KABUL (SW) – Generally, the phenomenon of immigration has had negative reflections among the people, but there are also those who have returned to their country with new skills that have benefited their families and their communities.
Rashida, a young carpet-weaver, went on an irregular migration to Pakistan along with her family when she was nine. She recounts the difficult days of irregular migration, the abusive behavior of the Pakistani police on the one hand, and poverty and misery on the other, causing constant stress in her family.
Rashida said her father would spend the entire day worrying about feeding the family. Now 30, Rashida has been disabled since birth. But, she knew that she has to support her father in this struggle right from the beginning.
She weaved carpets in a refugee camps in the city of Peshawar for 20 years. Now, her skills in carpet weaving has made her a master of the art of carpet weaving. She returned to her home district of Behsood in Nangarhar province some ten years ago. Her special abilities in carpet weaving has reached Europe and the U.S., and now most of her clients are Europeans and Americans.
Rashida also urges other people with disabilities not to think of disability, and fight for self-sufficiency and new ways of livelihoods.
Haji Wazir, her father, said that most families neglect their children’s upbringing, and that is why they become burden on the families in the future.
According to him, if families pay close attention to raising their children, they will be effective and helpful for the parents and entire human society.
On the other hand, Mohammad Hadis Pardis, International Organization for Migration’s Public Relations Officer, says that in 2019, half a million immigrants have returned from Iran and Pakistan to Afghanistan.
According to him, besides providing returnees with vocational training, returnees who know a profession are also provided with work opportunities.
Meanwhile, Najibullah Qayyumi, the head of directorate for refugees and returnees in Nangarhar, said they are providing vocational training to the returnees in cooperation with the aid agencies.
According to the Census Bureau of Refugees and Returnees, in 2019, more than 2800 families have returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan alone. Officials believe that creating jobs in Afghanistan can prevent irregular migration from the country.
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