In the western Afghan provinces, it is not unusual to see the youth trying to migrate to Iran, looking for jobs and income for their families. They see migration as the only opportunity they have because of the lack of job and security in Afghanistan. However, the trip is not easy, a lot of them cannot either reach Iran or are rebuffed at the border or, tragically, lose their lives.

Faryab, in the Northwest part of Afghanistan, is among the most conflict-affected provinces in Afghanistan and most of the young people are unskilled and without appropriate education, while they have to take care of their families, being more susceptible not only to migration but also to being recruited by AOGs.

Zikerullah is a 19 years old young man from Khawaja-Sabzposh district, in Faryab. He had the responsibility to feed his family, five siblings and his aged father, without a stable income.

DACAAR, under the rural development project, funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, started vocational skills training for 20 men and 20 women in tailoring in January 2018 in Pashtun Kot district in Faryab province. Zikerullah found out about the DACAAR project from the local Community Development Council (CDC), when it informed the community on a DACAAR survey in his village to provide vocational training in tailoring. He decided to sign up for the tailoring course.

“I joined DACAAR vocational training because I needed a change in my life since I do not have a school education and I was jobless. After seven months of training, I have learned enough skills to start practising the profession, first among my friends and then, together with other trainee, in the community. After graduation, we have opened a shop. Each of us is earning AFN 5,000 a month, making us immensely happy and proud. I am busy because the business keeps growing and I usually receive two to three orders per day. My family has also recognized my new situation and I have a much more important decision-making role in the family, for instance, I decided to enrol my younger sister and brother on the local school to have a better future. Because I have the financial opportunities to take care of a family, I want to marry. Because of it, I am not thinking to migrate anymore”, said Zikerullah.

Through the NMFA funded project, DACAAR supports both male and female beneficiaries to generate a better income for their families, increasing their resilience and ability to cope with sudden shocks while avoiding at the same time exposing them to dangerous journeys to neighbouring countries.

Written by: Razmaa Saboor
Contribution: Marco Pennisi