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Aid
Afghanistan for Education is a registered US and Afghanistan-based
501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated
to assist in the rehabilitation of various
components of the educational system in
Afghanistan. The focus is on the provision
of assistance for infrastructure, reconstruction,
curriculum development, and acquisition
of pertinent technologies, teacher and administrator
training, and other required fields.
The
indomitable spirit of Afghan women and children
is our guiding cause. Despite nearly 25
years of war and violence, they are determined
and resolved to build a bright and prosperous
future for themselves and their families.
We at Aid Afghanistan for Education believe education
is the best way to empower a new generation
and to safeguard the independence of Afghan
families.
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Over
the years, we have accumulated considerable
experience in girl's education in Afghanistan.
A protocol was signed between the Ministry
of Education and Aid Afghanistan for Education on March
5, 2003. According to this agreement, the
Ministry of Education provides books and
monitors the exams for the remedial education
programs. This program has been established
by Aid Afghanistan for Education in order to guarantee
the integration of the students back to
the regular school system after the completion
of the program within two years.
Aid
Afghanistan for Education was prevented from openly assisting
in the education and development of children
by the Taliban regime. After long
and failed discussions between the Taliban
leaders and the Executive Director of Aid
Afghanistan in May, 1999 about the re-opening
of the girls' schools, Aid Afghanistan opened
five clandestine schools for girls.
Through
these classes, 250 girls were educated and
have integrated into the regular school
system to their age appropriate level after
the defeat of the Taliban.
On February
15, 2003, Aid Afghanistan for Education established its
first remedial education program for 300
girls between the age of 12 to 16 who are
attending first, second and third grade.
On
March 5, 2003, The second remedial education
program was established for another group
of 300 over aged girls and the third remedial
education program started May 2, 2003 for
another 500 students.
As of April,
2004, Aid Afghanistan for Education established accelerated
learning programs in Ghazni, Wardak, Parwan,
and Bamyan provinces with a total of 1200
students.
For more than two decades,
the real victims of Afghan conflict have
been the women and children. Families
are without fathers and brothers, mothers
are left widowed and without income. Legitimate
employment or a source of income is still
difficult to obtain for many women in Afghanistan.
Additionally, opportunities to increase
skills and capabilities for women are limited
given the overwhelming task of daily substance.
Over and above the devastation of war and
violence, Afghan youth have fallen behind
as a result of a regressive, fundamentalist
system that prevented modern education for
children, and denied the opportunities for
women to work and fend for their families.
Aid
Afghanistan for Education is focused on this segment of
the population in Afghanistan and aims to
empower widowed women and help them achieve
self-sufficiency through employment and
skill acquisition. Not only is it
a critical necessity that these women work
to provide for themselves, but also it is
imperative that their children are able
to focus and continue their education if
they are to have a sustainable future and
continue to weave the fabric of the Afghan
society. Currently many of these
children are forsaking their education to
bring in small amounts of money for the
family's daily survival by begging, shining
shoes, or selling water on the streets.
These children and their mothers are
making up more and more of the underclass
in the Afghan society since the opportunities
to generate income are still so limited
for women head of households. Aid Afghanistan
for Education considers the education of children to be
paramount if Afghanistan is to rebuild itself
and move towards a more stable, peaceful
and prosperous future.
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