This Sudanese Woman Fled War And Now Works At An Oil Change Garage In Libya, Defying Gender Stereotypes
Mustafa found work as a mechanic in the women-only section of an oil-change garage—challenging gender norms in a field traditionally dominated by men.
22-year-old Asawar Mustafa was studying pharmacy in Sudan when war broke out, forcing her and her family to flee to Libya.
Since 2023, Sudan has been in a brutal war due to a power struggle between the Sudanese military and the paramilitary militia RSF that has killed up to 150,000 people, including thousands of children and forced thousands to flee.
To support her loved ones, Mustafa found work as a mechanic in the women-only section of an oil-change garage—challenging gender norms in a field traditionally dominated by men.
She now works alongside her brother, who is employed in the men’s section of the same garage, and lives with her mother and four sisters.
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