Daily Times

Lyari has been notorious owing to clashes and acts of violence that erupts between different ethnic groups from time to time.

With very less check and balance by law enforcing agencies, the crime ratio in this area is at its peak. Lyari is an area where even men are terrified to move from one place to another but these girls have come out as warriors and have launched their Lyari’s Girls Cafe.

The cafe has given vision, dreams, shelter and most importantly a voice to many women of the area. Women from all walks of life are a part of this cafe, be it a grandmother who aspires to be a hairstylist. Women of all ages spend hours learning new skills, playing foosball or carom and practicing different hairstyling techniques in that cafe.

The cafe was launched by Zulaikha Dawood and her friend Raheen Rimsha who collaborated with a Lyari-based non-governmental organisation Arado. They focus on gender equality and women empowerment. This cafe is a haven for those women, whose families believe that a woman’s place is in the house only. The cafe teaches English as well as gives computer classes in Urdu. Lessons on makeup and hairstyling are delivered and guest speakers are invited to interact regarding important and creative issues.

The architecture of the cafe bears the brutal history of Lyari engraved on walls. The girls are determined to learn, dream and grow. The roof of the cafe has a green canopy, handmade decorations and Christmas ornaments.

The cafe was launched by Zulaikha Dawood and her friend Raheen Rimsha who collaborated with a Lyari-based non-governmental organisation called Arado. They focus on gender equality and empowerment for women. This cafe is a haven for those women whose families believe that a woman’s place is in the house only

Daily Times reached out to Lyari Girls Cafe Coordinator Zulaikha Dawood regarding the project and the challenges it faces. Talking about the condition of Lyari and how they started this project, Dawood says that Lyari was a difficult place to live when there were no activities for females in this area. Even little girls were deprived of interactive and healthy activities.

She further informed how women of the area have started participating in activities.

These include talents like makeup, knitting, sewing, cooking and even sports.

When asked regarding the development in the cafe over the years, Dawood informed that in 2018, a few women started teaching the members of this cafe to ride a bicycle and this was started after taking permission from their parents.

“The motive behind teaching women to ride a bicycle was to empower them so that they’re not dependent on anyone,” Dawood said. She further stated that despite extreme criticism from the men of this society, the women didn’t stop riding bicycles. These girls were even attacked by men who criticised them with the help of the members of some religious organisations and this led to a change in the venue for cycling.

When asked about the aim behind this cafe, she said that the main reason of opening this cafe was to give a voice to the voiceless, to give them work they wanted to do, to educate them, to help them with their mental health, to showcase their talent and to strengthen their physical health by engaging them in healthy activities.

In the end, Dawood confirmed that issues in Lyari have been resolved to some extent and the situation was better now. Women in Lyari are much more empowered now and she believes that women are an equal part of the society.

“Without them, society cannot work,” she concluded.