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Afghan people are facing different challenges and go through hardest time of their history. Aparrt from poverty and destitution, recently flashfloods destroyed many districts and villages in different parts of Afghanistan, leaving the residents displaced and homeless.

An earthquake measuring moment magnitude 6.2 struck southeastern regions of Afghanistan on 22nd June 2022, that demolished tens of houses in Paktika and Khost Provinces. The official statistics show that 1,163 people (including 155 children) died and more than 3,600 others were injured.

Through the generous donations of Rotary Club Australia, OPAWC provided food packages to many needy families in Afghanistan. In the critical situation faced by Afghan people, we thanks our great supporters in Australia for their solidarity and help.

Here are short stories of a number of women who were given the food packages: 

OPAWC center in Kabul for Afghan womenOPAWC Vocational Training Centre (VTC) funded by SAWA Australia is a center where Afghan women gather to build their capacity in tailoring and cloth making. They also have the opportunity to take part in literacy, English and computer classes. In addition, OPAWC also provides education to the children of women participating in different classes.

In the harsh current conditions of Afghanistan where over 90% of population lives under the poverty line and opportunities for women are fading in the society, our center helps some very deprived and needy women to learn and make a living. Such programs are most needed now than ever.

OPAWC event on the International Womwn's Day in KabulOrganization of Promoting Afghan Women’s Capabilities (OPAWC) in addition to providing various vocational training courses and other activities for women and girls, has always seized opportunities to bring women together and implement programs to raise their awareness and capacity.

The event, held on March 18, 2021, is an example of these efforts. This gathering was mainly in connection with March 8, International Women's Day which was attended by a large number of students and teachers of OPAWC course. In addition to the content and themes about women and their struggles and the current situation in the country, music pieces were also included in the program. The venue was decorated with pictures and posters of OPAWC activities.

We were very saddened to hear of the death of Professor Matthias Tomczak and will always remember him for his tireless works for Afghan women. As the Convener of SAWA-Australia (SA), Professor Tomczak directed a sponsorship campaign in Australia for Afghan women that helped OPAWC to lay the foundation stone of OPAWC’s Vocation Training Center in Kabul in 2008. Through his efforts, this women center expanded over time to become an educational hub for hundreds of women and girls offering quality education in literacy and handicraft.

SAWAN

Our dear friends and supporters in Australia, The Support Association for the Women of Afghanistan (SA), just published May 2018 addition of their quarterly newsletter SAWAN which you can download from here.

With thanks for covering some activities of OPAWC in this newsletter.

Nowruz, marks the Afghan New Year, each year on March 21st. It is also the time which marks the beginning of the academic year. Schools as well as other educational institutions open after long three months’ winter break. In OPAWC, the vocational training center also has been started with the arrival of spring. This year is the beginning of new plans, hopes and dreams for all students of this center.

With the start of new academic year, students have left behind the distresses and problems of the long winter. Just like the flowers blooming, the students are also refreshed, wanting to learn new skills in the course of the year.  OPAWC’s center employees are glad that their hard works is outputting positive results. Their students are learning a lot of skills. In the tailoring course, the women have reached to that level that they can provide their needs and they are self-sufficient now. Moreover, from the literacy courses, a numbers of women have been admitted in different grades at public schools and are continuing their studies.