Charity No. 1130232
020 8804 3561
Widow Appeal

Widow Skills Training

Through access to important life skills such as sewing and business development, we give women independence.

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GIVE WIDOWS INDEPENDENCE

Losing a husband is traumatic enough, but many widows in Afghanistan are also left to fend for themselves and their children with no support. Together, we can give them new life skills.


When we hear the word “widow”, many of us imagine a mature woman. But a high number of Afghan widows are not even in their 20s.

In Afghanistan, 57% of the girls are forced to marry before they even turn 16, which means most of them are not schooled or trained for vocational work outside the family home, leaving them more vulnerable after the death of the male breadwinner.

So, giving them access to important life skills such as sewing, embroidery and business prowess helps these women advance economically and provide for their children safely.

Our Widow Sponsorship Programme

In Islam, widows are traditionally cared for by their sons, relatives, and the community around them. However, when they don’t have such a support system, our Prophet (pbuh) encourages all Muslims to take the responsibility of caring for widows upon them.

“The one who looks after a widow or a poor person is like a Mujahid (warrior) who fights for Allah’s Cause, or like him who performs prayers all the night and fasts all day” [Al Bukhari].

So, at Aryana Aid, we took it upon ourselves to provide appropriate help to these widows. With the Will of Allah (swt) and your most needed Zakat and Sadaqah, we opened a ground-breaking centre for women in Kabul, where we teach widows essential skills and knowledge that will equip them for better work opportunities during and after iddah (a period of three months when widows are not allowed to re-marry).

With only £35, you can sponsor a widow’s training course for a whole month.

Why sponsor a widow in Afghanistan?

In 2019, official reports estimated there are almost 2 million widows in Afghanistan, one of the highest numbers in the world. Young or mature, they all struggle to support families of four or more children on average, but their strength and tenacity prove they are more than capable to do so in the right context and with the appropriate help.

Although there is more work available in urban areas, most of the job opportunities are not for unskilled women, which means many widows end up doing menial work, begging, or going into prostitution to support themselves and their young children.

Some even attempt suicide because they are unable to cope with their circumstances. But, we can avoid this.

How Your Donations Help

At our training centre in Kabul, we:

  • Empower women financially.
  • Give them the skills they need to find qualified work.
  • Teach them about women’s rights and how to fight exploitation at work.
  • Give widows in Afghanistan a safe learning space.

Thanks to your Sadaqah donations, 320 widows aged between 20 and 45 are currently enrolled in our free classes taught by salaried teachers. Many of our widows will then go on to either find qualified work or open their own micro-businesses, which leads to a sustainable line of work and a stable home environment for the children.

Spread the word on our Widow Sponsorship and other Zakat eligible projects.

Shiama’s Story

Shiama’s husband died shortly after the birth of her second son. A woman of great determination, she did not want to depend on others to bring her children up.

All it took was one simple gift from Aryana Aid: a sewing machine. Now Shiama designs and embroiders shawls, bags and dresses for her community. By selling them, she is able to feed her family and make essential repairs to their home.

She now also teaches local women embroidery, passing on the skills she acquired to her sisters in faith.

Shiama did not want to be a burden on others. With our help, she is now independent and happy.

Sponsor a widow like Shiama today with £420, which covers an entire year of learning. The sponsorship includes micro-business courses like tailoring, embroidery, and cooking.

Will you empower a mother to become independent?

Sponsor a Widow – £35 for a Month

Say yes to Humanity

Annual Report

We are pleased to submit our 2023 Annual Report, which shows the amazing projects and achievements made possible by your donations. We hope this reassures our donors of our commitment to our causes and projects. To review the report, click on the image below. Thank You!

Rebuilding Lives & Communities

Annual Report 2023

Make a donation

You can make your donation through our website, bank transfer or send a cheque to our office (cheques should be payable to Aryana Aid). We thank you for your interest and support, please spread the word.

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We work with the local Afghan community to deliver emergency aid and long term sustainability through our orphan sponsorship, widow skills training, and water and electricity projects.
© Copyright 2020 Aryana Aid