Take a tour of Preschool #2

As many of you will recall, Preschool #2 is located in the mountain town of Barushan in Tajikistan.  Barushan is located in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO), a remote and marginalized region of the country situated among the Pamir Mountain range and some of the highest peaks in the world. One-third of GBAO’s inhabitants live in poverty. Shockingly high numbers of children are malnourished and lack access to the most basic necessities such as clean drinking water. 

Preschool No. 2, the only preschool in the village, was built in 1962. Constructed with sub-standard materials, the building quickly fell into disrepair. The walls and ceilings were sagging in places, creating a dangerous learning environment in this earthquake-prone area. The air was damp, and mold was visible in the corners.  The toilets were broken wooden outhouses with no running water. While the teachers were doing their best, they lacked the facilities, training, visual aids, and toys to support an educational process that would allow these young children to fulfill their potential as students.  

CAI stepped in to help and plans for a new school were laid. Four years later, thanks to the dedicated support of so many donors, the doors of the new Preschool #2 were opened to the community during a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony.  CAI hosted a virtual event on May 1st to celebrate the project’s completion and take our generous supporters through a tour of the finished school. We are extremely proud of the final result and hope that you will be, too!