Empowering women in Pakistan

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Dear Readers,

2011 has certainly been an exciting year as we worked to advance literacy both here in the United States and around the world! As we count down the days to the New Year, we would like to highlight some of our favorite stories about how literacy has empowered adult learners and their families. Please join us every day over the next 14 days as we share a new story celebrating the power of literacy in transforming lives and communities during 2011!

Today’s story is from one of our partner programs in Pakistan: Adult Basic Education Society (ABES), with whom ProLiteracy has been partnering for more than seven years. ABES provides literacy classes for adult learners in semi-urban districts in Islamabad. As participants improve their literacy skills, they join skill-training vocational programs and are provided resources to start income generation projects. The story below is an example of how ABES is helping empower women in Pakistan.

Nazia is one of the many lives that ABES has transformed through its Adult Literacy Center and Matching Grant Program. Nazia is 23 years old and currently runs a beauty parlor in People’s Colony Gujranwala earning a minimum of Rs.10, 000 per month. Five years ago, Nazia’s achievements would have seemed an impossible dream to her; she reflects, “I still remember those days when I could not read and write and was dependent on my family for all my needs.” As the youngest child and the only daughter of the family, Nazia was never sent to school because her family thought she couldn’t bear the burden of studies.

At age 18, Nazia heard about the Adult Literacy Center for females organized by ABES. After completing the course in one year, Nazia joined, with the guidance from her teachers, a well-known beauty parlor for cosmetology training. Because she needed resources to start her own beauty parlor, she explored ABES Matching Grant Program. The turning point in Nazia’s life was when she received a loan to start her beauty parlor.

Today, along with her beauty parlor, Nazia is running a training center, which trains number of women in cosmetology. With a smile on her face, Nazia states, “I want them to acquire this skill to change their lives as I did.”

Comments

  1. Centro Latino for LiteracyDecember 15, 2011 at 6:28 PM

    Independence comes with literacy and it’s nice to hear that Nazia is reciprocating the help she received.

    ReplyDelete

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