By Paul Lehmann, Minister Counsellor AusAID, Kabul Afghanistan
The Australian Government makes a significant contribution to the delivery of aid in Afghanistan, and through my work I am fortunate enough to see how some of it is delivered on the ground.
Recently, I was invited to join a delegation of aid practitioners to observe the UN World Food Program’s Kabul area operations. One of the stops on our journey was at a centre, run by the Afghan Women’s Business Council (and funded by the World Food Program) that provides food, training and income-generating opportunities to vulnerable women.
Stepping through the front door of the centre, I was struck by the small size of the room and the number of people working at such close quarters within it. In between vintage, hand-powered sewing machines and embroidery boards used to fashion garments and other pieces of apparel, huddled approximately 30 women of various ages.
Paul visits a centre run by the Afghan Women’s Business Council that provides food, training and income-generating opportunities to vulnerable women. Photo: Xian-Zhi Soon, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
In stark contrast to the rudimentary and antiquated tools at hand, the women tailor a wide range of intricately designed garments, which they then sell to market stallholders for a small profit; allowing them to eke out a basic living.