Education Afghanistan Project #57574

Training program for jewelry makers in Kabul

by Visions for Children e.V.

Project Report | Oct 18, 2024
News from our training program!

By Vanessa Gobert | PR and Fundraising Manager

Since the start of the jewelry forging training program in December 2023, the project in Kabul has developed according to plan and is creating career prospects in craftsmanship for 15 men with war injuries and congenital disabilities. Over the winter, the local partner organization DAARTT set up a training center with a workshop, recruited qualified staff and carefully selected the participants from a large number of applications.

The training started in March: The master jeweler first introduced the trainees to the various tools and equipment and introduced them to the theoretical basics. The practical training then began, in which the trainees first learned how to make chains - from melting the material to shaping and soldering the chains. By the end of April, the participants were able to produce various chain designs independently. In addition to the techniques of blacksmithing the participants were able to gain their first practical experience in the production of necklaces, earrings and bracelets. The training covers both practical skills and theoretical knowledge in English, marketing and design. The lessons are designed so that participants can learn the techniques of blacksmithing and at the same time prepare for a professional future. At the same time, they improve their English skills so that they can also operate at a confident linguistic level outside the workshop.

By June 2024, the trainees have completed the production of necklaces, earrings and bracelets and are now in the next practical phase, in which they design and produce other pieces of jewelry such as rings and necklaces.

This first practical phase was successful and the participants were able to complete several chain designs by the end of April 2024.

At the same time, the trainees have been taking English lessons since March 2024, initially at beginner level. The aim of the course is to improve their basic language skills so that they can communicate better both in everyday life and in a professional context. The English courses took place daily and included tasks and content that trained reading, comprehension, writing and speaking skills.

From July 2024, one focus was on the design and production of stone settings for rings and necklaces. These challenging tasks showed the participants that craftsmanship and creativity are crucial to success in the profession. By taking up marketing courses, they also learn how to position their work on the market in the future. The official work permit issued by the Afghan Ministry of Labor in August was an important milestone that further strengthens the sustainability of the project.

The project has been successful so far and the participants are showing great interest and commitment.

If you want to know more about the project, have a look here.

Thank you very much for your support.

All the best,
Vanessa

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Jul 1, 2024
News from our training program!

By Celine Schimek | Fundraising

Hello everyone,

some time has passed since our last update - so it's time to tell you what's new with the training program for jewellery smiths! Due to the tense situation in Afghanistan and the restriction of women's rights, we had to make fundamental changes to the project. But read for yourself.

The situation in Afghanistan

The Taliban have ruled Afghanistan since August 2021. The takeover marks a dramatic break in the country's political and economic progress. Exacerbated by global inflation and foreign sanctions, the humanitarian situation in the country is worse than ever. With an unemployment rate of 18.5% in 2022, almost one in five people in Afghanistan are not in work - in comparison: in 2020, the unemployment rate was 11.71%. The high unemployment rate also means that there are too few training places available and job opportunities for school leavers are rather limited. Since the Taliban came to power, there have also been bans on girls and women, which massively restrict access to education and make it impossible to focus the project on its target group at present.

The jewellery smith project

Due to the de facto government's ban on girls and women, which massively restricts access to education, the first test phase of the training program is now aimed at men with war injuries and congenital physical disabilities. Due to their physical limitations, they form a volatile population group and have little chance of earning an income in an already difficult labor market. As women are currently only allowed to work in a few jobs, it is all the more important that at least the men can generate income for the family. The training program therefore not only has a direct impact on the participants, but also on their families - and indirectly on women and children. At the same time, we are continuing to work on ways in which women can also participate as trainees in future implementations of the program.

The nine-month training program includes extensive practical training in which the participants learn the various skills of the craft. Theoretical knowledge is also taught, covering various disciplines from English lessons to marketing, design and accounting. In addition to theoretical and practical training phases, the aim of the training program is to enable participants to work independently or as employees and to build up a network with other blacksmiths.

The official start of the training was in March. The English lessons and the introductory courses on jewelry making have already taken place.

If you want to know more about the project, have a look here.

We hope that we can continue to count on your support despite the changes and want to thank you very much for your support.

All the best,
Celine

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Feb 18, 2024
Recap of our last year in Afghanistan

By Celine Schimek | Fundraising

Earthquake in Herat, Afghanistan

Dear donor,

we hope you are doing well and that you are defying the gray February!

As you certainly know, the situation for the Afghan population is still devastating. More than 28 million people - two thirds of the population - are in urgent need of humanitarian aid. According to the United Nations, four million people are acutely malnourished, including 3.2 million children under the age of 5. The unemployment rate is also one of the highest in the world and the job situation for women in particular is catastrophic due to massive restrictions on their rights. For this reason, it is still not clear how the "Training program for female jewellery smiths" project exactly will continue.

However, so that we do not become discouraged and give up in the face of the difficult situation, we would like to use this report to give you an overview of the developments in Afghanistan over the past year. Despite all the adversity, we were able to achieve a lot together!

WHAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE PAST YEAR

The devastating earthquakes in Afghanistan in October destroyed over 10,000 homes - thousands of families in the affected region are currently living in tents or temporary shelters. Thanks to your generous donations, we will be able to build new homes for 58 families in Herat over the next few months! To this end, we are working with the local partner organization OHW (Organization for Human Welfare), which has been active in Afghanistan since 2007 and implements projects that support particularly vulnerable groups and people in need.

What has happened so far?

Our partners are currently identifying the families and people in the village where the construction will take place who are most in need of support - including women-headed households, people with disabilities and people with injuries - and are evaluating the construction options on site. Meetings are being held with the village communities to ensure that exactly the kind of support that the survivors want and need is provided.

We will of course keep you informed about the next steps and the construction. Once again, a big thank you to everyone whose donations are helping to provide safe homes for around 300 people in Herat!

Distribution of winter emergency aid

Thanks to your support for the winter emergency aid, we were able to reach 218 displaced families from Pakistan with food parcels, making their return to Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan, during the cold winter months more bearable.

The food packages distributed by our Afghan partner organization OASE contain 50kg of flour, 24kg of rice, 10kg of beans, 5kg of pasta, 2kg of tomato paste, 1kg of tea, 7kg of sugar and 10l of oil. Each package supplies a family of five for around two months, meaning that 218 families, or around 1,090 people, will now be able to get through the next few weeks more safely. A thousand thanks to every single donation that has made this vital distribution possible!

Education projects

Despite the cold onset of winter, great progress has been made at the project schools:

Block Haye Hawayee: News from the Block Haye Hawayee school: Around 76% of the project has already been completed!
Qala-e-Jangi Girls' School: The construction work at the secondary school in Mazar-e-Sharif has made further progress in recent weeks. This included work on the roof, the asphalting of paths on the school grounds and the plastering of the exterior facade.

These successes have only been possible thanks to you and your trust! A huge thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

If you would like to continue to support us, we would be very grateful if you could tell your family and friends about our work and the situation in Afghanistan.

All the best and see you soon,

Celine from Visions for Children

Emergency Relief for deported Afghans from Pakista

Block Haye Hawayee Middle School

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