Educate Girls and Boys in Rural Afghanistan

Your support of our work in rural northern Afghanistan has been critical for the sustainability of education in village regions. Rural Afghanistan is one of the most difficult places to live: literacy levels are the lowest in these regions and agriculture is the primary activity, yet only 12% of the land is arable and only 40% is irrigated. Children have limited access to schools because of low local government investment in infrastructure. Students often drop out of school to help their families in the fields.  

Our teacher training programs have prevented students in rural areas, espeically girls, from dropping out of school. You have supported young women who have graduated from our teacher training center and have returned to their villages to educate hundreds of girls each year. This is a significant accomplishment, as few teachers are willing to work in rural Afghanistan, leaving many children without a qualified instructor. Your impact on education in rural Afghanistan willl endure for years to come, as more female teachers are employed by the Ministry of Education in rural areas, who are able to reach the girls from their own villages. 

You have also helped us combat issues of overcrowding and lack of access to schools by investing in the maintenance of our rural schools. We have continued to supply more desks, chairs, and roof repairs to ensure that students can learn in an environment that is secure and protected from the elements. We are also in the process of providing new sidewalks and gates for our rural schools, and wells for dependable water sources. Your dollars have allowed us to invest in and improve the resources of schools where the local government may not have the capacity. 

Improving education in rural areas is important for creating equal opprotunities for children to learn in all regions of Afghanistan. We continue to strengthen our relationship with the rural community and Ministry of Education in Balkh Province to make these programs for education sustainable. You have the power to ensure that where a girl lives in Afghanistan does not determine the quality of her education.