Daughters: 6 Sons: 2

Nooria is a woman who has 8 children. 6 daughters and 2 sons. Her eldest daughter is Najia who is 20 years old. She is married and she is illiterate. Her second daughter is Qaderia who is 16 years old and because of economic conditions she is not going to school. She is dong raisin cleaning and her daily income is 60af. Her 3^rd daughter is Farida who is 14 years old and studies in the 6^th grade class. Her fourth daughter is Maliha is 13 years old and she is also not studying. She is doing sweeping in policharkhi and her daily income is 50af. Ms. Nooria is facing great difficulties and she is suffering greatly from her life. Therefore she is sending her daughters to work. She is sewing blankets. Her small son is 7 years old and her husband has died. He was an old man.

After she married her life was very good. There wasn’t any violence and oppression on her. Her in-laws were very good peoples and her husband was also a good person. He was a hired worker. During the war years they were in shamali, but during the Taliban regime they returned to Kabul. Because of so many sorrows he lost his life. Now she lives at the hill in Qala-e-mosa in a rented house and pays 2000af for the house rent. It has one room and one bathroom. The house doesn’t have a kitchen. She is cooking food in the yard. She says that because of her young daughters and the many difficulties she has accepted living in one room alone. Also she doesn’t have enough money to rent another house. At first she was washing the neighbor's clothes and cleaning their homes. And her children were collecting papers. But now her children are still young and its not good to send them out to collect paper form the streets. She worries about them should someone kidnap them or do bad things to them. Therefore, she is not letting them go out.

Then she decided to take out a loan and improve her work as she was sewing blankets but she didn’t have enough money to buy the material to make them. When she received the first loan she bought sewing materials and started sewing blankets. When she received the 2^nd loan she bought the best quality cotton, cord and other sewing materials. From her income she is paying the house expenses and covering her children’s needs.

Her daughter who is cleaning raisins is suffering greatly from her life. Life is very painful to her. They endured many days without eating anything, not even a piece of bread before sleeping. She was sewing blankets for brides. From a couple blankets she was charging 150 af and from a single blanket she was charging 100af. She was selling one blanket for 500 af because the expenses were so high and she was buying a sack of flour for about 500-600af. Now the sack of flour is so expensive that she can’t buy it easily.

Change came into her life after receiving the loan. She could afford to buy materials for her home. She bought clothes and stationary for her children and she sent her children back to school. From her income she is paying the daily expenses. And she saves some money for the future in case there comes a time that she may need to use it. She is also paying the weekly installment of the loan. Now she is not needy and dependent on anyone. She is working a lot to improve her business and she is a hard working woman. At first she was very weak. She didn’t have anything. Now she safe from poverty.

She keeps the AWC identity card with her. In times of emergency it will be useful. She hopes that AWC can help her a lot in this field and increase the loan program. She wants to buy a sewing machine because now she is sewing by her hands.

1. Are you under the violence of your husband and family?

I am not under violence of anyone, not my husband and not my in-laws family. They are kind people and my husband was also a good person. Just my weak economic condition was not allowing me to move on. But now I am standing in my own feet and I am self-employed. I don’t need to depend on anyone.

2. In which skills are you interested?

I interested in sewing, knitting, khamak, carpet, beady knitting and my main work is sewing blankets.

3. Which loan have you received?

First and second.

4. What kind of work are you providing from the loan?

From the loan I bought sewing materials such as cotton and cord and started sewing blankets. And from the benefit of my income I am paying the daily expenses and all the needs of my children.

5. Income.

Daily 100-150 af, weekly 500 af.

6. What changes in your life have you experienced after receiving the loan?

At first I was very weak. I didn't have anything. I faced lots of difficulties during my life after the death of my husband. I wasn't able to pay the rent of the house. When I started working I brought a little change to my life. I can pay the rent of the house. I bought some materials for the home such as carpet, curtains, food items and a TV. I am saving my children's income for their own selves.

7. What request do you have from Afghanistan Women Council?

I hope that AWC can help me a lot to improve my work. And they should increase their loan program. When I receive the third loan I'll buy a sewing machine because now I am sewing by hand.

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