Sewing School – Empowering Widows and Girls
July 26, 2024
In Pakistan, many Christian women work as domestic helpers in wealthy households, performing
tasks like cleaning and caregiving. Coming from marginalized communities, these women face
limited job opportunities and often have no choice but to endure harsh conditions.
Behind closed doors, they face discrimination, verbal abuse, and even sexual harassment from
their employers. Despite this, they stay in these jobs because leaving means they can't support
their elderly parents or families. With little to no legal protection or support, these women are
forced to endure exploitation in silence, as they have no alternative.
On the other hand, many women suffer silently after marriage. Some are blessed with good
husbands, but many others are trapped in painful situations. Their husbands beat them, curse
them, or abuse them — and yet, the women cannot leave. Divorce is nearly impossible in our
culture, and if a woman divorces, no one will marry her again.
This reality forces many women to live in fear and hopelessness. Even the simple desire to wear
new clothes — something every woman longs for — is often denied to them if their husbands
refuse to provide.
Through our Sewing School, we are giving women and young girls a new dignity. Instead of
depending fully on others, they can learn to stitch clothes, earn an income, and even make
beautiful dresses for themselves and their families. Each dress they stitch is not only cloth but
also a reminder: “I am valuable, and God has given me skills and hope.”
At the school, girls and widows:
• Learn tailoring and embroidery.
• Begin to earn a livelihood and provide for their children.
• Find encouragement through prayer and the Word of God.
• Build fellowship with other women facing the same struggles.
One widow shared:
“Before this school, I had nothing but tears. My husband is gone, and my relatives turned me
away. But now, with this skill, I can feed my children. And through the Bible studies here, I
know Jesus loves me.”