LYNN, MASS. (WHDH) - A local program helping Afghan immigrants and refugees is receiving some national attention after it was recognized by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Archewell Foundation.
The Afghan Women’s Workshop is based in Lynn. With its recognition came thousands of dollars in grant money.
“It just fits exactly, smoothly in what we were doing,” said Natasha Soolkin of the New American Association of Massachusetts.
The Afghan Women’s Workshop was created by the Office of Refugees and Immigrants and the New American Association of Massachusetts.
Both organizations helped families resettle after the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021.
Through their work, the New American Association helped men find jobs. But they found that the women often felt left behind.
“Spouses and children were kind of left behind and they were stuck in these small apartments without any friends, without anybody they know,” Soolkin said.
“We started bringing them to the center for this purpose only — to boost their energy and feel better about themselves and kind of introduce them to each other and have them meet,” she continued.
Many of the women they worked with made clothing for their families. So, the New American Association began supplying them with fabric and materials to continue with their craft.
Soon, the program saw the opportunity the clothing provided for these women and began selling the clothing at markets and craft shows.
“It is a very foreign thing for most of them as their gender roles were accepted differently in this culture,” Soolkin said. “But they were, basically, at the time, trusting us and open to whatever we were offering to them.”
Over the last year, the group has made more than $50,000. It received its grant from the Archewell Foundation in June of this year.
“It was focused on people feeling good about themselves and that’s how we targeted this grant,” Soolkin said.
In addition to lessons in English, there is also job training, childcare and a place to meet others at the Afghan Women’s Workshop.
About 30 women take part.
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