The October 2005 earthquake has badly affected the economic setup of the affected areas. Many people especially the youth were in a difficult situation and unable to cope up with the realities created by the earthquake. The economic activities have come to a standstill. The unemployment rates were on the rise. The socio-economic fabric has suffered great losses as people are not able to get jobs and practice their economic activities in order to restore their living conditions to the normal standards. 

Taking into consideration the huge losses incurred in many sectors, there is a felt need to develop the skills of the youth to address the gaps created by the earthquake. Based on such need, this project has been initiated to multiply the economic opportunities and reduce poverty among the vulnerable youth of the area. Adopting a gender balanced approach, this project has imparted the necessary skills and knowledge to 400 unemployed males and females in Bagh District, AJK over a period of 12 months in the following trades.

The core objectives of the project were to;

Shazia Khatoon / Contributing to the well being of the vulnerable women

Shazia Khatoon is resident of Forward Kahuta. She is aged 20 years old and has got her Secondary School Certificate. After getting her certificate, she was sitting free at home and felt the need to learn the tailoring and embroidery trades so that she can earn some income to support herself and her family.

Forward Kahuta is a remote area situated far away from the District Headquarters. The local community is poor and the economic activities are limited. The majority of the women of the area are associated with the household work or agricultural activities only because of the lack of economic opportunities. The financial contribution of the local women is very less to the income of their families.

Qatar Charity has initiated a project of skills development in the area and Shazia got admission in the institute. “I wanted to learn tailoring and embroidery. When this institute was established it was a good opportunity for me and many other young girls who wanted to develop their skills in these trades. I along with other girls have undergone a training of six months and we have managed to complete it successfully,” stated Shazia.

According to Shazia, "in our locality, there are only few women who excel tailoring and embroidery. By learning these skills, I can stitch children and women clothes and earn good money now. In routine, while handling my household activities, I do embroidery work on cushions, bed sheets and other material enabling me to contribute to my family income. I feel now satisfied and can help my younger brothers and sisters for their education and living," stated Shazia.

Shazia concludes that "the training as a whole was extremely beneficial to the young girls of the area and I believe that by learning these skills, they can now have a good earning that contributes towards the well being of their families."