Vocational Training and Character Formation
In the village of Roushan, as the grain in the nearby fields started to grow, 25 women gathered to enroll in a Shining Light Adult Literacy Center. They started to meet each afternoon to learn to read and write. Their daughters attend school – the first generation of girls in this community to be encouraged to do so. Now, these women are students too, and they are eager to make up for lost time. Through regular village visits, strong bonds were quickly built between our field staff, community leaders and this group of determined women.
Through the summer, extreme rainfall resulted in flash floods throughout the region. Half of the village of Roushan was destroyed one night by a landslide. The home where the women gathered to study the Urdu alphabet was flooded and their books and teaching supplies were lost. The Adult Literacy Center was put on hold as the community took stock of what was left and made plans to rebuild.
Our field team worked with community leaders to help assess needs and in December, delivered housewarming kits to the 25 women from the class and their families that included warm bedding, mattresses and a heating stove. Literacy is often bigger than just learning to read and write. In Roushan, it’s led to deep connections and trust, and opportunities for restored community and hope.
Everyone Deserves Access to Education
Nahida likes to study but she never had a chance to go to a school because her parents always moved from one place to another. “I always had a desire to go to a school but I come from a shepherd family and in the summer we move up to high pastures with our livestock and we are not allowed to live in the village,” explains Nahida.
Ties that Bind
The STEP program helps women from the north side of the city literally take a step and to move forward together with others.
Transforming Grief into Hope
Our work goes far beyond seminars and trainings.
Mobile Tent Schools
In remote, seminomadic communities in Pakistan, the school year used to come to a halt during the seasonal migrations. Children missed out on up to seven months of education,
A Teacher’s Heart
The goal of the education project, run by our partner organisation, is to work with remote communities to improve access to education through adult literacy classes and operational support for five remote village schools.
Building Relationships Through Literacy
In the village of Roushan, as the grain in the nearby fields started to grow, 25 women gathered to enroll in a Shining Light Adult Literacy Center.
Character Affects Relationships
“Where did you learn gratitude? It seems that your teacher is teaching you some moral matters.”
Equipping the Next Generation
Working in partnership with local education institutions, more than 2,000 students go through various parts of the life skills program each year.
Together for the Neighbourhoods
One school director partner has been a pathfinder for Operation Mercy´s youth dimension of STEP in the toughest neighborhood in the city.
Germination for Change
Young mother Amina*, a graduate of the Skills/Startup Training Empowerment and Practice (STEP) vocational training programme, is opening her dress shop today. The 31-year-old completed the course in 2022,
Breaking Chains of Unforgiveness
Hassan, a 27-year-old university student studying English, first heard about our character training through a friend. Through the training, he learned the importance of commitment and consistency,
“I’m not going anywhere!”
Ajnur* came to STEP 4 following her sister, who had completed STEP Cycle 3 before her. Both were orphans on their father’s side, bonded not just by blood but by loss.
The Class of Transformations
The STEP class of this year has been a story of new beginnings.
“I’m playing for my family.”
North Macedonia – STEP: Rrustem’s StoryRrustem joined us three years ago when the football project first began, and he has remained one of the chief “veterans” of the Skopje Eagles.
No One Talks to the Young Men
Another commented that no one talks to the young men about sexual education, and this was enlightening for them.
Building Bridges through Education
Sher Azam is a community leader who supports public projects among the shepherd people in remote villages in northern Pakistan, including making improvements to education in village schools.
Professional Excellence
Operation Mercy’s partner organisation has worked to develop a monitoring and evaluation program to ensure its programmes are pursuing professional excellence
Finding Sunshine
In STEP vocational training, Azra is now part of the sewing group. She was already able to sew the most beautiful front pieces of embroidery at home and soon,
Human Capital
The World Bank´s most recent diagnostic of North Macedonia records one of the worst development of human capital records in Europe, where N.E.E.T. (youth who are Not in Education,
Helping Me Accomplish My Dreams
“Recently I completed my master’s degree in mathematics. I give all the credit to the Scholarship Program that has always stood behind me from kindergarten to university education.