Dariush - Vocational Training

Dariush is 17 years old. He will soon leave the rehabilitation center and be reunited with his family.

He comes from a very poor family. His father is a labourer at the market. Before Dariush was arrested he used to work alongside his father doing very hard manual labour. He has never been to school. He stopped going to the mosque because he was embarrassed to be so poor. Dariush cannot read and write.

He was brought to the juvenile rehabilitation centre 19 months ago, accused of being an accomplice to a murder. Finding out about War Child enabled him to turn his life around. War Child has set up educational and vocational training courses for the children in the JRC. Dariush registered in the calligraphy course. Dariush says that the course taught him all the skills necessary for the art. His teacher was so impressed with his work that he has even made Dariusha calligraphy teacher himself. Dariush now assists the teacher in teaching the art to other children in the JRC.

Since learning the art of calligraphy, Dariush has produced over a hundred signs and has earned US $500. He is now able to give his family money when they come to visit him. He has decided to open a calligraphy shop in the city after his release. He is sure that with this shop he will be able to support his family and even to teach more students. War Child’s family liaison workers have been negotiating Dariush’s return to his family after his release. His family is keen to have him back home.