Establish and Support Afghanistan Model Schools

Establishing a model school in a fragile country like Afghanistan is one thing; maintaining that school year after year is quite another when one considers the common challenges Afghan schools often face; especially those far from major urban areas.

Flash flooding can often wash away the only road that leads to the school or a bridge that once spanned a narrow, but turbulent river.  Classroom desks and chairs break, windows are broken by vandals trying to steal computer equipment.  A more serious situation can arise at girls schools when local insurgents post 'night letters' on the homes of school principals and teachers, threatening to kill them if they continue to allow girls to attend school.

Many schools faced with such challenges over long periods of time are forced to close their doors.  At Help the Afghan Children, we establish, train and support Community School Committees who in turn support and protect local schools that neighborhood children attend. This community-based approach is essential in order for citizens to take an active role in the educational welfare of their children and since 2004, this partnership has strengthened the HTAC-local community school committee relationships.

These Committees have been instrumental at dealing with threats of violence by providing local armed security that protects principals and teachers, preventing break-ins and thefts of equipment, making repairs to bridges, school access roads and school propoerty, providing potable water to schools and supporting HTAC's enriched curriculum.

Committees are typically comprised of local elders, recognized community leaders, influential citizens, teachers and parents.  HTAC's role has been to help mobilize committees, assist members in goal setting and decision-making methods, training committee leaders to become facilitators at meetings and orienting them to the new educational programs their children will be exposed to so they become comfortable about supporting these same programs in their homes.

In Kandahar, the birthplace of the Taliban, HTAC-sponsored Community School Committees were so impressed with the peace education course their children were learning, they submitted over 700 unsolicited letters to educational officials lauding the benefits this program has given their children and families and requesting that it be continued in their local schools.

When you support our model schools, you are also helping to ensure the critical work of these community committees continues.