SAWERA offices, following bomb blast 30th March 2013. Photo: SAWERA

Farida Fund - Emergency Appeal Following Bomb Blast

SAWERA Offices bombed 30th March 2013

On the morning of 30th March 2013, the SAWERA office was hit by a bomb blast.  All equipment, including the vehicle, has been destroyed.

Farida Afridi - Murdered July 2012

Farida Afridi, co-founder of SAWERA, was brutally murdered on 4th July, 2012, following death threats.

It is believed she was targeted for her work promoting equality, peace and security.

Damage Report

(amounts are in Pakistan Rupees)

• Sony Miltimedia Projector - 102,000
• Desktop computers (2 x 75000) - 150,000
• Building Structural Repair - 1,000,000
• Gate - 75,000
• Scanner - 7,500
• Executive Tables (4 x 15,000) - 60,000
• Office Tables (5 x 9,000) - 45,000
• Chairs (13 x 3,500) - 45,500
• Office Cabinet - 18,000
• Files Rack - 15,000
• Printer HP - 20,000
• Furniture work building - estimated - 150,000
• Glass work building - estimated - 100,000
• Office furnishing and white wash etc - 100,000
• Other miscellaneous small damages - 50,000
• Refrigerator - 40,000
• Air conditioner split (2 x 45,000) - 90,000
• Office security cam system - 300,000
• Photo copier machine - 100,000

TOTAL:  3,858,000 Pakistan Rupees

Background

In 2004, Farida Afridi and Noorzia Afridi, co-founded SAWERA (Society for Appraisal and Women Empowerment in Rural Areas), in Peshawar, an isolated, mountainous, tribal area less than 50 miles from the border with Afghanistan.

The two young women established SAWERA, in order to promote equality, education, peace and security, and to enhance the socio-economic status of women, in one of the most conservative, unstable and patriarchal regions of Pakistan.

Both sisters had graduated from university in gender studies and wanted to give something back to the community they were brought up in.

Women's Role in Promoting Peace and Security

As the only women-led organisation in the region, they knew that they would encounter opposition to their work. But they were determined, and believed strongly that, ''Women can play an active role in countering terrorism and militancy. By educating women, we can prevent their sons from becoming militants and by educating children we can enable them to choose a better future for themselves'.

Well-Respected in the Local Communities

They received much support from the local communities, both women and men, and were careful to adhere to local cultural traditions. The sisters had assured their parents: "we would work in accordance with our religious and cultural traditions, assuring them that we would never let the family honour suffer because of our line of work."

“We are well respected in the community… everyone knows our family background and our struggle for this cause has been well-received. Keeping local tradition in mind, we cover ourselves in chadar and hold our activities inside houses — rather than out in the open — which encourage the local people to cooperate with us," Farida had said.

Training Sessions, Education, IT Centres and Helping Flood Survivors

SAWERA has successfully helped many women in the region, by running training sessions in conflict resolution and peace building, raising awareness about political and social rights in the light of Islam, running IT centres, teaching, and enabling women to earn a livelihood - particularly flood-affected survivors.

The organisation was expanding and growing from strength to strength.

Assassination

However, in June 2012, Farida Afridi started receiving death threats related to her work. A few weeks later, on the 4th July, she was brutally murdered by gunmen in broad daylight, on her way to the office.

Farida's death sent shock-waves through the local community, and also the global community of human rights workers.

Determined to Continue

Despite their great loss, members of SAWERA are determined that the organisation should "keep up its activities for the uplifting of the women and to continue the mission of the martyred Farida Afridi".

Mr Zar Ali Khan Afridi, chairman of the Tribal NGOs Consortium of which SAWERA is a member, wrote: "we will also not budge even an inch from our chosen path of serving humanity, especially the people of FATA including women and children. It is true that we are helpless and poor at the time, but it means that we will never leave our path of love, peace prosperity and development for our people."

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