By 2000, UNICEF reported that only 4 to 5% of Afghan children were being educated at the primary school level. Fewer still had access to secondary and university-level education.

According to the World Bank, “Since 2002, more than 6 million students and teachers have returned to school.” 

The organization, Ayni Education International, has certainly had a hand in the increasing education, especially for girls, in Afghanistan.  Featured this week in the Seattle Times, Ayni was founded by Seattle based Julia Bolz.

From Ayni’s website, “Our main project, called “Journey with an Afghan School,” began just months after 9-11 and the Taliban were removed from power in Afghanistan. It is a grassroots project to build and supply schools for Afghan children. 

With funds raised by communities across the country, we have defied all odds by building and supplying 19 new schools and repairing over a dozen others, serving about 25,000 Afghan students. We also have provided wells; distributed text-books, school supplies and athletic equipment; provided teacher trainings; and set up libraries, computer centers and PTAs. Most recently, we set up two teacher training centers, training several hundred teachers.”

As I continue to add to the “Call to Action” portion of a new website to be launched soon (www.stirringthefire.org) I am continually amazed by the extraordinary people like Julia Bolz that are making a difference.  Thanks Julia for your wonderful work!

In 2005 I met Fahima, a teacher since 1985.  She was one of the thousands of professional women who lost their jobs when the Taliban came to power in 1996.  In defiance of the Taliban and at great risk to herself, Fahima opened a clandestine school for young girls.  At one point 130 girls were coming to her home each week to study math, science, and the local language, Pushto.  When the girls were asked why they were going to Fahima’s house they said she was their aunt.  Although harassed by the religious police and threatened with beatings and worse, Fahima continued operating her school for girls until the fall of the Taliban in 2001.

Fahima now helps girls catch up with the education that they missed out on during the reign of the Taliban. 

Unfortunately, it is not news, that even with the fall of the Taliban Afghans still face severe challenges.  Most children work to help their family survive and few are able to attend school.  

Humaria sells eggs as a street vendor to help her family survive. As with many families in Afghanistan, years of war have left them very poor. Only half of all Afghan children ages 7 to 13 attend school and typically boys are chosen over girls. 

“From acid attacks, murder, torching of schools and sexual assault, violence against female students is dashing the dreams of thousands of Afghan girls and women who are thirsty for an education that may help rejuvenate the fractured economy and society of their war-torn country.”  From Reuters, Jan. 2009. 

Dexter Filkins, a reporter for The New York Times, took a stand to help improve conditions for education in Afghanistan.  I highly recommend you read his wonderful story.  

Nafisa was thrilled when she learned she was chosen to attend Salman-e-Fars, a new school recently opened for young girls in Kabul.  Girls now make up thirty-four percent of the student population in Afghanistan- a dramatic increase since the Taliban rule, when it was essentially zero.