Fast Track Education for Afghan Women and Girls

Dear Friends, 

TODAY June 15TH -9:00am ET TO 11:59pm! 50% Matching funds available for donations made to AIL projects on GlobalGiving.org! Donations up to $1,000 per individual donor per organization may be matched while funds available. The money runs out fast- so donate now!

Are you a UK donor? GlobalGiving.co.uk has its own bonus day. Donations up to £1,000 per donor per organization may be matched 50% while funds last. Match starts 14:00:01 BST on June 15th and ends at 4:59:59 BST on June 16th.  

The AIL education program is going well and classes are being held at 43 Learning Centers (LCs) in Afghanistan and Pakistan, including 15 rural centers around Herat.  A diverse range of subjects are offered (though not at every center) including: math, literacy, Arabic, English, sewing, miniature painting, computers and physics. So far 13,888 students (including 9,044 females and 4,844 males) participated in Learning Center education.

Girls can enter fast track classes if they are ready for them. There are 150 females in the fast track 4 month long mobile literacy classes. AIL staff maintain libraries in many LCs to help students with their studies and expose them to as varied a selection of reading matter as possible so they can move forward with their education as quickly as possible.  Here is a typical story from one center, “We could solve the family problem of two students this month.  One of them is a young woman; her husband is an opium user. He didn’t let his wife join the center.  But we talked with them and were able to get his agreement. After a lot of talk and face to face contact of the center’s manager and elders of the area he did agree with her.  Now the woman is learning in our center. She is very happy about this and thanked AIL staff for changing her life.”  This story reflects the growing problem of opium addiction in the male population and its devastating consequences on both the men and the female members of their families. AIL's education program gives students hope for the future and skills that they can use for work. The fast track classes especially helps the women who have responsibilities at home and complex family dynamics move efficiently through a study program.

TODAY, your donation can go further!  Donate between 9:00am and 11:59pm and help AIL continue its valuable work providing education.

Dear Friends,

When a student walks in the door of an AIL Learning Center it can be a path to changing her life and the prospects for her whole family. Learning computing can change a life. Here is a story from one center:

“Zahra, a student from one of the Herat Learning Centers achieved first place in a competition between about 100 persons who applied for a job as an employee for an organization. Zahra completed the English and Computer learning program at the center. She was usually the best in her classes and got top marks. We are very happy about her that she is a successful person and can help her family. Her family are illiterate people who are living in a poor economic situation. The salary of Zahra will help them to have a better life. She is thankful for the AIL learning center that created changes in her life.”

AIL helps students at all levels of aspiration. Those who want to read and write do so, then some want more and take math class. Others start out wanting to learn a skill to earn money such as sewing. Some then go further wanting to learn English and computing which gives them real advantage in the workplace. AIL always seeks to adapt to changing needs and incorporate modern subjects into curriculums if it is requested. AIL also creates different pathways so if students are ready for a fast track approach the opportunity to move quickly is there and they can take the option to broaden the subjects they are studying.

Thank you for your support.