Vocational Training and Character Formation
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.
“My family has lived here in this village for the last 70 years,” he explains. “We have been considered the least important people in this valley. My community is very poor and struggles for everyday survival. I have never seen anyone coming and helping us.
“When I met the leadership of your group many years ago I was not so sure that they would keep working with us and for my community. After a few years I realise that they are different people and they fulfil their promises. Today I can see a big change in my community. Those people who hated education are now loving it. They are no longer hesitating to send their kids to school. Now the young generation is different from the old generation – everyone supports education.“
Can I Change?
Shy, nervous, tense. Sarah, a 29-year-old mother of two, heard about our character and trauma training from a friend and wanted to see if she could change.
An Unexpected Apology
Winding along dirt roads on the outskirts of Mosul, 34-year-old Ahmad, together with his wife and extended family, awaited a home visit from our training team.
The Right People, Ripe for Change
Operation Mercy is about people. At its heart, it’s about believing in the right people—those who are ready for transformation—and praying that they find their way to us.
A Tent School That Travels with the Shephard People
Over the past three years, through our Monitoring and Evaluation Program, our team has noticed that while enrollment in school is high in the five mountain villages that we work with,
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.
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.
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,
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.
Looking Back, Looking Forward
Looking forward, we have our ears to the ground, to listen to the community and discern a path of hope into the future.
Partnerships Transform Families
Sharif* grew up in a very conservative village. He was bullied at school by students and teachers. His family had heard of our partner’s Scholarship Program and their partnership with the local center to provide housing and support for students just like him.
The Class of Transformations
The STEP class of this year has been a story of new beginnings.
“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.
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,
Talent in the Room
The quality of training and product in all areas was professional; the standard had been raised.
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,
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,