Learning Centers for Rural Afghan Women

The Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL) and Creating Hope International (CHI) would like to offer our sincerest thanks for a very successful year thus far. In January of 2013, AIL Learning Centers in Herat  helped many women and girls obtain educational services, with over 4100 women and girls served. In late 2012 AIL opened three new centers to better serve primarily poor and under-educated women. With the addition of these new centers, the total number of centers we currently support in Herat is 17, up from 14 this time last year. Over 70% of the beneficiaries of our learning centers in Herat are women, and the number of students attending our centers continues to grow at a steady pace. Such numbers are a promising reminder of what we here at AIL and CHI are striving for.

Our learning centers in Herat offer dozens of literacy, English, Arabic, tailoring, weaving, math, science, and computer courses for women and girls. These courses are making an immediate impact on the lives of all who attend. Women are learning how to become economically self-sufficient, girls are learning how to think critically, and women and girls of all ages are beginning to take up leadership roles in their communities and are becoming increasingly independent.

Our centers are causing a shift in the communities they serve. Although the primary beneficiaries of centers are the individuals who get an education, the entire community benefits from having an educated base that has more earning potential, critical thinking ability, and leadership qualities. In addition, AIL centers and clinics are becoming centers for women to network and share ideas with other women. Our work is far from over, but we are very optimistic about these promising changes and the progress we have made. Thank you all again for your support!