DANNA, Pakistan (AlertNet) - In a quake-damaged building patched up with tarpaulins, 23 young women sit demurely behind hand-operated sewing machines arranged in a line on the floor.
Some are practising on pieces of paper or scraps of fabric. A few have made pretty dresses for their little sisters. "After I've finished this course, I'm going to sew clothes for my family. I'll also be able to earn money and that will help improve things for us," said 24-year-old Shazia Raheem.
She is a student on the first course to be run at the "women's empowerment centre" set up by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Attyasa village in June.
The international relief and development group began providing support to communities in Danna Union Council, 50km (30 miles) southeast of Muzaffarabad in Pakistani-administered Kashmir, after the huge earthquake that hit the region on Oct. 8, 2005.
While the number of deaths in Danna was relatively low at 95 from a population of around 22,000, nearly all houses in the area collapsed or were damaged.
Saima Montaz, the centre's literacy teacher, told how the earthquake had a severe psychological impact. "Afterwards children were frightened by thunder and heavy rain, and cried in their sleep," she said.
"Women also found their memories had weakened. After losing their houses, people are still afraid of another earthquake."
A psychosocial counsellor worked with the women at the centre for two months.
"She told us about tension and how to release it. She said we should try to move ahead with our lives and not dwell on the past," explained 17-year-old Saima Khozame.
Although Attyasa has a primary school, the teacher visits only monthly. Before the earthquake, girls found it difficult to continue their education beyond this level because it meant travelling to another village. As a result, most can barely read or write.
But since June, they have been taking classes in Urdu, English, maths and religion.
At their teacher's prompting, they reeled off a list of body parts in English from a wall chart. "Now I can write my name and work out how much income we receive in our family," Raheem said.
The women also learn about pregnancy and health, including how to improve nutrition and hygiene. In this area, poor food and water contribute to kidney and appendix problems, as well as irregular menstruation. Tuberculosis is also common.
LEARNING TO MAKE A LIVING
IRC runs two women's empowerment centres in the Danna area which they eventually plan to hand over to the communities to run themselves.
Many students pointed to the opportunity to acquire vocational skills as the most beneficial aspect of the course.
"The women enjoy sewing and embroidery, but they will also be able to earn income by making clothes for other people in the community," trainer Nazia Sharif said.
"They need money for school fees, books and uniforms for their children or brothers and sisters."
But for the women to be able to earn a decent living from the skills they are learning they will need to procure a sewing machine as none has one at home.
They will also have to be trained to market the products, Naveed Nawaz, IRC team leader in Danna, said.
"Once their work is of high-enough quality, they can really start generating income, and for that we have to help them establish linkages with markets in Muzaffarabad or Islamabad," he said.
"After some time, we want people here to do things for themselves. Now we are building capacity so they can grow their income in the future."
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