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Society for Disabled Women Alliance

Name: shumiala asif
Email: prayer_sdw@yahoo.co.in
Phone: 92-041-548792
Address: Street # 9 house # 3787 D- 82 Barkat Pura Faisalabad Pakistan.

How we started?
Pakistan is a country with an Islamic outlook. The women are the most vulnerable part of the society. SDW was a result of a long baseline survey and work at the grass roots level. The society came into being three years back. When woman (Naziran bibi) working in factory lost her legs and was the only one supporting to the family, her husband is drugs addicted and have seven daughters, studying in schools in different levels, but after that the girls left school and the family was from hand to mouth. Sumera George was also disabled since birth, she can not walk but crawl, she was seventeen years old at that time and was getting primary education in a school opened by the church in the evening for the disabled, she is mentally strong and can feel the problems. She was very sorry to hear about the incident of Naziran bibi. She discussed the matter of Nazirn Bibi with the other girls in the school, all of them were helpless in this regard. They discussed the problem with the priest in the church and they reached

SDA was started five years back in one of the backward town of Faisalabad district. The initiative was taken when Ms Shumiala and Ms Sumera two girls from the slum area decided to work against the cruel system of man dominant society.

The disabled have no respect in this society also there are no specific laws for the poor disabled, if there is some no body cares for those laws. So many times the disabled have been raped and no body in the society took pain to pursue the problems of the victims.

So the some women were motivated to just realize what is happening around in the society at least some of us should do something all were fearing that how come we can do something, we are poor people no body will listen to us so we can’t face men in the society. After a year work some girls and women were motivated to work with us as team. So just to give awareness in the society was not enough people were making fun of us that what these girls want do. We looked for some skill-training plan that we can motivate and attract more girls for our purpose to understand. Than was a problem of finance to manage the things for skill training, we plan to start sewing center for disabled and poor girls and women. We requested some of the people to donate us a sewing machine for the center to take start for the activity, but nothing was accomplished to start center. So we felt some problem to work in the man dominant society. We met one teacher Mr. Asif Kaleem and told him our problems and about our aims. Thank GMr. Asif Kaleem donated us one sewing machine and asked us to start work and assured his support in the future also.

So center was started and guided us in each and every difficulty. Mr. Asif is Christian teacher and helps us in our correspondence.

Introduction of the Organization:
The organization is active in Waris Pura and Barkat Pura. These are two towns near the city area. There are more than 40 girls and women members of the SDW set up. There are many girls who are known to us but we could not reach them due to our lack of finance.

There is a sewing center run by Sumera George and Ms Shumiala where many girls come and learn sewing. We are interested to open centers in other towns but lack of communication and finances could do that.

SDW envision provoke disabled talent. As we are looking for disabled mobile library, so that we can approach girls and women who are not in our reach.

Introduction of the Community:
Pakistan is a Muslim country; the Christianity is the second biggest religion in the country. The literacy rate is very low therefore the people are so rigid and fundamentalist. The economy and social set up of the country is very poor due fanaticism and illiteracy.

The Christians are not safe in this country so that in previous years so many Christians have been killed and churches have been burnt due to the instability of the political system.

SDW is working the poor communities; the villages have more population 70% so more than cities. The villages are so back ward and have poor social set up and people from the villages are very much fanatic.

SDW is working with full commitment with Jesus to save people in need. The girls are not respected and also sexual harassment is at the peak.

Introduction of the Disabled in the Villages:
The girls and women who are living in the villages have no hope of life, they are just useless part of the society, they are not allowed to go out and meet others and also always snub by all means. The concept is that these girls are of no use and can’t do any thing.

There are more than 25 villages that we need to work in for the poor girls and women.

So SDA can only reach to these girls by Mobile Library with the aim to give them hope of life by giving them basic education and moral support.

Responsible members of SDW

• Ms Shumiala Program Officer and (In charge of sewing center)
• Mr. Asif Kaleem Coordinator
• Ms Shazia and Ms Saima and Ms Nunu living in villages and keep communication with other girls.
• Other members of the center and members meet occasionally.

Future Plans:

• To provoke Disabled talent
• To spread the word of God in poor and underprivileged communities
• To educate thru awareness activities
• To establish skill training center
• Mobile library for disabled women in far villages

CONTACT PERSONS:
Ms Sumera George
Needy52@hotmail.com

Ms shumiala
nanutara8@hotmail.com

For sending letter thru post
Asif Kaleem
Street # 9 House # 3787
D- 82 Barkat pura
Faisalabad
Pakistan