Amidst the chaos of a busy road in Kabul city in the early morning, the sewing machines play a sweet tune to the ears of Lal Mohammad, as he continues to sew the traditional Afghan clothes for his customers. Lal Mohammad together with nine other youth take pride in being business owners in their IDP settlement. He narrates to his friends: “I experienced a sense of dignity during the Eid-e-Qurban, when I took the hard-earned profit after the tough working days at our shop.”

The festivity of Eid-e Qurban is the peak season for tailoring shops as giving clothes as gifts to relatives is a tradition. Lal Mohammad and other JRS trainees capitalized on the opportunity, with the support of JRS, to earn over 45,000 Afghani (500 USD approx.) for each of the two shops. Similarly, Sohaila, a female tailoring trainee in another IDP settlement, travels 65 km away from her settlement to negotiate orders to stitch clothes with numerous vendors. She works with a group of JRS-trained female youth within their settlement and has gotten small contracts worth 30,000 Afghani, during the past month. And she continues to enjoy the renewal of some of the contracts.

“The training was intense, and the journey was difficult. The months of training in tailoring seemed worthless, as we never got a stipend for our training and no assurance for our future. We only heard the JRS staff say, we are there to accompany you, and not leave you.” This is what Sohaila recollects, echoing the feelings of Lal Mohammad.

Lal Mohammad with a smile, says, “You made us strong to fight a difficult fight, with the rejection of our demands of stipend for training, luxury at the training centre,and so on. You trained us to be true warriors for life.”

JRS provided tailoring training to two groups of totally 24 females and one group of 12 male youth. Through the ‘ stitching journey’ that JRS had initiated, the youth were encouraged to think out of the box, which often challenged the trainers. For them, it was difficult to maintain the motivation of the group.

As the weeks passed, the youth formed a close-knit community, supporting each other through the challenges they faced. They shared their fears and dreams, finding strength in one another’s stories. “We are not just participants; we are sisters,” Sayeda, a female trainee, said with her eyes shining with emotion. “Together, we are stitching our hopes into every piece we create.”

The closeness shared at the centres turned out to be therapeutic. As for 23-year-old Marzia, who had once dreamed of becoming a teacher but had to flee her village with her family when violence erupted, leaving behind not only her home but also her aspirations. “I thought I had lost everything,” Marzia shared, with a trembling voice. “But when I heard about the tailoring program, I felt a spark of hope. It was an opportunity to learn something new, and coming together helped me unleash my tensions.”

As the evening prayer time approaches, Sayeda reflects on their journey: “We faced unimaginable hardships, but through JRS accompaniment, we found not only skills but also hope and a sense of purpose. I am grateful to JRS for giving us this opportunity. We are no longer just survivors; we are creators, dreamers, and entrepreneurs.”

Through the tailoring program, the youth found more than just a means to earn a living; they discovered empowerment, community, and the courage to redefine their lives. Their stories weave a tapestry of resilience, demonstrating that with determination and skill, they could transform their challenges into opportunities, inspiring others in their neighborhoods and beyond. Each stitch they make is a reminder of the journey they’ve traveled and the dreams they continue to pursue.

With hearts full of gratitude, these resilient youth stepped into their futures, ready to weave their stories of hope, strength, and creativity into the fabric of their lives. The threads of their past may have been frayed, but they are determined to stitch together a brighter tomorrow.