Two Durham-based congregations have stepped in to support Afghan women in North Carolina after US refugee aid cuts forced a local mutual aid organisation to end its sewing circle. The Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship and Judea Reform Congregation raised funds and recruited volunteers to restart the programme, which provides sewing classes, English practice, and social connection.
The Refugee Community Partnership previously ran the sewing circle for Afghan women resettled in the Triangle region, but the Trump administration’s sweeping cuts to refugee admissions and support organisations left it without resources or staff. The congregations now cover costs, provide the venue, arrange transport and childcare, and have donated at least a dozen sewing machines.
“One of the big goals of this programme, equal to, if not larger than learning to sew, is for the women to have time with other women,” said Audrey Green, class coordinator and a member of the Unitarian Universalist congregation. “They live such isolated lives, and there’s such hard stories they tell that they’ve experienced. Nobody else can really understand.”
At the final class of “Stitching for Hope,” nine women brought traditional dishes to thank volunteers. Over seven weeks, they sewed headscarves, tunics, and dresses. The Refugee Community Partnership remains fiscal sponsor, providing the instructor and translator, while congregations cover all other costs.
About 200,000 Afghans have been admitted to the US since the 2021 withdrawal, including 4,369 in North Carolina. Many Afghan women face isolation due to limited education, English skills, and inability to drive, making such community programmes vital.
