Masoumeh Mohammadi Alghaar has become a symbol of transformation in education and women’s empowerment in the Middle East. Starting with local classes in Gorgan, a small city in northern Iran, and expanding to an online platform with tens of thousands of students across Iran and beyond, she has leveraged technology to tailor her teaching methods.
The Thread That Connects the Past to the Future
ُTwenty seven years ago, a teacher named “Masoumeh Mohammadi Alghaar” published her first book on sewing education. At the time, few could have imagined that she would one day transform the lives of thousands of women through modern technologies and innovative teaching methods. Today, Masoumeh Mohammadi is recognized as a successful female entrepreneur who has trained countless students in tailoring. Many of her students have developed such expertise in fashion design and dressmaking that they have launched their own brands and successfully brought their products to market.
In an interview with Shargh newspaper, she stated, “Challenges were never obstacles or brakes; they became stepping stones for elevation.” This phrase often resonates with me as I reflect on her journey—how she transitioned from physical classrooms to a digital platform that hosts tens of thousands of learners.
Doukht Bartar: A Platform for Everyone
Launched in 2020 (1399 in the Iranian calendar), Doukht Bartar is Masoumeh Mohammadi’s ambitious online sewing education initiative. Prior to this, she published magazines and authored books, gradually establishing her pedagogical influence.
Courses on the platform range from beginner sewing to advanced design, including a specialization in the Turkish method (Metod Turk). The Metod Turk curriculum includes pattern drafting using the Müller method, body correction techniques, style analysis, and more.
One notable feature is that students can rewatch lessons multiple times, and a year of consultative support is provided.
In an interview with Shargh Media, Masoumeh Mohammadi stated, “Doukht Bartar is not just focused on training; we aim to create real employment opportunities for students.”
Training Over 90,000 Learners Through Doukht Bartar
Numbers often tell compelling stories. Reports in Persian indicate that Doukht Bartar has trained over 90,000 learners. In less than five years, this sewing education initiative, which focuses on empowering women, has grown from zero to tens of thousands of students. This growth has established Masoumeh Mohammadi as not only a skilled instructor but also a modern entrepreneur.
What began as a team of roughly five people has now expanded to a workforce of 250 professionals.
Books, Heritage, Knowledge Foundations
Masoumeh Mohammadi is well-known for her significant literary contributions. According to her website, she has authored over 100 books on sewing and design prior to launching Doukht Bartar. A report by Shargh indicates that she has published 103 titles focused on design and tailoring.
One of her well-known works, “Sewing Education in a Simple Method,” is still sold and widely used, especially by beginners.
This comprehensive bibliographic foundation enhanced her credibility and cultivated a dedicated audience even before her online presence grew.
Real Lives Behind the Screens
In a distant village in southern Iran, a young woman named Afsaneh works on her sewing machine late at night. Before joining Doukht Bartar, she could only take small orders occasionally. However, after completing online courses and receiving support, she began to scale up her business, turning her sewing skills into a steady source of income and receiving orders from all over Iran and through her Instagram page, where she occasionally posts customer testimonials and new clothing designs.
Such stories emerge repeatedly. Masoumeh Mohammedi often shares her most incredible pride: when an alumna like Afsaneh tells her, “With your courses, I can now support my household.”
She also stated, “I aim not only to have students but also to nurture teachers; every student should become an entrepreneur.” This vision emphasizes women entrepreneurs grounded in the art of sewing.
In another interview, Masoumeh stated, “I always tell students that if you work with passion, obstacles become opportunities.”
Regional Expansion & Middle Eastern Impact
One of Doukht Bartar’s most notable goals is its geographic expansion. International reports indicate plans to launch in Turkey under the brand “Kolaydikiş” (“Easy Sewing”) to offer professional courses in the Turkish market.
Masoumeh seeks to transform tailoring education throughout the Middle East.
Additionally, the Metod Turk course on her platform is set for international rollout and will be available soon for Turkish students.
This expansion goes beyond business: when women in countries like Turkey or Iraq can earn from home, they gain agency, financial independence, and a stronger role in shaping their families’ futures.
Challenges, AI Opportunities and the Path Forward
Entering the online education space often invites skepticism. Some individuals prefer in-person training, and critics sometimes question online programs’ support quality or scalability. However, Masoumeh Mohammadi realized these concerns and, in addition to online courses and support, has provided in-person support with a massive support staff of more than 250 people. She states, “Every new course we launch is created based on student feedback.”
There are concerns about linguistic, cultural, and infrastructure differences across countries. However, Doukht Bartar has already adapted its content and plans to recruit local instructors in target nations for localization. The role of AI in this education business has been very transformative. With the help of AI, Doukht Bartar not only could translate courses with native accents, but the instructors’ teaching, body language, and mimics have been altered to create AI-generated local instructors.
Armin Rashidi, Masoumeh Mohammadi’s son, is the young driving force behind the curtains, bringing a traditional teaching business to the edge of technology. “AI plays an important role in our technology side of business. We not only use AI to analyze user data, like which part of the courses they watched multiple times, to create better videos, but also to create new courses for new markets or to translate courses based on each target audience’s accent or preference.”
Conclusion: A Stitch that Connects Beyond Fabric
Masoumeh Mohammadi, a dedicated teacher from Gorgan, has skillfully combined digital innovation, pedagogy, and empowerment in ways that reach far beyond her country’s borders. She has educated tens of thousands of students, trained future teachers, and helped foster economic independence for women.
In a region where women’s economic participation continues to encounter significant structural barriers, one woman entrepreneur is weaving together each stitch, every course, and all of her encouragement into a broader narrative: a story of agency, dignity, and transformation that impacts the fabric of society.
