes in students who have at least finished middle school because the school offers regular classes and religious education as well. Each training period lasts six months after which the school shifts to a different neighbourhood.



The incharge of the school, Nabila, who was also a student six years ago said that after the training is over, all their students know how to cut and stitch clothes. They also learn how to embroider and do appliqué work.

So far, 19 batches of students have graduated from the school, which means that over 1,140 women have been trained, said Nabila. The graduates receive certifications while those who secure the first three positions are awarded sewing machines.

According to Nabila, the dresses that the students make are kept in reserve and distributed wherever they are needed. In 2010, the school distributed more than 20,000 dresses among flood victims in Sindh. Nabila said that their policy is to provide vocational training to the poor and needy at their doorsteps, that is why the school shifts from one neighbourhood to another. “We have completed two batches in this locality. Now we will move to some other location where women are desperately looking for such training.” Since women can hardly move freely in our society, the school goes literally to their doorsteps, she added.



Another student, Mehnaz, said she will realise her dreams of cutting, stitching and designing clothes.  “I had joined this school five months ago and have learnt enough to work on my own,” she said. Her father is an electrician so she wants to pursue her own business and help him out. Her sisters attended the same training earlier so she knows how helpful the training will be. “After one month, I will graduate and start earning at home like my elder sister,” she said.

Since families can hardly afford the material needed for training, Mehnaz was glad that the administration takes care of it.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 28^th, 2012.