Sano had always been interested in learning to embroider and was excited to gain a new skill. She had looked at embroidery courses before, but they all charged a fee, which she knew she couldn’t afford each month.
When her friend brought her to Nuur Women’s Center – part of Omega’s projects in Vahdat – she was excited – firstly, because there wasn’t a fee, and secondly, because she had taken Omega’s Personal Development Course before, and knew that she appreciated Omega’s projects.
The embroidery course started the very day she came to the center to ask about it, so she was able to jump right in. After starting, she realized that coming to the course was helpful for her personally, too.
“When I’m at home, I am constantly worrying. But when I come here, for the one and a half or two hours that I’m here, I can forget about these worries for a while.”
Sano’s mother is sick, and it has been a stressful season. But the chance to get out of the house and visit with the other students as they learn has proven to be just as significant as learning the skills of embroidery.
Learning to embroider: Practical skills amidst friendship
“Every day I count down the days to Friday when I can come and learn,” Sano says.
And she has learned a lot! Since beginning the course, Sano has learned how to stitch a number of different stitches, flowers, and knots, and has even learned how to cross-stitch. “Our teachers are very good teachers…Wherever we don’t understand something, they help us out.”
Sano hopes to continue learning and to grow in these skills. Right now, she has a few items she wants to embroider– first for herself and her family, and perhaps one day, as a job, too.
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