Pakistan is characterized by terror, violence and persecution of Christians. That's why it's extremely important that we help there. As an organization, we have been active in Pakistan for many years, but since 2002, our efforts - especially among the poorest Christians - have grown significantly.
The efforts being made will have a positive impact on the whole country, because the situation today is so serious that many good things need to be done. For example, there are around 55 million people in Pakistan who cannot read. It is obvious to everyone that this is an extremely serious problem that requires a lot of effort. There are millions of Christians in Pakistan who are under tremendous pressure because of their Christian beliefs in a Muslim country. It is this group in particular that needs our support now.
Sajda is now in sewing school
In April and May, 13 new sewing schools were opened with the support of Danish European Mission donors. We recently told the story of 24-year-old Sajda, a woman who had been brutally raped. It's inhumane to think about. But in the midst of all this misery, we can now rejoice that she is among the 520 women who have just entered one of the newly established sewing schools in Pakistan. She tells us: "I was very sad, hopeless and wanted to die. But since then I have received a great blessing at the Danish European Mission Sewing School. I feel happy and have gained hope and faith in a good future for my life."
Since 2005, the Danish European Mission has established 165 sewing schools in Pakistan. In the beginning they were small, but today there are 40 girls in each sewing school. The teaching is still relatively primitive, with the girls sitting on blankets in a house, on the roof or, for example, in a farm associated with a local church. At the beginning of the program, each girl is given a sewing machine to improve their skills with. It will ultimately help to give the girls a positive future. When the girls arrive at the sewing school, it is normal for them to sing Christian songs and read the Bible. They are also taught simple arithmetic and the Urdu language so that they can avoid being deceived in the future. According to our partner, the girls earn on average 3-4 times more after being educated at the sewing schools for one year. The chance of a better future is therefore greatly increased with these sewing courses.
One of the girls who has just joined the sewing school says: "In the last week I have learned that school is not only about being taught, but also about healing wounds and having a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ". The woman is deeply grateful for the opportunity she has been given by the Danish European Mission.
The hope is to continue to provide 10,000 girls with sewing education. Today we are up to 5613 girls. So we are more than halfway there. The Danish European Mission thanks you for supporting this project, which is helping to save the future of women in a country where it is difficult to be a woman.
