Gender Equality Afghanistan Project #6083

Help Educate Women & Girls in Afghanistan

by Sahar Education

Help Educate Women & Girls in Afghanistan

Project Report | Jan 20, 2015
Student Involvement in Education

By Ginna Brelsford | Executive Director

Education may seem like a simple action in a nation ravaged by war for the last several decades, but we have seen tremendous change in the status of girls and women. Providing quality education experiences is about more than just getting more girls into the classroom, it is about empowering them to be free, creative thinkers who can engage in the public discussion of their country’s culture and politics and be respected and heard. We are a long ways off from achieving our goals of gender parity in the Afghanistan education system, but we continue to see tremendous growth in our capability to make this a reality.

More than three quarters of the way through the construction of our 13th school in Mazar-i-Sharif scheduled for opening in April 2015, we held an artist competition for girls. We asked the girls to think about their new school and come up with art that would be installed on the walls of the building. As part of the competition, six art pieces were chosen and 12 received honorable mention. A workshop on how to install their artwork on large panels will be held with a local specialst. Following the workshop, a hands on experience will be provided, guided by the senior artist, to actually transfer their work onto the large walls.

"I submitted art work because I felt strongly about making the insides of our school beautiful. War has torn our city apart and now we are re building the Gohar Khaton Girls School. I used to be afraid in our old school that bricks would fall on my head. The rain ran along the walls and mildew came forward." Fahima, student at Gohar Khaton School

" I know how to draw but I don't know how to draw my art on a large wall in our building. The master artist will teach me to do this and then maybe I can have some future in this." Rabia

The selected artwork reflects the girls experiences and insights into life in Afghanistan. With engagement in their own education and construction of their new school building, the girls investment in the learning process increases considerably.

All this work would not be possible without your help. We are so thankful every day for the donor support we continue to receive. We look forward to more innovative progress in the future.

Thank you.

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Oct 29, 2014
Our New Name Celebrates a New Day in Afghanistan

By Ginna Brelsford | Executive Director

Oct 13, 2014
Girls' Leadership Development

By Ginna Brelsford | Executive Director

Your donations help us continue to see tremendous growth in our ability to close the gap in those girls who do go to school and those who do not and importantly to help us find innovative ways to keep girls in school after completing K-5th grades. Thank you.

Education may seem like a simple action in a nation ravaged by war for the last several decades, but we have seen tremendous change in the status of girls and women. Providing quality education experiences is about more than just getting more girls into the classroom, it is about empowering them to be free, creative thinkers who can engage in the public discussion of their country’s culture and politics and be respected and heard. It is about giving them the skills to become leaders.

Seventy-seven girls graduated high school in one of our rural villages and 59% of those girls went on to our advanced teacher training program. In two years, those girls will be certified to teach. Afghanistan still faces mounting pressures to provide more female teachers. It is estimated that next year alone, the nation needs more than 80,000 teachers. Raising our graduation rates in the 12 schools we serve provides the possibilities of easing this problem. With female teachers available to teacher older girls, more girls have the chance to identify and move towards post graduate goals.

"It is fine to go to school but I want more. I want to be a leader but I need practice and skills. We don't have courses for this." Fahima

We have responded to this request by developing a leadership pilot program for a rural school. Twenty-seven girls are participating. The girls were asked to write a vision statement and list their goals. The program is focusing on a group of girls vulnerable to dropping out. This brings out their dreams and visions and provides them with support. Here are few samples of the girls' statements:

Hameda: "I won the first prize in our school short story competition between more than 30 students. So, from that time my world changed and I started to read and write. My vision is to be a famous writer in the future. I want to write about women's issue. I want to write about world of girls. I want to write about how it is being a woman in a war country like Afghanistan and living in a district far from the city. I will write about all these issues. I will go to university and read many, many books and then I will publish my stories."

Yalda: "My vision is to became a midwife. I am currently in 11th grade and will graduate in one year. Being a midwife is important to me because I saw one of my relatives have a baby without the help of a midwife and it was horrible moments for me when I heard her voice. The health of women can be in trouble. From that moment I decided to be a midwife and help such women."

Anihta: "I am a girl who lives in a district far from the center of the village. I have a wish which is my vision statement. I really want to be an engineer. Currently I am in 12th grade. I will be part of this group that teaches girls how to say their goals and then strive for them with the support of one another and our teacher. The circle of leadership means that we want the best for each other and have pragmatic pathways."

The course is designed to run for six months and will be evaluated by the girls at the conclusion. Donor support is essential to the ongoing opportunities for girls to learn leadership skills and how to both ascertain their goals and then to participate in leadership circles to act upon these aspirations.

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