Pakistan, Asia
PAK11a - Kasur Women's Empowerment : Partnership Reports
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Report Date: May 5, 2023
Report from BHW Pakistan Partnership Facilitators Following Visit
Key person: Edward Qasar
Recent Events
Activities
Several sewing courses have been run in the Kasur area in the past at different locations. BHW has sponsored some and others have been funded by EGM.
A team of four from BHW visited Kasur and met with the women of the next course, it was their inauguration day, and they were very excited. We talked with them and met the teacher and Mrs Akhtar on their first day.
New Profiles
We met the woman who is the main EGM representative in Kasur, Mrs Akhtar. She coordinates the sewing programmes, the work in the brick kilns, and also the other work out in the villages like water and scholarship students. She and her husband are key people in the Christian community in Kasur. Mr Akhtar is a lawyer and does a lot of work with the poor, representing them in blasphemy and unjust practice cases. He doesn’t get a lot of money for that. He is also a major figure in the brick kiln workers union trying to get improved conditions for indentured labourers.
Mrs Akhtar studied at Bible college and now is involved with a Union with 500 domestic workers. They are treated very badly and are poorly paid. The people she represents are 80% Christian. She has several other opportunities she wants to propose to us in the future through EGM.
Partnership's Influence within the Community
The only community people we talked to were the Akhtars who say these programmes are very helpful for women for all the reasons we hear in other courses and in other countries.
Ideas for the Future
As we moved around the area, we visited several homes and saw other cottage industries that could be enhanced by some investment. Edward is looking at some of these as potential new projects. There will be three more sewing courses at least after this one is completed later in the year.
Current Issues and Challenges
The cost of living for the average Pakistani family has increased significantly and they are struggling even more to survive, let alone flourish.
Addressing the poverty mindsets of people is an ongoing issue.
Prayer and Praise Points
1) That there is good uptake for this new course in Kasur.
2) That the teacher seems to be a very proficient trainer.
3) That the women were from various churches in the community.
4) That this new group are all quite strong Christians, not just nominal.
Comments
These sewing programmes continue to be a significant part of the EGM strategy. There are several benefits. One of the benefits is that people attend from various churches, and this breaks down barriers between Christians and denominations.
