Instead of early marriage—learning to tailor
Twenty girls are learning tailoring, instead of getting married. They listen carefully as the teacher trains them in dress sizing in one of the Accelerated Learning Centres in Kham Aabassi village of Badghis province. This informal class runs for three hours five days a week.
Hajera, 15, is a student of this centre who works hard and recently moved up to 4th grade.
For Hajera, chasing this dream was not easy. “Due to war and conflicts, there was no school for girls in our village. I dreamed of a literate person, but it was not easy for me to study or go to outdoors to learn something. I was busy [with] house chores all the day,” she says. She remembers her childhood. “I was interested in tailoring since I was a child. I made dresses for my dolls. I remember it was tough to find a tailor woman in our village. My mother went to another village to seek a tailor to make our dresses,” says Hajera.
When World Vision Afghanistan established the Accelerated Learning Centre in her village, Hajera tried her best to become the student of this centre. “The village head came to our house and asked my parents to register me to this class. At first, they were not interested because of cultural norms. Arbab (the village head] convinced them. I am very much happy that I am here today,” she says. Hajera learns tailoring beside school subjects. “So far, I made six dresses during my three months entrance to tailoring class.” She is hopeful for a better future. “I can read and write now, and I hope to have my tailoring shop in the village to support my family financially and make my future,” Hajera says.
Homaira, 16, is another student of the centre in 4th grade. She wants to become a teacher besides a tailor in near future. “I hope to continue my education at least until 12th grade to help other girls and women of our village to be literate person.” She recently surprised her mother with a dress. “When I made a dress to my mother, she even did not pretend how I am capable now. My family encouraged me, which is a great step to open my tailoring shop in the village,” Homaira says. One of her cousins learns tailoring from Homaira.
According to Maliha, 27, the tailoring teacher, this initiative impacted the decrease of child marriages in the villages. “Girls are now busy with studies and tailoring. This not only benefit themselves [the girls] it also helps the families for financial aspects; as most of the child marriages happen because of poverty,” she says. The students come to the centre with enthusiasm, while the teacher has a plan for them, “I cannot see any absent students in the class. I am excited to select a couple of qualified students to open our own tailoring business,” says Maliha.
Mohammad Esmail, 60, the village head, adds more on the impact of this initiative on 300 families of Kham Aabassi village. “Now our girls are literate and they will be a tailor in the future too. Many of the families consider this development on their children and support them to make their lives.”
Education made possible
To improve access to quality education for all through expansion and regulation of the alternative learning pathways Community-Based Education offered in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. All CBE modules – comprising Community Based Classes, Accelerated Learning Programmes/Centres, and other alternative learning pathways delivered at the community level – under the oversight of the Ministry of Education as part of the formal education system. [1]
World Vision Afghanistan seeks to prevent Child Early and Forced Marriage (CEFM) through providing alternative education and income-generating opportunities to out of school girls in 10 villages of Badghis. Through the project Let Girls Thrive, 300 girls aged 10-15 at the risk of early marriage complete primary education from first grade to sixth, while they also learn tailoring skill in Accelerated Learning Centres. 75% of children in target areas have completed six years of basic education in structured learning institutions. 92% of community members reporting to take action to prevent and/or respond to child protection issues in the community. [i]This came to happen through mobilizing of the parents, community Shuras and faith leaders to value investment in girls’ education.
[1] https://moe.gov.af/sites/default/files/2019-12/Community%20Baseed%20Education%20Policy.pdf
[i] https://www.wvi.org/publications/annual-report/afghanistan/world-vision-afghanistan-annual-report-2020