Benazir Roufi: A story of hope and resilience

The story of Benazir Roufi exemplifies the power of motivation and courage. With the dream of starting her own business, she came to the Urban Cohesion Hub (UCH) in Rawalpindi. The UCH supported her in pursuing her dream by providing her with the entrepreneurial skills she required to run a business. The Hub also provided her with the financial support she needed to start a business.

Benazir now runs a successful Afghan Women Solidarity Cafe in Rawalpindi, Punjab and helps other marginalised women to earn livelihood and learn the skills required to run their own business in the future.

The UCH in Rawalpindi is one of the five Urban Cohesion Hubs established by the Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees (CAR) with the support of the German Government. These Hubs are a one-stop solution and provide services like health, education, vocational skills, legal support, and protection to Afghan refugees and members of the Pakistani host communities, including women, and street and working children. Through these UCHs, the German Government also supports the Community Initiative Funds (CIF) which provide financial support to people like Benazir for entrepreneurial initiatives.

Benazir is one of the many women who have benefited from these UCHs. These Hubs have been instrumental in supporting the urban Afghan refugees and members of Pakistani host communities to gain the skills and confidence to secure a decent livelihood and achieve financial independence.