Tailoring: A Small Business Skill for Afghan Women

Today is Giving Tuesday! $150,000 in Matching funds are available for donations made to ALL our projects on GlobalGiving.

This campaign has proportional matching which ensures all projects receive some extra funds. New recurring donations set up today (active for 4 months) get up to US $200 per donor per organization matched at 100% (on the first month's gift).

Extra! Extra! The two projects below qualify for both TODAY'S proportional match and a 50% ADDITIONAL MATCH from the Safer World Fund at GG!!  It's a Win-Win!

1155 Fast Tracking Education for Afghan Women and Girls

1073 Save Rural Afghan Women and Girls with Healthcare

Tailoring is always popular with women and girls at Learning Centers. It is often the first class they want to do and becomes a gateway to other classes. Students gain a useful skill and the confidence of knowing they can learn whatever their educational level or age. 

"My name is Rabea and I studied to grade four when I was a girl. I left school because my family did not agree with continuing my education. I have always dreamt of being an independent woman. So I attended AIL’s Tailoring class after getting permission from my husband. My husband is disabled from his feet, so he cannot work and pay for our livelihood. It was a necessity for me to work because my family and children needed something to eat in order to stay alive. Through the years I was looking for work as household help or services in houses near our home.

I have learned tailoring for about six month at the AIL center and it has been 2 months since I took a part time job in a big company in the city. I sew very simple clothes for children for the company and receive a small income. I am still trying my best to improve and promote myself and want to open my own business in the future. I also started to sew clothes for my neighbors who come to me to tailor their dresses. In this way, I have built a reputation among the neighboring houses and gain income from this. I thank Professor Sakena Yacoobi and my tailoring teacher who helped me keep my home together. I hope every poor woman will to be able to learn at your centers." 

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Bonus funds on ALL donations are available NOW until 9 am Thursday 13^th.

Funds distributed on a proportional basis as to how much we raise, so we will get some extra money!

Up to $1,500 per unique donor per organization is eligible.

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New recurring donations (active 4 payments) matched on initial gift up to $200 per donor per project. 

AIL’s Learning Centers (LCs) offer a variety of classes. One of the most popular classes offered is tailoring because women need a means to reduce household expenses and to earn money.  So far in 2018, 2,108 females have studied tailoring in Herat LCs and 851 in LCs in Kabul and other provinces.

Halima is a graduate of the sewing class. "I am a young girl. My family are very poor. My father is the only one earning money for the family. But now with my sewing skills I can make clothes for our family. I can also earn money sewing for other people. I can help my father with household expenses. My life has come out of darkness because of AIL and the sewing class.”

Thank you for your interest in Afghan women and the challenges they face.