PESHAWAR, July 13: Aurat Foundation, an NGO, has launched a project for establishing a shelter house for destitute women in the provincial capital. The shelter house —  Mera Ghar — would not only provide shelter to homeless women but would also impart them training in various skills.

The shelter house is expected to start functioning by the end of this month.

“Mera Ghar would be a different kind of shelter house where women would be trained in skills which would be beneficial for them in practical life,” the Resident Director of Aurat Foundation, Rukhshanda Naz, told Dawn.

The shelter house is being set up in Nauthia which is easily accessible for women seeking shelter.

The NGO plans to train women in skills such as embroidery, handicraft, beads work, glass-painting, sewing and quilt-work and bags. These women would also be trained in marketing their products.

The foundation would also undertake medical checkup of destitute women and if needed provide them psychotherapy treatment to enable them to lead a normal life. “We want these women to lead a healthy life and become skillful workforce of the society,” she added.

The NGO is also running a skill development project for women prisoners inside the central prison here for the last two years. Under the project, women prisoners are provided training in different skills. Two women trainers daily visit prison to teach prisoners different skills and provide them raw materials.