Afghan Women Education Center

Member Profile

Children at the Center for Street Children

Afghan Women Education Center
Ms. Shinlai Zaheen
Bilal Street
Khalil Road
University Town
Peshawar, PK
Phone: 844028
Email: irfan@pes.comsats.net.pk

"The basic idea behind the center was that women were scattered and women needed a place to come together," explained Palwasha Hassan, the director of the Afghan Women’s Educational Center. Urban refugees were not eligible for international aid as it was earmarked for people in Afghanistan and for refugees living in camps. Knowing that they had to support themselves, women in Islamabad founded the Afghan Women’s Educational Center in 1991. They first created a community center for women to exchange information and meet with other Afghan women.

Sewing instructor in class for mothers at Center for Street Children

As the needs of the community became clearer, the activities of the AWEC changed to meet those needs. Women wanted schools for their children to study in Dari so AWEC started a primary school for boys and girls. The school has since expanded and now is a private school for grades 1-12 teaching in both Dari and English with more than 800 students.

AWEC has also graduated more than 6000 women in courses such as tailoring, computer technology, typing, English, office management and accounting.

In urban centers in Pakistan, Afghan women and children are found working and begging on the streets to support their families. The jobs include cleaning shoes, shining cars, selling small items such as gum or collecting trash. Continuing with their desire to educate Afghan refugee women and children, AWEC started the Center for Street Children and Women in 1998. This program aims to improve the lives of women and children working on the streets through vocational training, informal education and counseling.

"The Center is a transit place. Sending the children to school is the goal," explained Palwasha. The Center employs three social workers who contact children while they are working on the street. The social workers tell the children about the center and ask them to stop by. Once the children have signed permission from their parents they are able to come to classes. If the parents are reluctant to give permission, the social workers often go to their homes to talk to the parents.

Woman in literacy class

The main goal of the center is to get the child ready to enter mainstream school. The offer basic literacy classes, behavior classes and hygiene classes. There are counselors and medical doctors on staff to meet with the children. The center also works with doctors in the community who see the children for free or for reduced rates.

On average, the children are in the program for two to three months while some children are not ready for mainstream school for six months. Having established close relations with local schools, the children are allowed to enroll at reduced rates or free of charge. Since August 2001, there have been 100 children who have completed the program and started school.

The Center also offers vocational training. Boys are taught the basics of carpentry and welding at the center while girls are taught tailoring and embroidery. It is hoped that these skills will lead to work other than on the street.

Group instruction in welding

Recognizing that the children are working on the street to help support their families, the Center also offers programs for their mothers. Women take literacy courses and tailoring/embroidery courses. There is daycare on site to look after small children while the mother is in the classes. To help ensure the success of the program, the Center also offers job placement services for both parents.

Recently the Center has started providing counseling to domestic violence victims. They plan to open a shelter for women and children with support from UNHCR.

In the future, AWEC plans to replicate its activities in Afghanistan. They also plan to focus on the health sector and target rural populations.