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Pakistan Learning Centers

Karachi and Mansehra

With average per capita income of ~420 U.S. dollars, Pakistan is among the poorest countries in the world. Economically disadvantaged women in Pakistan live in a particularly difficult situation. Cultural barriers add to the disparity between different economic classes. For majority of Pakistani women, parents are unwilling to educate their female children in coeducational settings or under male supervision.

eLIT provides unique opportunities for girls and women to be trained by female teachers. In addition to providing computer Literacy, eLIT intends to facilitate the economic independence of women in Pakistan and unlock the world of educational and economic opportunities. Currently, we have two centers in Pakistan; Karachi and Mansehra. In both centers, typing skills, general computer use, Word and Excel for office use, and similar skills are taught.

eLIT begins a new program for women and children of a Shanti town in Karachi. This project would serve to provide computer literacy to children at a foundation school and also provide computer literacy for women after school hours.

This project is unique from another perspective. In addition to computer labs, this site would also have a room with sewing machines. Many women who make their living by either sewing or embroidery cannot affort to take time off from their work to take computer classes. Their work provides the day’s meal for their families. We want to make it possible for women who make their living by sewing or creating other handicrafts to continue their work, improve their handicraft skills, and make products that eLIT can sell via Internet. In doing so, they will earn two to four times what they otherwise would get paid. Seeing that through the Internet the world could be their market would provide an added incentive for them to learn computer skills.

Once these women know how to use computers, they could sell their work online without any middleman. For more information about the products made by these women see www.elitmarketonline.org.

For more information about eLIT Pakistan please contact:
Mansehra: Nuzhat Ahmad, MD at info@elitonline.org
Karachi: Arifa Khandwalla at info@elitonline.org