Traditional Skills, New Freedoms

Afghan refugee families who have fled to the southwest Pakistani city of Quetta find a hard life there. Cut off from their homeland by decades of conflict, they do not know when it will be safe to return. Refugee women face particular hardships. Often confined to family compounds by tribal traditions, they struggle to rebuild social networks. When their husbands have been killed or injured in the war, they must also find a way to support their families.

Catholic Relief Services helps by providing skills training and basic education classes in local community centers. Attending classes gives women the opportunity to leave their homes and bond with other women. They also gain handcraft skills and a math and literacy education that helps them run small businesses and contribute to family income. CRS' Quetta office recently graduated 150 women from a yearlong program. The agency will continue to support the small-business groups these women formed and help them become self-sufficient.