Fast Track Education for Afghan Women and Girls

Dear Friends,

The Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL) Learning Centers are a highly trusted part of the communities where they exist. The manager of one of the centers recently shared a story that exemplifies the trust that people have in AIL, and we’d like to share that story with you.

Fariba’s husband is working abroad while Fariba stays in Afghanistan with their three daughters. Fariba’s husband wrote her a letter telling her about his health and his daily life in the foreign country, but she was unable to read the letter. She took it to a neighbor, but the neighbor was also illiterate. The neighbor suggested that they take the letter to the AIL Learning Center where they would be able to find someone who could read it for them. As soon as they arrived, they found many women who would be able to read the letter for Fariba. She was thankful to these women, and so happy to hear that her husband was safe and healthy.

The woman who read the letter for her suggested that Fariba begin taking literacy classes so that she could read future letters from her husband, and even write letters of her own. Fariba took their advice, and has now been taking classes for eight months. She said “I recently wrote a letter to my husband telling him about our family’s health. This is such a big step for me, and he was very happy to have a letter written by me.”

Each year AIL’s Learning Centers educate thousands of women, just like Fariba. In 2014, AIL’s Learning Centers educated 16,490 women and girls. Thank you for all of your support. We look forward to updating you on the exciting things that AIL has planned for 2015!