Indian NGO SEWA to resume operations in Afghanistan

AHMEDABAD - A month after pulling its staff out of Afghanistan following a terrorist attack, the India-based non government organization, the Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), has decided to resume its operations in the war-torn region.

“In the attacks that happened on 26th February, one of the guesthouses where our SEWA sisters were staying was also targeted. But due to God’s grace and blessings they escaped unhurt,” said Reema Nanavaty, the Director of Economic and Rural Development for SEWA.

“As all the Indians in the region were called back after the incident, so were our team members. But our vocational training centre there is still functioning and now our team is going back,” she added.

SEWA has been running a vocational training centre for Afghan women and helping them rebuild their lives since 2008.

With the support of the Government of India, SEWA has been training Afghan women in tailoring, handicrafts, embroidery, food processing and eco-regeneration activities.

“I think the biggest challenge is that you cannot have a long-term planning. And therefore you have to work on a week-to-week or day-today basis. And, this has its own cost,” Nanavaty said.

“If you can have a long-term plan then it is more cost-effective. But if you just have to work on short-term plans then it has its own implications. And I think that is the biggest challenge that you cannot have a long-term vision, a long-term plan,” she added. (ANI)