Learning Centers for Rural Afghan Women

Special campaign running through 13th May! Donate to our project in honor of the mothers in your life, and help poor Afghan women in the challenges they face.

New recurring donations (4 months active) get 100% match up to $200. All gifts in the campaign help us qualify for $1,000 bonus prize!

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Herat’s 30 Learning Centers (LCs) give women the opportunity to learn many subjects. One of the most popular is literacy.  So far in 2018, 3,335 students are studying literacy in Herat (2,190 are female).

One center reported that, “One of our Literacy Class graduates started her own literacy class in her home. A number of neighborhood illiterate girls joined the class and she teaches them what she learned doing the course at the center. She is very happy in her new life as a teacher. She said it is the result of the efforts of those who taught her and Dr. Yacoobi and AIL for founding centers that provide such opportunity to people. “I was able to help myself and now can teach others to read and write. I am learning more and study to a higher level so I can help others do the same.” 

Learning to read is life changing for women as it helps them with daily tasks and social interaction as well as improving their self- esteem and their standing in the family and with their husbands. It is the gateway skill that leads to learning in other subjects and the development of the capacity to maintain a small income generating business. 

Thank you for your continued interest.

AIL is working towards: SDG Goal 4 – Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

The two projects below receive 50% Match from Safer World Fund so your gift will be worth 50% more.

1073 Save Afghan Women and Children with Health care

1155 Fast Track Education for Afghan Women and Girls

Herat’s Learning Centers (LCs) give women the opportunity to learn, to increase their capacity and to network with other women. In 2017, 19,299 students (12,731 female) attended 6 month courses at 27 LCs (17 rural) in Herat locations.  We expect 2018 to be as busy and productive a year for these centers.

A new center in Herat just opened. The village asked AIL to set up an LC to help improve education levels of women and girls and support school children who need help in certain subjects. There is also a need for sewing skills training and this will encourage women to take part in economic activity.

Five sewing machines were bought for this new center as well as a sewing table. These classes will also teach human rights awareness, morals and social values, health and democracy. The center will also be a social entity and friendships gained there will help the women deal with problems in village or family life.

Many centers have libraries making books available for study. Here is a story from one of the LC libraries, “I am a student of English at an AIL Learning center. I am a school girl as well. My teachers at school gave me projects to search for. Fortunately I find lots of good books in the library at the AIL center which I can use as references. I study in this library and borrow some books to work on my projects. I also help my classmates to study and search on their projects. I am recommending my friends use this library.” 

Thank you for your continued interest.

AIL is working towards: SDG Goal 4 – Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Special Opportunity to increase the impact of your year end gift!

The two projects below receive 50% Match from Safer World Fund so your gift will be worth 50% more.

1073 Save Rural Afghan Women and Children with Healthcare

1155 Fast-Tracking Education for Afghan Women and Girls

As the year draws to a close we reflect on what we have done and how this has changed lives for the better. Herat’s Learning Centers (LCs) give women the opportunity to learn, to network with other women and to gain both knowledge and capacity. So far in 2017, 19,299 students (12,731 female) have attended 6 month courses at 27 LCs (17 rural) in Herat locations.

Stories are the best way for us to show how you help poor Afghans improve their lives and communities. “My name is Sughra.   Since I was born, my country, Afghanistan, has been at war. For several years I was a refugee with my family in Iran.  When we returned, we went to live in Herat because our village in the mountains had been destroyed.  I was not active in this new place and I was very depressed.  When I faced problems, I could not solve them.  It was very frustrating.

Then, one day, everything changed for me! I was invited to go to a leadership workshop led by the Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL).  I learned about many ways to be a leader—in my home, family, community and nation.  I had never thought of myself as a leader, but I had learned that anyone could be a leader, and I began to change. My family and friends saw changes in my behavior and ideas and soon I became a trusted member of my community. 

I decided that I needed to do something more so I went back to my family village, and I opened a Learning Center for women and children in my home province in the central mountains of Afghanistan.  I then asked for support for salaries for our teachers from AIL, and they came and saw what I was doing and supported me.  Since then AIL has trained me to hold leadership workshops, and now I am training others in my province to be leaders.”

Thank you for your continued interest. Please read the 2017 Newsletter from CHI featuring AIL.

Like our Facebook page!

• CHInewsletter2017final.pdf (PDF)
  

Exciting opportunity TODAY only. We are competing for a share of a $75,000 bonus fund! All donations get some matching funds.

The more we raise from you by midnight ET   the larger the share of the fund we will get.

Can you help? 

There is MORE! The two projects below ALSO receive 50% Match from Safer World Fund so your gift will be worth 50% more and then a percent more than that from Bonus Day.

1073 Save Rural Afghan Women and Children with Healthcare

1155 Fast-Tracking Education for Afghan Women and Girls 

Herat’s Learning Centers (LCs) give women the opportunity to learn, to network with other women and to gain both knowledge and capacity. They can use these skills to improve their family life and to take a more active role in their communities. Women attend 6 month courses in literacy, math, sewing and many other topics including English and computers.  So far in 2017, 19,299 students (12,731 female) have attended 6 month courses at 27 LCs (17 rural) in Herat locations.

Some LCs have preschool classes so women can bring their young children to a place where they get quality preschool education. AIL is an innovator in this field being among the first to offer this type of education. In Herat, there are 18 preschool classes operating, with 8 teachers and 457 students (241 female). The children study around 15 different subjects including alphabet, Dari, English, math, health, colors, stories, drawing, sport, music, card playing and connecting with nature. This education prepares the children for school so they are able to excel in kindergarten and beyond. Preschool also helps women by giving their children a good start in education improving the family situation and some women take the opportunity to take classes themselves at the center. One mother said, “The preschool really helped my child and our family. Thank you AIL."

Thank you for your continued interest.

AIL is working towards: SDG Goal 4 – Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Follow Sakena Yacoobi on Twitter.

Like our Facebook page!

Dear Friends,

Exciting Opportunity!

We are competing today for a share of a $50,000 bonus fund. The more we raise from you by midnight ET the larger the share of the pot we will get.

There is MORE! The two projects below ALSO receive 50% Match from Safer World Fund so your gift will be worth 50% more and then a percent more than that from Bonus Day.

Can you help?

1073 Save Rural Afghan Women and Children with Healthcare

1155 Fast-Tracking Education for Afghan Women and Girls

Newsflash: Dr. Yacoobi  is one of BBC 100 Women 2017! 

Herat’s Learning Centers (LCs) play a crucial role in providing educational opportunities to disadvantaged women in small communities. So far in 2017, 18,737 students (12,319 female) have attended 6 month courses at 28 LCs in Herat locations. In addition to regular classes in academics, sewing and other subjects all students at LCs are taught fundamental life skills such as health information, peace education and leadership.

Leadership is essential to every society. If there are no leaders then there is no government which leads to insecurity and chaos. Economic, political and educational and cultural activities decline.  Leadership skills training whether in regular classroom setting or in special intensive workshop formats have always been part of AIL’s programming.  The training builds the capacity of the youth and women and girls especially. They learn how to voice their opinions and take a leadership role. Sessions start with explanations of what a leader is, the difference between leadership and management and how to build self confidence in leadership. Communication skills, knowledge of social justice, politics and democracy are all covered.

One student said, “I learned that everyone can be a leader. I learned how to express myself and treat other people who are competing with me. I gained self- confidence. Leadership concerns influencing others and helping them be more capable so they can handle conflicts. I will be able to use these skills in my life.”

In 2017 in the Herat area AIL has provided 86 people (50 female) with Leadership Workshops adding to the leadership skills knowledge they gained in LC classes.

Thank you for your continued interest.

AIL is working towards: SDG Goal 4 – Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Follow our CEO on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/SakenaYacoobi