Stitching Hope: Help 100 Widows in Balochistan Start Again!!

Stitching Hope: Help 100 Widowed Women in Balochistan Start Again

Greetings,my name is Muhammad Tahir, and the reason why I have decided to initiate this fundraiser is because I have a firm belief that a woman’s identity is her own and should not be tethered to the shadow of any male figure in her family. I am launching this Go fund me with the help of my auntie Saira Akhtar, who lives in Australia.

( A painting depicting violence against balochi women, made by an internee at Balochistan women business association )

Balochistan is considered to be one of Pakistan's most neglected province, whereby widowed women are not only grieving the loss of the single breadwinner of the house but are starving too.They are often left without financial support, denied opportunities to earn a livelihood, and are subjected to neglect. Some go days without the basic provision of food. Most have never been to school. Many live in remote villages where jobs for women are practically non-existent.

In Balochistan:

“It’s not just poverty, it’s abandonment.” – Balochistan Economic Report

(Young boys collecting plastic waste to sell, location Bashir Chowk, Quetta )

And behind every statistic, there’s a real woman. A mother. A daughter. A survivor.

We call it Project Behtar Kal – A Better Tomorrow.

Our initiative focuses on a straightforward and scalable approach that includes distributing 100 sewing machines and kits to carefully selected deserving widowed women in Balochistan.

We provide:

“TVET transforms lives by enabling financial independence.” – Empowering Balochistan's Skilled Women

(Training department at Balochistan women business association )

Meet Meeras Gul : A Mother Fighting for Her Children

Age: 35

Location: Jan Muhammad Road, Quetta

Marital Status: Widow (since 6 years)

Children: 3 (Two daughters and one son)

At just 35, Meeras has already lived through more pain than most see in a lifetime.

She lives in the slums of Jan Muhammad Road in Quetta with her three small children, two little girls and a son. Six years ago, her husband was killed in a terror attack in Balochistan. Since then, she has carried the weight of survival alone.

With no regular work, she takes cleaning jobs in people’s homes, earning barely enough to put food on the table. It’s never steady, and it’s never enough. Her young son , works in shops and collects plastic from the streets to help his mother. He should be in school, not struggling to keep his family alive.

They live in harsh conditions, surrounded by poverty, with no security and little hope for the future. But Meeras hasn’t given up.

What she needs is a chance and something as simple as a sewing machine could be that turning point.

With a sewing machine, Meeras could work from home, stitching clothes for her neighbors, taking small tailoring jobs, and building a steady income. She could work during the day or in the quiet of the evening, all while staying close to her children.

It wouldn’t just ease her financial burden, it would restore her dignity. It would mean her son no longer has to work on the streets. It would mean a safer, more stable life for her daughters.

For Meeras , a sewing machine isn’t just equipment. It’s hope, healing, and the start of a better tomorrow.

What criteria do we follow to select women:

We partnering with the neighborhood councils in Quetta

in areas such as Kili Shiekhan, Saryab Road, Bashir Chowk to select widows on the following critera :

All applicants will be verified by local field coordinators. Selection process will be documented for increased transparency and fairness.

This is not a short-lived gesture, but a sustainable contribution for a better future. It is a tool that gives dignity, a skill that brings income, and an opportunity to become self-reliant, without depending on charity or handouts.

It’s the difference between begging for bread and earning it with nobility.

Funding breakdown

A single sewing machine cost us about 12000 Pkr / 45 USD / 65 AUD

This includes the cost of the sewing machine 40 USD and transport and logistics cost.

Here is a chart explaining how the entire project costs are distributed alongside a multi currency overview

The multi currency overview shows the entire project costs in differenct currencies.

To maintain accountability and transparency. Project Behtar Kal will observe the following practises.

All widows will be selected through documented, criteria-based processes in partnership with verified local NGOs and community leaders.

All donations and expenses will be tracked and made public, financial reports will be available at the end of the project . Major purchases (e.g., sewing machines) will be receipted and photographed.

Any remaining funds, will be distributed randomly between the widows.

Stitch of Hope $20 / 30 AUD

Help partially cover the cost of a sewing machine and contribute to changing a widow’s future. Every stitch counts.

Empower a Life $45 / 70 AUD

Fully support one widow with a sewing machine, giving her the tools to earn a living and care for her children with dignity.

Light for Two Homes $100 / 150 AUD

Provide two widows with a sustainable source of income, bringing hope, independence, and stability to their families.

Champion for Change $250 / 380 AUD

Transform the lives of five widows by equipping them with sewing machines. Be the reason five families can rise out of poverty and rebuild with pride

Each donation brings us closer to giving a woman in Balochistan a real second chance.

What Will This Mean for Her?

A sewing machine isn’t just a machine.

It's the school tuition fee for her children.

It’s food on the table.

It’s the ability to say, “I can do this on my own.”

It’s hope, stitched together, one dress at a time.

Why This Project Will Succeed

Studies in Balochistan show that vocational training significantly boosts women’s confidence, self-employment, and income. In a recent survey, 368 trained women reported a clear rise in economic activity.

Sewing and embroidery let women earn from home a solution that respects local traditions and tribal norms while still creating real income opportunities.

This project tackles the three biggest barriers women face: lack of funding, no market access, and no mentorship. We’re providing all three not just tools, but a pathway to lasting independence.

Help Us Raise $4600 to Fund 100 Sewing Kits

This campaign is not just about sewing.

It’s about giving 100 women in crisis being provided an opportunity to be seen, to be supported, and to gain strength again, with dignity, strength, and purpose.

Even $10 helps. Even $1 matters.

If you can’t donate, please share this with friends, family, or anyone who believes in lifting others up.

Let’s stitch a better tomorrow for the widows of Balochistan.

Together, we can make it happen; one thread, one woman, one future at a time.

Follow us on : https://www.instagram.com/project.behtarkal