Afghanistan Update: Making Education Possible – One Girl at a Time
The news stories from Afghanistan continue to be grim. Growing poverty and hunger. Increasing repression of women and girls. A devastating earthquake.
What you may not be reading in the news, however, are the important gains that are being made; gains that wouldn’t be possible without the enormous courage of ordinary Afghans, the tireless work of CAI’s partners on the ground, and the dedicated support of CAI’s donors.
It’s true that, despite international pressure, the Taliban regime continues its war on women and girls. Since banning high school girls from returning to school last fall, the Taliban’s leadership has mandated women to wear head-to-toe burqas, prohibited them from going outside or traveling abroad without a male relative to accompany them, and further restricted their right to work. Draconian edicts like these are designed not just to wrest the most basic of human rights from female Afghans, but to erase them from Afghan society altogether.
But a lot has changed in the 20 years since the Taliban was last in power. Today, there is greater recognition among ordinary Afghans, including those living in rural areas, of the enormous value of education. Mothers, fathers, local community leaders, and religious scholars – not to mention youth and children themselves – are standing up for education, especially for girls. And thanks to your support, CAI is standing with them, and helping to meet that demand for education and for a better future.
Take Lobna. Lobna lives in a remote village in eastern Afghanistan along the border of Pakistan. By the time she turned 10, Lobna had never attended school because the only school in her district was too far away. When the Taliban took over her country last August, she began to lose hope altogether of getting an education and fulfilling her dream of one day becoming a doctor.
But that changed last March when CAI’s partner organization came to her village to establish a community-based school. By bringing teachers and classrooms to areas where no schools exist, community-based schools fill the gap and overcome the obstacles that girls like Lobna face in accessing education. The community provides a safe, private place for the classes to be held and CAI recruits and trains teachers and provides books, lesson materials, and school supplies.
I am very happy because this is my first time going to school. Before this CBE class, school-age girls in my village couldn’t attend school because it’s too far away from my village. Now, every morning, I get up filled with happiness and am overjoyed as I walk 20 minutes with the other girls to get to the class. – Lobna
Over the past four months, with CAI support, more than 180 community-based classrooms have been established across remote and impoverished parts of northern and eastern Afghanistan. More than 5,700 children – the majority girls – are now enrolled in these schools. And next year, CAI hopes to increase that number.
From time to time, local Taliban members have tried to interfere. However, because the community-based schools are established with the strong support of parents and village councils, the whole community becomes an advocate for education. When issues have arisen, it has been the local community that has negotiated with the Taliban and we’re happy to report that so far, these issues have been resolved successfully and peacefully.
CAI is also supporting Afghan women and girls in other ways. We’re recruiting young women to be teachers and piloting at-home learning for high school girls in parts of the country where the Taliban has forced them to drop out of school. The Taliban may continue to throw up roadblocks but as long as there is a demand from Afghans for education, CAI will work to do all we can to make education available.
With all the crises at home and abroad, it can be hard to keep focused on the plight of Afghan women and girls. But now is not the time to close our ears, to turn away from our Afghan sisters, or to give up hope for a more peaceful, equitable Afghanistan. Rather, this is the time for us to stand in solidarity with Afghan women and girls as they face dark forces who seek to take away their choices in life and the possibility of a better future. They are holding out hope because CAI supporters like you are making education possible, despite the challenges.
At CAI, never before have we been more inspired by the people we serve; by children like Lobna who despite the Taliban, is imagining a better future for herself and her country because she now has access to education. We hope you’ll be inspired too.
Attending school is very important for all Afghans because we learn everything in school which enables us to serve our country and people in the future. Like boys, it is also important for girls to attend school because they become teachers, doctors, and engineers like boys do. I would like all families to let their girls to attend school. All girls should have the opportunity to learn to read and write and become who they want to be. – Lobna
15 responses to “Afghanistan Update: Making Education Possible – One Girl at a Time”
I’m so hopeful for you and your region! ((. :). )) from a Christian police wife in rural southwest Missouri USA!
Your support means so much – not only to the CAI team, but to the people we serve overseas. Thank you!
So, so incredible brave people!
So true! The courage of the Afghan people is nothing short of inspiring!
Thank you for the work you are doing for the future women leaders of Afghanistan. And for keeping us informed of the progress being made in the remote regions of this beloved country,
Thank you, Gail! We’ll do our best to keep you informed as things evolve. Keep your eyes open for an event about the situation in Afghanistan – coming your way later this month.
Thank you so much for “hanging in there”! God bless every single gal over there where some heavy duty people are swinging heavily! thank God for the courage of every single teacher who stands up to receive each fragile student–boy or girl!!! Trusting in our Higher Power to strengthen all the good everywhere in the world. Sincerely, Margaret Shield csc
Thank you, Margaret! We’re able to continue our work because of the support of incredible people like you. Thank YOU for all you do to ensure education gets to those who need and want it most.
With all the sanctions, how do you deliver the money to finance the program?
Sunny, the U.S. Department of the Treasury graciously extended licenses to aid organizations like CAI making it possible for us to continue our work in Afghanistan. Thankfully, we’ve been able to get aid to those people who need it most. Thank you for your great question. Please feel free to reach out if you have any other questions.
I’m so happy to hear that the work continues. My heart goes out to all who want to educate themselves in this troubled world.
Thank you, Nancy! Your support gives us strength!
Thank you Alice & the team for the news, the good news, that the education of girls and women continues in Afghanistan. It is especially gratifying that the local communities are solidly behind the CBE. They are turning a great evil into an incredible good. God bless you all. You have our prayers
Dear Loren and Carol,
We couldn’t have said it any better. They are indeed making the best of terrible circumstances and they remain strong in their commitment to education. With such commitment and the support of incredible folks like you, we have so much hope for a brighter future.
xxx