Learning Centers for Rural Afghan Women in Herat

Apologies - the wrong report was sent out earlier. This is the correct one to update you on Herat Centers.

Learning Centers in rural communities are a vital resource for Afghan women who have no other opportunities for education, skills training and frequently lack a social outlet. We are pleased to say that AIL has been able to open a new center in January at Zamanian in the Herat area. The center is focused on 5 areas: Languages such as English, Arabic, Turkish, German and Urdu

Sciences: math, physics, chemistry, geometry, trigonometry

Computing: office, excel, photoshop

Arts: painting, drawing, calligraphy, Afghan miniature painting

Others: literacy, university entrance exam, sewing

As with all centers the teaching includes lessons in health, hygiene, leadership, citizenship, social responsibility, democracy and human rights. Everyone learns about core values such as respect, trust, good listening, sharing and caring for others.

Another community will benefit from AIL’s proven Learning Center program, women will be empowered and lives will be changed.

The 2021 Sakena Fund annual report is attached and we hope you find it interesting. 

Your support makes all the difference! Thank you.

• Annual_Report_2021_.pdf (PDF)
  

In February, there were 121 computer students at Herat area Learning Centers and 377 at Kabul area centers.  The newest center at Zamanian has computing as one of its five departments.

Here are comments from one student: “I am in the computing class at the Wardak center. I am from a poor family, my father was a government employee but now he is unemployed and my mother is a housewife.  I have three small sisters, who are students. Our life is hard.

I enrolled in the computer class and fter six months, I have learned several computer programs, and got a job in a school as a computer worker. I am so happy that I can earn money and help my family through my new skill. “

 AIL also provides computing instruction through other venues including the special two  year-long Leadership Class at the private Yacoobi High Schools which has 50 students.

 In addition, the AIL Youth Club which has 105 members is going to set up an advanced computer class. The youth club provides opportunities for young  people to discuss and learn about current issues and difficulties in society and how to apply democratic values, reasoning, good citizenship and advocacy as how to be creative thinkers.

Gaining computer skills is a gateway to opportunity for young people. 

The 2021 Sakena Fund annual report is attached and we hope you find it interesting.

Your support is vital in helping us maintain our programs.

• Annual_Report_2021_compressed.pdf (PDF)
  

***There are only a few days left to donate in 2021! We would love your support for our projects. Thank you!***

AIL’s Learning Centers were examined by the Taliban and are open as they comply with gender segregation rules. As some girls are unable to access secondary education, we have instituted changes at our centers such as switching to an emphasis on post-6^th grade girls education. Of course, we continue to provide income- generating skills training such as tailoring, beautician, English and computing.

One of the first classes women take at a Learning Center is sewing. This skill provides immediate financial help to a family, as the woman takes on sewing clothes for her family members. She can start up her own home sewing business, obtaining work from neighbors and friends or selling items in the market. Other students have gone on to work for clothing companies as tailors.  

This course boosts the confidence of women who often arrive at a center unable to read and write and many have never had formal education beyond a few years of primary school. The students who complete the tailoring course feel empowered to go onto other learning.

The most popular next step for many women is a literacy class. There are 699 women in sewing class in the Herat centers and 1,352 women and girls in the 7 levels of literacy classes.  There have been 8 mobile phone literacy classes for 280 women in 2021.

Quick Note:

Our Youth pioneer center is regarded as one of 10 best social foundations in Herat city. 

Why Do AIL centers work?  This from an administrator, “The centers’ personnel have a close relationship with the local community. AIL staff are invited to the elders' meetings and have been appreciated and encouraged by them. They have built a friendly relationship with the elders and the people and have made presentations about the multilateral programs to everyone, so they can direct people’s wishes and expectations.” 

AIL Outreach 2021

23,905 students, 18,132 PPE distributed, 6 health clinics, 50-bed Covid-19 hospital, 95,593 patient treatments, 59,888 health education, 13,050 food aid families served, 22 radio broadcasts daily, 8 hours of TV programs, 12 provinces reached. 

Your support makes all the difference! Thank you.

Afghanistan has been stunned by recent developments and people are adapting as best they can, to a new situation which remains both unclear and uncertain as to the future.  AIL’s current priority is to provide urgently needed assistance to the thousands of displaced families who have flooded into Kabul and Herat. Some centers provide a staging point for aid. Our staff are all working, though offices currently are men only with women working from home. The centers are all female and await instructions from the Taliban with regard to procedures required for reopening centers to our students. Our clinics have expanded their capacity to cope with the large numbers of refugees that are in the area.

The Yacoobi private schools are open and operating under the rules that have been given such as dividing male and female. It is exam season and students are studying hard and sitting their exams as usual. It is a great credit to them and their teachers as everyone has heightened levels of fear, stress and anxiety. The private TV and Radio Meraj are not broadcasting but awaiting instructions in how to recommence and staff are creating content and archiving materials for broadcast at a later date.

We have been touched by the outreach of support and outpouring of donations to help the Afghan people. We thank you for standing by Afghanistan as it faces another humanitarian crisis on top of Covid-19 and drought. 

Herat centers update

2021 has been a busy year for AIL’s Learning Centers. The centers are a vital educational resource for many women who have missed out on schooling or wish to improve their knowledge base and learn new skills.

So far this year, Herat centers have helped 12,400 students (7,992 female including 4,149 adolescent females). There are 19 rural centers and 14 are urban. Popular subjects include: Arabic, sewing, literacy and English. Preschool classes were offered at 8 Herat centers reaching 482 students. (Recently one preschool class closed). Courses in sewing, beautician and English and computing are income generating skills which help women gain employment or start their own home business. 

Your support makes all the difference! Thank you.

AIL provides training in  human rights, women’s rights, leadership, peace, democracy, good citizenship and other capacity building topics. AIL’s leadership training takes place in two ways.  AIL holds in-depth leadership workshops and also integrates the teaching of leadership into every workshop and every class at AIL centers, including those in Herat. So far in 2021, 135 people have attended leadership workshops. AIL also supports a special 2 year leadership course for 30 students at the Yacoobi high schools.

Leadership workshops include topics such as what makes a good leader, management, listening skills, self- confidence, public speaking, building good relationships, politics, democracy and peace. In the centers, leadership concepts are taught by teachers who have taken the AIL leadership workshops. In part, AIL’s Leadership training seeks to help participants understand that anyone can be a leader and to enhance the participants’ ability to take a variety of leadership roles in their community which demonstrate democratic core values of liberty- personal, political, economic freedom, common good, justice and equality. 

So far this year, AIL has held leadership workshops in Kabul for women in the Balkh province. With the growing security issue there is significant threat to women’s’ and girls’ education especially for those who reside in rural areas. It is important for women to have access to the quality education, like what is offered at AIL Learning Centers. Beyond leadership, women have the desire to learn so much, protect and empower themselves, and impact their communities.

Your support makes all the difference! Thank you.

Covid-19: AIL continues with its relief efforts providing food aid, PPE and running a Covid-19 hospital. All health clinics are operating and Learning Centers and schools are holding classes. Radio Meraj continues to broadcast the latest Covid-19 information.