Livelihood Opportunities for Afghan

Refugees in Balochistan RVs Project

Refugee Village Malgagai, District Qilla Saifullah Market Placement of Trainees

Towards Prosperity The project was implemented by Innovative Development Organization (IDO) with the Financial Support

of UNHCR

Photo Credit: Khumais Raza / IDO

Towards Prosperity – A Success

Story . . .

This document, TOWARDS PROSPERITY – A SUCCESS STORY, presents the achievements of the project “Livelihood Opportunities for Afghan Refugees in Baluchistan – A Project in Refugee Villages” Implemented by UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) in partnership with IDO (Innovative Development Organization). The project was completed in 5 months from 1st August 2015 to 31st December 2015. It was carried out in refugee villages in three districts of Balochistan including Chaghi, Qilla Saifullah and Quetta. The story is about 30 trainees of RV Malgagai in District Qilla Saifullah.

The story is interesting as it provides insights to the diverse approaches taken by the trainees to enhance their livelihoods through learning. It also narrates building on the social capital that exists within refugee communities and is an asset for successful entrepreneurship. This story highlights the quality of training imparted to the trainees as well as, the community and market mobilization efforts undertaken during the project and the resultant successful market placement. It also informs about the usefulness of the tool kits distributed to the trainees as part of in the enterprise development activities undertaken by trainees after successful completion of the skill development training.

The Project . . .

The project benefitted 230 Afghan refugees out of which 54% (125 trainees) were females. The trades were selected following a market assessment and included tailoring and mobile repair.

The project was based not only on providing marketable skills to trainees and a certificate from recognized government institution upon completion, but development of market linkages and market placement of the trainees were also key areas of the project.

Under the livelihood opportunities for Afghan Refugees Balochistan RVs project, Innovative Development Organization (IDO) with financial support of UNHCR, trained 30 male Afghan Refugees on tailoring at Malgagai refugee camp. The project was successfully completed on 31st December 2015 and each of 30 beneficiaries is now certified tailors with certificates issued by Trade Testing Board Balochistan. Each of the trainees also received a business start-up tool kit.

One of the core objectives of the project was to provide sustainable and dignified means of livelihood to the beneficiaries through providing access to the local market or supporting them to start their own business setup.

This story documents the entrepreneurship initiative of 19 beneficiaries from Malgagai camp who have opened their own tailoring shop at RVs and at local markets of Balochistan. These refugees have several opportunities due to the comparatively lower rates they are offering, the ease of access for their communities as well as their flexibility and skills to stich clothes for men of different ages.

Some of them started group businesses by pooling in resources while others have decided to individually run their shops. These include three groups of 15 individuals. The first group consists of 3 persons Molvi Sher Khan, Abdul Baqi, Abdul Nasir while the second group includes 5 persons Abdul Aziz, Sher Khan, Muhammad Gul, Ali Jan and Khair Muhammad. The 3rd group consists of 4 persons, Wali Muhammad, Muhammad Dawood, Noor Ahmed and Sijja and the 4th group is of 3 persons including Noor Muhammd, Noor Ahmed and Ijaz ul Haq.

Quality brings Business for Abdul Aziz and 4 other

Fellow Trainees at their shop

Mr. Ali Jan shared that he can now stitch the clothes of his children which has also enabled him to save thousands of rupees.

These entrepreneurs are charging PKR 300 for adult traditional suits and 200 for children’s suits. Their rates are 60% less than the market price and their customers endorse that the quality of stitching is in no way less than the professional tailors. The competition has forced other tailors to lower their rates as well.

Mr. Muhammad Gul shared that previously, the tailors refused to stitch the cloths of children since they are difficult to stitch due to their small proportions and mothers used to stitch the cloths of their children at home which were usually not of the exact size.

“Thanks to the training,” Gul said “we started our shop by stitching the cloths of children and our quality work brings in more and more business.”

Up till now, they have stitched more than 60 suits and are pretty happy with the progress of their business.

Under the livelihood opportunities for Afghan Refugees Balochistan RVs project, Innovative development Organization (IDO) with financial support of UNHCR, trained 30 male Afghan Refugees on tailoring at Malgagai refugee camp. The project was successfully completed on 31st December 2015 and each of 30 beneficiaries is now certified tailors with certificates issued by Trade Testing Board Balochistan. Each of the trainees also received a business startup tool kit.

One of the core objectives of the project was to provide sustainable and dignified means of livelihood to the beneficiaries through providing access to the local market or supporting them to start their own business setup.

This document summarizes the entrepreneurship initiative of beneficiaries from Malgagai camp where 15

beneficiaries have opened their own tailoring shop at RVs and at local markets of Balochistan.

Abdul Aziz – beneficiary of the project, shared that after completion of the training, his neighbor came to him and gave unstitched suit to him and requested to sew the fabric for free since the neighbor had no money at the time. Considering the offer as a practice opportunity, Abdul Aziz agreed and unexpectedly his neighbor was impressed by the quality of cutting and stitching.

The praise of neighbor encouraged Abdul Aziz and he met with other trainees of the project to propose a business startup.

As a result, Mr. Abdul Aziz along with Sher Khan, Muhammad Gul, Ali Jan and Khair Muhammad (all beneficiaries of the project) rented a room at Malgagai RV camp 4 and have successfully started their own tailoring shop.

Busy day at shop as Abdul Aziz works and entertains the customers

Ali Jan showing a finished suit

Sher Khan has stitched his son Abdul Raheem a

suit.

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Photo Credit: Khumais Raza / IDO

Molvi Sher Khan, Abdul Baqi and Abdul Nasir have collectively opened a tailoring shop at Malgagai Camp 4. Their comparative advantage is the Afghani traditional style stitching for both adults and children. Molvi Sher Khan spends complete day at the shop with help of Abdul Baqi while Abdul Nasir, who is student, spends day time at school and works after classes.

As a group, they have stitched 37 suits majority of which were for children. Keeping in view the demand for stitching of suits for children, they are taking PRK 150/suit which is 50 rupees less than the market rate. Abdul Baqi shared that they started the business because it is the most feasible source of income keeping in view the other options which mostly include daily-wage jobs like being a waiter at a hotel, work as assistant for a shop or do some labor work. Tailoring is a far more respectable option and they don’t have to travel for miles to reach the workplace at local markets.

A Different Avenue for Differently Abled

Wali Muhammad, aged 20, is a disable person and cannot walk properly as one of his limbs doesn’t work since birth. He is working along Muhammad Dawood, Noor Ahmed and Sijja at Malgagai camp 1. They started their shop 12 days ago and are currently struggling with the shop management. In previous 12 days, they had 7 orders for adult suits which they prepared and customers are satisfied with the work quality. They are hopeful that demand will increase in future. Wali Muhammad is uneducated and due to disability, he cannot work as labor. Wali shared that he worked hard to learn the tailoring skills which paid off and now he can stitch any type of male clothes.

Though he has not earned much from the new business, but he is hopeful that after watching the quality of work they are offering, people from camp will start trusting their skills and shift from Muslim Bagh market tailors to them at their door steps. Noor Ahmed works with Wali Muhammad, Dawood and Sijja. He is 13 years old. Noor Ahmed shared that for now, his motivation to work at tailoring shop was to learn to stitch his own cloths which he now can. He is studying at the Community School of Malgagai RV and is enrolled in Grade 6. He has 5 siblings including 3 sisters and an elder brother who works as daily labour at chromite mines of Muslim Bagh. His father stays at home because he is old and cannot work due the health issues.

Sher Khan shows an Afghan Traditional suit

for a child that he recently stitched.

The Thriving Trio A story of three trainees who have started their own tailoring shops

Molvi Sher Khan (Left) sews sleeves for a suit at his shop.

Photo Credit: Khumais Raza / IDO

Wali Muhammad is standing outside his tailoring shop where

he works along 3 partners.

Photo Credit: Khumais Raza /

IDO

Photo Credit: Khumais Raza /

IDO

The Spirit Goes On . . . Mr. Lutfullah is training four interested boys to stitch even after the completion of project

Lutfullah – technical facilitator of the project lives in the Malgagai RV and shared that all 30 beneficiaries of the project are working as tailors. He informed that Noor Muhammd, Noor Ahmed and Ijaz ul Haq have opened their tailoring shop at Chaman city main market and are successfully running the shop. As a group, they have stitched 37 suits majority of which were for children. Keeping in view the demand for stitching of suits for children, they are taking PRK 150/suit which is 50 rupees less than the market rate.

Mr. Lutfullah also mentioned that the training and success of trainees has sparked a light of motivation for many other boys and men in the camp who are interested in learning to stitch clothes in order to make a living. Even at this time, when the training project has been successfully completed, there are four boys Mr. Lutfullah is training voluntarily.

Apart from these entrepreneurs, Social Organizer of Malgagai Mr. Jahangir shared, all remaining beneficiaries are working as tailors with various shop owners at Muslim Bagh and Pishin. Jahangir Khan further shared that Saifullah, who was also the beneficiary of the project has decided to try his luck at Dubai where he is hoping to utilize the certificate and training to earn a livelihood source.

Mr. Lutfullah, the technical facilitator in the project, shows the quality of work completed by

his trainees.

Noor Ahmed wearing a suit he stitched for himself

Photo Credit: Khumais Raza / IDO

THE THRIVING ENTERPRISES

Trainees at new shops are attracting lots of customers due to the comparatively lower prices. Photo Credit: Khumais Raza / IDO

Photo Credit: Khumais Raza / IDO

Photo Credit: Khumais Raza / IDO