The Women’s Programs: A Special Feature
World Relief Sacramento wishes to feature our Womenâs Programs â a set of services offered to new female refugees from Afghanistan. The Womenâs Programs are dedicated to empowering their clients through education, as well as integration with the Sacramento community.
In 2019, a group of Afghan women started meeting in a Sacramento apartment. Converted by World Relief into a community center, the apartment was a place for the women â all of them refugees â to make friends with others whoâd experienced persecution in war-torn Afghanistan. To relax, the women cooked meals, made art and shared their stories. However, as they got to know one another, they realized: As new arrivals in the U.S., they faced similar barriers. Whether it was learning English, adapting to technology or integrating with American culture, there were few to no programs that catered to their unique needs.
The women discussed their concerns with World Relief staffer Krislyn Adkinson. In response, Krislyn and other members of our Education Department brainstormed ways we could help. The solution: our Womenâs Programs. The women in the apartment became our first clients.
The Womenâs Programs are designed specifically with our clients in mind. As Krislyn explains: â[Back in Afghanistan], many of these women never got any education, or only went to school for three or four years. Whether due to cultural reasons, their gender or because of povertyâŠThe community colleges around here, or other adult education classes, assume the student has already had years of basic schooling. Many of [the women] arenât ready for that, so we meet them [where they are].â
The popularity of the Womenâs Programs is a testament to the need for it. Krislyn and her department are now in their fifth year running the programs. Since 2019, theyâve trained over 200 Afghan women, ranging from young mothers to elderly matriarchs. Their current cohort alone has another 100 clients enrolled. Many more sit on the waitlist.
âOur mission is to empower the women,â Krislyn says. âTo combat their isolation, to transition them into self-sufficiency and to give them a confidence boost.â To achieve this, the Womenâs Programs host virtual classes to teach the most important topics: English as a Second Language (ESL), U.S. laws and womenâs rights, basic math and financial management, food and water safety, vehicle safety, technology use, and how to handle common situations like calling 9-1-1, requesting a translator or enrolling their child in school. Thereâs also a Driverâs Education program, where clients prepare for their driverâs permit and receive free behind-the-wheels training. Throughout all this, the women are taught directly by multilingual Afghan caseworkers, who then translate for English-speaking staff like Krislyn.
âOur mission is to empower the women…To combat their isolation, to transition them into self-sufficiency and to give them a confidence boost.â
Krislyn Adkinson, Women’s Programs coordinator
Zohra Obaidy is one such caseworker. As a former refugee, she understands what kinds of barriers her students face. At the same time, sheâs in the perfect position to help: Zohra is fluent in both Pashto and Dari â the two official languages of Afghanistan â as well as English. Sheâs seen firsthand how the Womenâs Programs empower a person.
â[My clients start as] high-need, rural women,â Zohra explains. âSome are married and have eight or nine children to take care ofâŠI remember, one client covered her face not just in front of men, but also other women. Another client had never touched a phone or computer before [the class]. She said, âThis is my first phone in my life.ââ
Even the most basic knowledge the women gain can transform their life. Zohra gives one example with a client (kept anonymous for privacy): â[At first], she didnât have the courage to make a doctorâs appointment by herself. Then, later, she told me, not only did she make an appointment, but then the translator [they brought in] wasnât translating properly. She remembered what she learned in class, and told him, âNo, this is not what I said.â She corrected him and advocated for herself.â
Hannah Pierce, an administrative coordinator, reports the same. Though she doesnât speak Pashto or Dari, she’s also noticed how the women transform. âWe had one woman start off not knowing how to count money,â Hannah says. âWhen she went to the grocery store, sheâd put the money on the counter and wait for the cashier to count for herâŠBut after, she knew how to ask for help, and how to count on her own.â
Hannah and Krislyn also note the womenâs dedication to their own growth. Theyâve both seen clients go to extraordinary lengths to attend class. In one instance, a womanâs daughter fell sick. She chose to log into class from the hospital parking lot. Other women have shown up just a few days after giving birth â even though Afghan culture encourages them to take 40 days of rest.
âWeâre like, âNo, stay home!ââ Hannah says. âBut they want to learn. Itâs amazingâŠthey donât want to miss class for anything.â
