LocationsStory and visuals by Hamna Umar Hashmi (Communications Associate) and Shahzad Ahmad (Communications Officer), UNDP Pakistan
Stitching Dreams: Nameera’s Path to Empowerment
August 13, 2024
Nameera working at Yunus Textile Mills Limited
Photo: Shahzad Ahmad/UNDP Pakistan
Defying norms and embodying determination, Nameera Ghouri is a 21-year-old resident of the highly urban Korangi district in east Karachi. She is currently pursuing a distance learning bachelor’s degree in science. Her father works in an elevator manufacturing unit while her mother takes care of their household. Nameera, the eldest among her siblings, had a passion for learning new skills from a very young age. “I seek to live a self-sufficient and independent life and support my father,” she says.
Passion for Stitching
“Since childhood, I have been very passionate about designing my own clothes and sewing delicate embroidery on them. I wanted to create my own dresses rather than relying on tailors to sew a dress for me.”
Inspired by her passion, Nameera came across the Hunar Foundation's online courses, where she enrolled in dressmaking and stitching courses to polish her skills under the guidance of professional trainers. Noticing her interest, the Foundation selected Narmeen for an on-the-job training course and later recommended her for a job opportunity at Yunus Textile Mills Limited, one of the largest exporters of home textile products in Pakistan since 1962.
Journey to Employment
Nameera started her first job at Yunus Textile Mills as a sewing machine operator in the training department where she mastered the art of industrial stitching.
“Initially, I was a bit nervous when I started my job here at Yunus Textile Mills Limited. However, I was able to adjust very quickly,” recalls Narmeen, reflecting on her initial days at the job. “The environment is very professional, and they guide us every step of the way. The working culture is very safe for women employees, everyone respects each other, and I have very good relations with my colleagues.”
Nameera explaining the basic machinery parts to new trainees.
Industry-based Skill Training Programme
While working as a machine operator, Nameera came across an opportunity to develop her skills further through industry-based training sessions conducted by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Sindh Education Foundation (SEF), Government of Sindh, under the Youth Education Employment Empowerment Project (YEEEP) project.
The overall unemployment rate in Sindh is 3.9%, with 6.6% of the unemployed being women.[1] The main objective of this training programme was to enhance the industrial skills of unemployed youth in Sindh, enabling them to contribute to the local economy. It aimed to do so by training 900 youth in Sindh across different industrial sectors, including auto, textile, and retail, and offered employment opportunities for 70% of the graduate trainees. So far, over 400 individuals received training in the textile sector in quality control and sewing machines operations within four different textile industries.
During the ten-day training programme, Nameera's knowledge expanded significantly. Guided by an experienced trainer, she gained command over practical skills such as the workings of a sewing machine, needling techniques, identification of defects in the final product, and thread quality. This experience enriched her knowledge and motivated her to continue learning.
“I enjoyed my training on quality control within the manufacturing industry as it was an opportunity for me to obtain a new skill. Besides industrial knowledge, the trainer also taught us life skills such as work ethics and useful communication tips, which are quite important in the workplace and overall, in life. It was a whole learning package for me.”
Nameera pointing out the sewing machine operation skills.
From Learning to Leading
After one month of completing her training with UNDP, Nameera's hard work paid off and she was promoted from a machine operator to a training coordinator in 2022. Nameera now uses her income to support her family’s financial needs and cover her personal expenses.
As a training coordinator, she recruits new trainees for the stitching unit, assesses their skills, provides trainings in operating sewing machines, produces clothing articles, and ensures compliance with industry safety and operational policies.
With support from her colleagues and managers, Nameera flourished in an environment that nurtured her aspirations. “Nameera is a very hard-working employee. She is always full of energy and is a quick learner,” said Madiha Anis, Deputy Manager at Yunus Textile Mills Limited.
Nameera training the new employees on needle policies and sewing machine operations.
Nameera's journey symbolizes that no ambition is off-limits for women when pursued with commitment and determination.
“I encourage young women to break all barriers and chase their dreams. With dedication to our work and personal growth, there is nothing we cannot achieve; we just need to push ourselves and step outside our comfort zones.”
Nameera adds with a smile.
Nameera is grateful to SEF, Sindh Government, UNDP, and Yunus Textile Mills Limited for their support and contribution to her career.
About YEEEP
The Youth Education Employment Empowerment Project (YEEEP) is a joint initiative between the Government of Sindh and UNDP Pakistan that seeks to collaborate with the private sector, academia, and civil society organizations to consolidate positive social change in poverty-stricken communities across Sindh, where adolescent and adult youth are vulnerable to violence and extremism triggered by acute economic marginalization and other social or cultural factors.
[1]. Pakistan Labour Force Survey 2020-21, Table 3.3, Page 13
https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/labour_force/publications/lfs2020_21/LFS_2020-21_Report.pdf
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