Give Afghan Refugees the Gift of Education

Let’s put our hands together, let’s get together.

Our hands hold our votes and our votes hold our future.

My fellow citizen It’s my vote, it’s your vote

It’s a privilege for enduring peace

My dear fellow citizen, with our vote leadership is in our hands.

             On April 5^th, an historic election was held in Afghanistan. Over 7 million voters participated, and the elections were generally a peaceful affair. We at AIL hosted election workshops leading up to the vote, and asked the managers of our Learning Centers to educate students at the centers about why the vote was important, what steps they needed to take in order to vote, how to research and select candidates, and how to vote.

            The effort to encourage Afghans to vote was not limited to our workshops and Learning Centers however. At a private school owned by Dr. Sakena Yacoobi (our CEO) the Arts and Culture Teacher, Mehrjui, set a poem she had written about the election to music. The song encourages all Afghans to become aware of their responsibilities, to select a good candidate for President and to vote. The PSYPS Arts and Culture students sang this song at a celebration on International Women’s Day as well as at our election workshops. The song was incredibly well received, moving many in the audience.

            The students, staff, and administration at the school quickly realized how powerful their song was, so with the help of the AIL Academic Advisor and the AIL video production team, they set about recording their song so that it could be shared with a wider audience. They had no idea how popular the song was about to become.

            The song quickly went viral, being aired on Afghanistan’s National TV station, as well as on eleven other stations. The song has been played many times over and candidates running for president even asked if they could buy the song to use in their campaign. The PSYPS students and staff declined to sell the song, deciding the purpose of the song was to encourage all Afghans to participate in the elections, not to support just one candidate.

             As Afghanistan moves closer to a runoff election this summer, the song continues to be played on the radio and the video over the airwaves. In short, the song continues to encourage Afghans to participate in the upcoming elections and to make sure their voices are heard.

             We encourage you to take a moment to view the video made by the students, to read the lyrics below and to see the hope in these young people’s faces. After watching, we hope that you will stand with the youth of Afghanistan, and join us as we work with them to create a peaceful future for their nation. 

(Chorus Song)

Let’s put our hands together, let’s get together.

Our hands hold our votes and our votes hold our future.

With one vote, we can be our sultan, our voice

For a better choice for a better leader

My fellow citizen It’s my vote, it’s your vote

It’s a privilege for enduring peace

My dear fellow citizen, with our vote leadership is in our hand

My fellow citizen, stride, my fellow citizen!

With the name of God, we speak from the power of our thoughts

From our decision, unity, humanity and right

No longer speak of suicide bombing, explosion, but of creativity and pride

Don’t speak of the hills under the thorn

Speak of the friendship of verdant soil and the rose garden

Speak of spring, spring and spring

(Narration)

Let’s hope that this spring Afghanistan will turn into a magnificent garden. A garden in which the smell of every rose invites the world for a spectacle.

Let’s hope for a different spring, for a different year and for a different Afghanistan

Don’t forget my fellow citizen, our rendezvous is in front of ballot boxes on April 5, 2014

(Chorus Song)

Our choice is the remedy

Our choice is for the day of rendezvous

Who we want will be crowned sultan

My fellow citizen, stride, my fellow citizen!

Attend the opportunity with passion and turn the enemies into wretches

This colored finger is the guiding path and this fist is the hummer for the oppressor

My fellow citizen, stride, my fellow citizen!

Links:

• Watch the Music Video Made by the Students!!

Dear Friends, 

Thank you for your support of the Afghan Institute of Learning’s efforts to provide education to Afghan refugees living in Pakistan. During 2013 a total of 1,718 Afghan were educated in AIL learning centers and schools. AIL currently supports a preschool program, one learning center and three schools.

The preschool program provides education for very young students, teaching them the basics they need to succeed when they start school. The schools are providing a high quality education to school age children and the learning center is providing skill and education to older students, mostly women. 

We’d like to share the story of Zahra, a 24 year old refugee attending classes in AIL’s Learning Center. Zahra is one of three children. She and her sister were very eager to attend school, but her father was a very strict man who didn’t want his wife or daughters to leave their home, much less go to school. Despite this, was clear that he did value education because his son was allowed to attend school. 

Going to school was a dream for Zahra and her sister. Her relatives advocated for her to be able to go to school, but he wouldn’t consider it. Every day, Zahra’s desire to go to school grew, she became interested in sewing and began making clothing for dolls. Her father, however, would not be swayed.

In order for her brother to continue with his education, the family moved to an area with a high school. The new neighbors asked why Zahra couldn’t go to school, and having to answer this over and over made her very sad. The neighbors pled the girls case, but it did no good. Their father said the girls were too old to go to school now. 

One of their neighbors was a teacher at a school near the AIL Learning Center. She came to Zahra’s house and told her mother about the Learning Center. She told her that the classes were free, and the girls were not too old to go there. Zahra’s mother spoke with their father and after some time, he gave his permission for them to attend. 

The girls and their mother joined the literacy and sewing classes. They have learned so many different techniques in the sewing classes, and Zahra began selling the clothing she made to her neighbors. 

Zahra was able to complete both the literacy and sewing classes. She continued to work at home to earn money. Soon she got engaged, and she was able to sew herself a beautiful dress to wear at her engagement party. When guests asked about the dress, she was so proud to be able to say that she had made it. After getting married, Zahra moved to Canada with her new husband. 

In Canada, she is making and selling traditional Afghan clothes. She is able to earn money to support both her family and family still in Pakistan. She said “I am very happy to be able to work and earn for my family. This is all because of AIL. I am so thankful to have had this opportunity, and that AIL has opened centers to help women and girls. I always pray for AIL, they changed my life.” 

Again, we’d like to say thank you for your support. Your support is helping to teach women like Zahra skills that help them to live a better life. Thank you.