Literacy-one of the important steps in empowering women

She was not allowed to go to school. Instead she was made to stay at home to look after her younger

brothers and sisters while her parents worked in the fields. This was story of 14 year old Farzana Umar

Zeb’s life from Swat. Hope was, however, rekindled for Farzana after she completed a five month course

at her local Umar Khel Adult Literacy Center (ALC). Established under the PEACE project, ALCs provide

training on basic literacy, numeracy and functional skills to women aged 11-45. Farzana’s mother was

already a member of an SRSP Women Community Organization in her village and had enrolled herself

and her daughter in ALC course when she came to know of it. Farzana’s interest and performance

mobilized her teachers and SRSP’s staff to advocate for her right to a formal education upon her

graduation. The child had completed four years worth of schooling in the span of a few months! The

ADO of the Education Department was contacted and Farzana’s mother was made to attend a Manager

Conference held specifically for discussing her daughter’s prospects. The ADO, won over by Farzana’s

case, agreed to enroll Farzana in the fourth grade and urged her mother to consent to this. As a special

consideration for the girl’s responsibilities at home, the ADO even agreed to allow Farzana a day or two

off from school per week if the need arose. Farzana’s ALC teacher, Ms. Rukhsana, then offered of her

own accord to teach the girl anything she had missed or needed help with free of charge at her home

after school hours.

A women named Kakai

The Adult Literacy Centers (ALCs) established under PEACE have adopted curriculum established by

National Commission for Human Development (NCHD). The offered course ran over period of 5 months

has enabled participating women to improve reading and writing skills. Miss Kakai, aged 55, was

enrolled in ALC, Roshni. “I could not go to attend classes in school due to unavailability of educational

facilities in our village. I felt like I was deaf and dumb in front of literate people. I always wished to read

and write," shared by Kakai. She added that “I may not be very educated person but now I can proudly

do my routine work; few basic calculations and reading/writing different names”. She share d that she is

also helping her fellow women to read and write. Currently Kakai has also been selected as one of

potential entrepreneurs under the programme.

Never Say Die

To be born with a disability is misfortunate; to be struck with disability out of the blue is traumatic; but

to pull oneself up and live with disability is heroic. This is the story of Syasat Bibi, belonging to an

impoverished family of District Shangla. She was just one year old when she developed a sore on her

back that brought with it a long chain of difficult treatments. In the end it was operated that saved her

life but left one side of her body paralyzed due to a long bed stay. Despite physical challenges, Syasat

was always interested in acquiring an education, but fate was not kind to her and given her families

meager income, she had to forgo her wish of enrolling in school. Her father was also old and sick and

she was responsible for taking care of him. However, not one to admit defeat, Syasat approached her

local Community Organization for admission into the local ALC Umeed (Hope) when it opened in her

village. She completed a five month course at the Center and is now able to do simple math and to read

and write simple sentences. Ask her today and Syasat responds with great pride and a big smile, “I am

able to read now! When I had joined the Center, I could not read or write anything but now I can read

the expiry dates on my father’s medicines and can also check the last dates and amounts of our

electricity bills."

Education has no age limit

“As a child I was never sent to school by my parents and adding to that I was married by the time I was

17 only. At the end my 36th birthday, I was still deprived of education. When I heard about PEACE ALCs,

I asked my husband to join it, which he allowed”. These are some candid thoughts shared by Rafida in

village Totakan, District Malakand. She shared that she would always feel embarrassing for not being

able to read or write basic messages. But now since she is a graduate of ALC, she can read, write and

undertake basic calculations. She shared that she alongwith other colleagues were taught for 3 hours

daily for five months, which has contributed in improving their skills. She added that now she is aware of

the tasks assigned to her kids by school teachers and provide every possible support to undertake these

tasks effectively.

Widow starts her business after passing through EDT

39 year’s old Shaam Bibi, lives with her four young children in village Bahrain, district Swat. She was

forced to marry an old man at the age of 24, who left her widowed in 2006. She struggled to establish

her own business to support her kids, but ‘factor of being inexperience’ would always let her down.

When PEACE programme was initiated in her village, Shaam bibi enrolled herself as member of CBO

Puktunabad and ALC in 2013. She was also nominated by her CBO for participating in EDT offered in

June 2014. She availed skills in making dresses for local women. During EDT, she had learnt basics of

enterprise development, which she has utilized and is now running a successful enterprise at her home.

She had sold all the items that she purchased and paid all her loans and making net profit.