Afghan Women's Welfare Department

Member Profile

AWWD staff at Shamsatoo training center

Afghan Women's Welfare Department
Ms. Jamila Akberzi
12 Defense Colony, Kafila Road, Tahkal Payan
GPO Box 545 Peshawar, Pakistan
Phone: 0521-5703084
Fax: 0521-841552
Email: awwd@psh.brain.net.pk

The Afghan Women's Welfare Department (AWWD) began in July 1989 with the goal raise the literacy rate of Afghan women by providing educational and income-generating training to both rural and urban refugee women. Since that time, the AWWD has trained approximately 6000 Afghan women refugees in programs such as literacy and tailoring, English language, computer programming and software, basic health education, soap and candle making and embroidery training.

Girl in tailoring class at Shamsatoo Camp

About an hour’s drive from the center of Peshawar lies the new Shamsatoo refugee camp. The AWWD recently opened five literacy and skills training centers for women in the camp, funded by the International Rescue Committee. Around 100 women attend one-hour classes in basic literacy and two-hour classes in tailoring and embroidery six days a week. There is also a day care for their children where they are taught basic reading and writing and given a biscuit and milk. At the end of the six-month course, the women are given a sewing machine and materials. The program is a continuation of a similar program that ran from 1989-1994.

Woman in English class at AWWD Center

Today, the AWWD employs 85 paid staffers working both at the center in the refugee camp and at the main center in Peshawar. "We employ many women who are divorced or lost their husbands," explained Jamila Akbarzai, the director, when discussing her employees.

The main center is a large complex, offering computer training and English classes for women from around Peshawar. There are currently not enough spaces in the classes for the demand. For example, there are 120 spaces in the classes and some 365 women who apply. These programs provide women with much needed practical skills that aid them in their job search.

Woman in computer class at AWWD center

"There are few jobs for men so women are working," said Jamila when talking about the changing attitudes towards working women. Because of years of war and economic difficulties, women are supporting their families. AWWD’s paid staff support immediate and extended family members while the women who come to the centers learn needed skills to enter the workforce.

AWWD is currently making plans to open an office in Kabul. The organization plans to start new income generation programs, micro-enterprise, livestock, computer and English programs in Afghanistan. AWWD is also recognizes that women trained in the tailoring programs need to learn marketing for the products they produce. As a result, AWWD is exploring projects in this area as well.