Sometimes, leaving is the only life-saving course of action. Nasrin Hasmi, 28, pictured here with her daughter Jira, suffered for four years as her husband beat and abused her. Frequently drunk or using drugs, he didn’t work and relied upon handouts from friends and family. After one particularly bad beating, with no money or work experience, Nasrin moved back home and immediately started looking for work to support her and her daughter.
Whether fleeing violence caused by war, as in Ukraine; violence caused by tribal conflicts, as in South Sudan; or violence from abusive partners around the world, Lutheran World Relief seeks to provide women and girls like Nasrin and Jira hope for a better future.
In Nepal, funding from The Bolick Foundation and others, enabled Lutheran World Relief to develop an entrepreneurship development program to improve women’s and youth’s knowledge and skills in on-farm and off-farm enterprises and trade, including access to markets and improved financial literacy.
For Nasrin, this meant teaching her how to build upon the basic sewing techniques her grandmother had taught her. Nasrin completed a 3-month training program that taught her how to make and mend clothes, repair the sewing machine she received as part of the program; and operate the financial aspects of her business.
Her father owns a building with several small storefronts next to a busy road so she rented one for her shop. She hopes it will grow and prosper so she can send her daughter to school to become a doctor. Most importantly, she is thankful she can earn money for herself. “I don’t have to extend my hand to anyone.” She added that working and being with her parents and daughter helps her forget her abusive past.
Thanks to the love of Christ and the generosity of donors, several hundred other women and youth in Nepal have the knowledge and skills to keep from going hungry.
Lutheran World Relief is a faithful partner of The Bolick Foundation.