Back home, building hope: An Afghan refugee returnee turns his tailoring skills into a new beginning
Back home, building hope: An Afghan refugee returnee turns his tailoring skills into a new beginning
Ali Allah stands inside his tailoring workshop.
After spending more than two decades in Iran, 34-year-old Ali Allah never imagined that returning to Afghanistan would mean turning his family home into a busy tailoring workshop. Nor did he imagine that his business would provide critical income for dozens of fellow returnees.
Ali left Afghanistan with his family when he was a young boy, fleeing conflict and insecurity in search of safety across the border in Iran. For 23 years, they lived there as refugees. During that time, Ali learned tailoring and worked in a garment factory, gradually developing the skills and experience that would later become the foundation of his livelihood.
Four months ago, confronted with growing uncertainty and mounting pressure on Afghans in Iran, Ali made the difficult decision to return to Afghanistan with his family.
His return came as the country was receiving large numbers of people who had spent years, and in many cases decades, seeking safety in neighbouring countries. In 2026 alone, more than 1.2 million Afghans had returned to the country by late September, including more than 500,000 from Iran.
For many returnees, coming home after years away means starting again with few resources, limited employment opportunities and, in some cases, no home, assets or established support network to rely on. The scale of returns are also placing immense pressure on communities already struggling to get by.
Determined to put his experience into use and rebuild his family’s livelihood, Ali started a small tailoring business from his home in Kabul. Although he had the technical skills, expanding the business required financial support that was difficult to access in the country.
A turning point came when Ali learned of a microfinance programme run by UNHCR in partnership with the First MicroFinance Bank-Afghanistan (FMFB-A), funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Designed to jumpstart small businesses and build self-reliance among returnees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and host communities, the initiative provided Ali with a loan.
The financial support enabled Ali to invest in sewing machines, equipment, and materials, allowing him to move beyond a small home-based operation.
"The loan gave me the confidence to think beyond simply earning a living," said Ali. "It helped me expand my business, increase production and create opportunities for others. Today, I am able to support my family while also helping other returnees rebuild their lives."
Ali's workshop produces women's everyday clothing, fulfilling orders from the local market. What started as a modest workshop has now grown into a busy tailoring factory employing 35 workers, including 16 women who are returnees or internally displaced.
"I am especially proud that I can provide work for women who need a source of income," explained Ali. "When people have jobs, they regain hope and dignity. Being able to contribute to their future makes me very happy."
As Afghanistan continues to receive large numbers of returnees, helping families rebuild sustainable livelihoods is essential to supporting lasting reintegration. UNHCR works to ensure that returns are voluntary, safe, and dignified, while supporting returnees and host communities.
Through its microfinance programme, UNHCR, with support from JICA, helps refugees returning to Afghanistan and internally displaced Afghans access capital and develop small businesses that can provide sustainable livelihoods. Implemented across Kabul, Bamyan, Balkh, Jalalabad, Kunduz and Herat, the programme is expected to reach 1,902 returnees and internally displaced people, helping them become more self-reliant and contribute to their communities.
"I am back, rebuilding my future in the place where my journey began."
This approach also contributes to UNHCR’s 50 by 35 vision, which seeks to support greater self-reliance and durable solutions for people affected by displacement. For returnees like Ali, access to livelihoods and economic opportunities can be an important part of rebuilding a stable future and reintegrating into their communities.
For Ali, returning home was not simply the end of one chapter; it was the beginning of another.
“For many years, I dreamed of returning home,” said Ali “I left Kabul as a child in search of a better life, and today I am back, rebuilding my future in the place where my journey began.”
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