The brightly dressed refugee women sat at a long table waiting for their graduation ceremony, many of them wearing intricate dresses they had made themselves. The chatter of their animated conversations filled the far corners of the room. This class of 15 women had just completed 16 weeks of sewing instruction led by Forozan Mirwais.

“When I came here from Afghanistan,” Mirwais said. “I didn’t know what to do. I was lonely and spent time weeping. Then I went back to Afghanistan a couple of times, and I said ‘I can do this. I want to do something for the community.” So she started a class to teach other refugee women how to sew. 

The idea was to give the women skills that they could use to start a business in their homes doing alterations or sewing other garments. By the time the class had concluded, they had learned to make a number of items for women and children including purses, scarves, aprons, dresses, pants and tote bags.

“Sewing gives me joy, and I hope it brings joy and helps new arrivals start their own business.” Mirwais says the classes also provide fellowship and friendship on a weekly basis in what can be a stressful transition. Mirwais had learned to sew back in Afghanistan when she was fourteen.

Each woman walked to the front of the room accompanied by enthusiastic clapping from their friends and classmates.  Dr. Janine Howard, lead pastor at Fairlington United Methodist Church where the classes had been held, welcomed the refugee women as “our new neighbors.” The translation seemed to take a lot longer than the original welcome but brought nods and smiles to the faces of the women. 

The women received a graduation certificate from Melanie Gray, Outreach Director at Christ Church in Alexandria, and moved down the line of handshakes to the final piéce de resistance, a brand new sewing machine.

A buffet table arranged in the back of Fellowship Hall was crowded with rice, samosa, spicy chicken and dumplings all prepared by the women to share with their new group of friends and sewing companions.

For more information or to place an order  send an email to MirwaisForozan@gmail.com or text 202-460-4635.