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عربي

Skills Training Centre for Iraqi and Afghan Refugees in Qum , Iran
 05/02/2009

The Lady Fâtemah (a.s.) Charitable Trust 
Hassan studies in 3rd grade high school in Imam Mehdi (as) School for Iraqi refugee children. He is a goodstudent and looks forward to graduating in fall. However, the future is not as bright as it should be for a newhigh school graduate. Hassan will not be able to attend university as long as he has to live in Iran , andemployment opportunities for refugees are severely restricted due to Iran ’s labour laws. He dreams of becoming self-employed, of running his own small business and earning enough money to decently support his mother and younger siblings. However, like most refugees, Hassan does not have the necessary skillsto become self-employed and does not have the funds to attend a commercial skills training centre.

Thousands of Iraqi and Afghan refugees are in the same situation. The city of Qum has a refugee population of about 56,000 persons or 10,000 families. Most of them work at low-paid, menial jobs that do not provide enough money for a decent life.

As a modern charity, IRAC always tries to find durable solutions for the problems refugees have to deal with. Attacking poverty at its roots means providing the poor with the means to earn a living in dignity. One of the most efficient weapons to achieve this aim is to provide needy individuals with the skills and means to earn a living.

In Qum, a city with a thriving publishing industry, persons with computer skills are much in demand, while tailoring is a profession with opportunities for self-employment throughout Iran . IRAC therefore intends to establish a skills training centre offering computer courses tailored to the needs of the publishing industry and tailoring courses.

IRAC’s present office premises are much too small to accommodate a training centre. IRAC will therefore need to rent and refurbish suitable premises, purchase equipment and employ qualified trainers.

With the purchase of six computers, five courses lasting two months each can be conducted annually. They will provide 60 trainees with the necessary skills to work in the publishing industry or in computer shops. IRAC conducted such courses in 1999. Some participants were so successful that they today operate computer shops, successfully competing with Iranians.

In IRAC’s training centre, tailoring will be taught on industrial sewing machines that work at a much higher speed than ordinary sewing machines. This has the advantage that absolvent of the tailoring courses will be able to work in and for sewing workshops as well working as tailors out of their homes on ordinary sewing machines. With the purchase of eight sewing machines, a zigzag machine and a machine for making button holes, IRAC will be able to conduct seven tailoring courses per year. With 16 participants in each course, the tailoring courses will enable a total of 112 trainees to earn an income in dignity each year.

In total, more than 170 persons annually will acquire marketable skills. After the establishment phase, the average cost of providing a marketable skill to a refugee will be about 150 GBP. The table below shows the cost of establishing the centre and running it for one year:
Skills Training Centre for Iraqi and Afghan Refugees
Establishment and Activities
Exchange Rate
15,000
 Rial / GBP
No.
Item
Unit
Unit Cost
(Rial)
No.
Full Cost
(Rial)
 Estimated Cost in GBP
First Year Budget
1. Cost of accommodation & general equipment
 
1
Rent down payment & repairs
 
300,000,000
1
300,000,000
 
2
Rent
month
1,000,000
12
12,000,000
3
Floor matting
square meter
18,000
200
3,600,000
4
Filing Cabinet
 
500,000
1
500,000
5
Gas heater
 
800,000
2
1,600,000
6
Dry-climate air conditioner
 
2,500,000
2
5,000,000
7
Installation cost of heater and air conditioner
 
 
 
650,000
8
Vacuum cleaner
 
1,350,000
1
1,350,000
9
Water purifier*
 
1,800,000
1
1,800,000
10
Water refrigerator
 
2,000,000
1
2,000,000
11
White board
 
500,000
2
1,000,000
12
Fan
 
600,000
2
1,200,000
13
Alarm system
 
3,000,000
1
3,000,000
Sub-total accommodation & general equipment
333,700,000
    22,246.67
2. Equipment for Computer Class
 
13
Computer (including monitor, keyboard & mouse)
 
5,000,000
6
30,000,000
 
14
Small computer table
 
450,000
6
2,700,000
15
Chair
 
170,000
30
5,100,000
16
Printer
 
2,000,000
1
2,000,000
17
Printer switch (for connecting several computers to the printer)
 
300,000
1
300,000
18
Electric stabilisation
 
200,000
7
1,400,000
Sub-total Computer Class Equipment
41,500,000
      2,766.67
3. Equipment for Sewing Class
 
19
Industrial Sewing Machine (Jack 8900)
 
3,500,000
8
28,000,000
 
20
Zigzag machine (Chinese brand)
 
1,500,000
1
1,500,000
21
Embroidery machine
 
3,500,000
1
3,500,000
22
Chair
 
170,000
10
1,700,000
23
Industrial Tailoring Iron
 
300,000
4
1,200,000
24
Cutting table
 
500,000
1
500,000
25
Large Scissors
 
200,000
1
200,000
26
Installation cost for sewing machines
 
 
 
700,000
Sub-total Sewing Class Equipment
37,300,000
      2,486.67
4. Staff Cost
 
 
 
 
 
 
27
Computer Trainer (male)
Course
3,000,000
3
9,000,000
 
28
Computer Trainer (female)
Course
3,000,000
2
6,000,000
29
Tailoring Trainer (female)
Course
4,000,000
6
24,000,000
30
Program Manager
month
4,000,000
12
48,000,000
31
Cleaner
month
1,250,000
12
15,000,000
Sub-total Staff Cost
102,000,000
      6,800.00
5. Sewing & computer course supplies
 
32
Fabric (4 rolls / course)
Roll/
course
800,000
24
19,200,000
 
33
Miscellaneous items (thread, buttons, zippers etc)
Course
2,500,000
6
15,000,000
 
35
A 4 Paper (One pack / course)
pack/
course
40,000
5
200,000
 
36
Ink cartridge
 
600,000
2
1,200,000
 
34
Maintenance of Sewing Machines
Month
400,000
12
4,800,000
 
37
Maintenance of Computers
Month
300,000
12
3,600,000
 
38
White board markers
 
6,000
72
432,000
 
Sub-total Supplies
44,432,000
      2,962.13
6. Running Cost
 
39
Utility bills
bi-
monthly
400,000
6
2,400,000
 
40
Miscellaneous expenses
month
300,000
12
3,600,000
 
Sub-total Running Cost
6,000,000
          400.00
Project Cost
564,932,000
    37,662.13
* Tap water in Qum is not potable. The most cost-efficient way of providing drinking water for course participants and staff is to purchase a water purifier.

Give As You Earn:
•        This is the UK 's largest payroll giving scheme and is administered by CAF (Charities Aid Foundation). Any employee or pensioner paid under PAYE can donate to a charitable organization in the UK , tax free. The Trust can receive GAYE donations, and our reference number is GYE 458449.

Islamic Humanitarian Service:
•        The Trust has entered into an agreement with Islamic Humanitarian Service in Ontario to enable Canadian Citizens to donate to the Trust via a local Charity at ZERO% admin cost. Please contact us for further information. We sincerely thank I.H.S. ihs@primus.ca

Comfort Aid International:
•       The Trust has entered into an agreement with Comfort Aid International in Texas to enable United States of America Citizens to donate to the Trust via a local Charity at ZERO% admin cost. Please contact us for further information. We sincerely thank Comfort Aid International. info@comfortaid.org

Ijaza:
•        The Lady Fatemah Trust has been granted Ijaaza by Ayatollah al-Uzma Seyed Ali Seestani to collect Khums money. Please remember we operate on the basis of zero% administration costs, so every penny you give goes directly to those in need. Click to view Ijaza.

To make a regular donation by standing order, please download a mandate from the website or contact us and we will send one to you. http://www.ladyfatemahtrust.org/donate.php  . You can make a donation by using our secure on-line payment facility at https://secure.webstar.co.uk/lft/donate.php .

Please remember that completing a Gift Aid form substantially boosts your donation by 28% if you are a UK taxpayer.

Thank you, as always for all your generosity and support without which our work would not be possible.
Yours sincerely,


Amirali G. Karim
Chairman of the Board of Trustees
info@ladyfatemahtrust.org
http://www.ladyfatemahtrust.org/
Tel: +44 (0) 7798 76 10 20 
 
Tel +44 (0) 1494 762 063, Email info@ladyfatemahtrust.org, Fax +44 (0) 1494 762 286,
Mobile +44 (0) 7798 76 10 20, Fax +44 (0) 7798 76 90 30
Website: http://www.ladyfatemahtrust.org