A PROJECT which has helped educate dozens of Asian women who were previously unable to read or write is being continued by its founder even though official funding has been exhausted.

The Aghii, or Awareness, course was set up by Riffat Shah, of the Asian Cultural Association, with the intention of giving women from that community a stronger voice in society.

It was backed with a £10,000 grant from the Lottery's Awards for All scheme, which was used to pay teachers, publish the material students produced and to meet other overheads.

There were up to 32 women attending the weekly sessions and the work they produced, looking at various aspects of the Asian culture, has been published in two booklets, including essays and poetry.

Tutors who had been involved in the work have had to give up because there is no cash left to pay them at present, but Riffat is continuing to hold weekly sessions at Bradford's Pakistani Centre and is currently helping around a dozen women.

It is hoped that a follow up grant will be available from the same source to help get a new course running in the same format as the original.

The work was important because it gave women who had suffered different forms of abuse a platform to express their views, she said: "The ladies who come have suffered physical, emotional and financial abuse.

"There are all kinds of abuse, but they do not always have the opportunity to speak about it.," she said.

"Although the funding has finished, the women wished to continue and I voluntarily take refreshments and without charging I also teach.

"Other teachers have had to stop coming, because they need an income.

"We will apply again for some more money but it will be months before we know whether it will be available. I will be there free of charge.

"These women were unable to read and write or anything. Now they know the names of their streets, they are able to read and write and have confidence as a result of that.

"They used to depend on their children and other people but now they are independent," she said.

The sessions are held on Tuesdays from 10 until noon at the Pakistani Centre, in Jervaulx Road, off White Abbey Road.