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Using their skills to design school bags for other Afghan vulnerable children

by Terre des hommes | Terre des hommes (Tdh) - Switzerland
Monday, 18 January 2016 10:57 GMT

* Any views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Samira* is 17 and Zahra* is 16. The two teenage girls are enrolled in one of Terre des hommes’ (Tdh) programmes in the poor settlements of Kabul. Run by Tdh’s local partner (Afghan Women Educational Centre), the Child Protection Centre in Kabul offers literacy classes and vocational trainings along with social support to extremely vulnerable children. While the younger ones reintegrate school after they graduate from the centre, the ones above 14 learn a job such as tailor or motorbike repairer.

The tailoring teacher in Kabul came up with the idea to ask the class to design and sew school bags for children going back to school. It would be a gift “from children to children”.

Samira and Zahra have been learning tailoring for five months, along with literacy. They were very happy to take part in this initiative: “For the first time we were asked for our opinion and ideas. We realized that we were not only learning how to sew but that our ideas were taken into account. We were capable of creativity. These bags are going to be very useful for boys and girls going back to school as often we use plastic ones that don’t last. If we were in their shoes, we would be very proud to wear these fancy bags!”

Together they sew about 60 bags of different shapes, sizes and colours to fit all ages and wishes. The bags have been brought to the children in Torkham, where Tdh runs another Child Protection Centre (CPC).

Both girls never went to school and before being enrolled in Tdh’s programme, they were weaving carpets at home. To reach the CPC in Kabul, it takes Zahra one hour and a half by bus. It also took weeks to convince their fathers to let them go out of their homes. Both are scared of suicide attacks and harassment when out in the streets, but they still strongly think that joining the programme is a great opportunity.

They only wish peace for their country “so that all girls have the opportunity to grow and develop, go to school and achieve whatever they desire”. According to Zahra, “people should not marry their daughter underage, they should let them get an education”.    

When proudly taking the pose with the bags for the picture, with their eyes sparkling, one can forget that these girls are probably the most vulnerable individuals in Afghanistan. But by giving them a chance, the girls of today will be shaping the Afghanistan of tomorrow.

Interview done in Kabul Child Protection Centre during a tailoring vocational class, November 2015.

*Changed name

Terre des hommes improves the lives of more than two million children and their relatives each year. Find out more about our projects in Afghanistan.

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