Support Education for Marginalized Kabul Children

‘If you see someone fallen, take his hand and help him stand’. A poignant proverb highlighted during our interview with Sania Nezami, School Coordinator for street children.

‘In Afghanistan there are many children who are on the streets all day, so they need help and guidance. When I see them working on the streets, I think about their future. They work to feed themselves and their families, but they should be given a chance to get out of this difficult situation.’

‘Before coming to school, they are illiterate. The children get motivated after acquiring basic reading, writing and numerical skills – a new world opens up for them. They try their best to finish work as quickly as possible (for example watching cars, selling plastic bags, chewing gums, bread etc.) in order to come to the classroom and have as much time as possible to learn.’

‘The children enjoy learning. They are motivated by what they learn and are eager to learn more. This is where we see that we have successfully planted our seed – to encourage them to go on and study in a proper, regular school. The aim is that the majority of the children can go on and study in a formal school. So far we have sent one child to proper school, and we hope many will follow.’

‘One particular girl comes into my mind that I have high hopes for. Her name is Sigel, who comes from a very poor family and cannot even afford to buy a pen. As the eldest child of the family, she sells bread on the streets for her mother. Sigel is a very smart and competitive girl. I am positive she has a brighter future ahead.’

‘I really love my work with the children and it is a true joy seeing them progress day by day. Their smiles brighten my day. I hope their success at our school will last into the future. I would be so proud to see the children become university graduates one day – I know it is a distant dream, but there is hope.’

Thanks to your generous donations, our school for street children in Kabul is growing. There are now 42 children attending the school – an increase since the previous quarters of 2017.

The school currently has equipment for up to 50 children (including chairs, desks, blackboard, pencils, coloured pencils, and notebooks). We have one room where the lessons are held and where the children can eat their lunch. In the near future, depending on the number of students, we will be interested in expanding the space by renting other rooms or by looking for another facility elsewhere.

We have resumed contact with the organization Mobile School (NPO), which specializes in educating street children. They offer educational material that is specifically adapted to this population and that is easily transportable, which would facilitate the children’s learning.

In order to make ourselves more visible, AfD participated in the Communities Fair of the International School of Geneva in early October. This event will allow us to become more widely known and also to fortify our position on the scene of NGOs working with children.

In the 4th quarter of 2017, the school for street children will continue its work and we look forward to welcoming more children. An increase in class size will require certain changes to be made, both logistically and pedagogically. With your support, we will continue to monitor and adapt to the situation in order to provide the best learning environment possible for the children.

Thank you once again for believing in our children, and helping them to secure the best future they can.

Warm wishes,

The team at AfD

Links:

• http://www.action-for-development.org/index.php/2017/12/05/quarterly-report-school-for-street-children/

Dear Friends and Supporters,

There are believed to be at least 70,000 street children in Kabul (Aschiana). Working on the streets all day long, these children are exposed to harsh conditions, without any safety measures or protection from abuse. The short- and long-term consequences of street work include injury/death caused by traffic accidents; verbal, physical and sexual abuse; drug addiction; and coercion into criminal activity. Without an education, these children are unable to break the cycle of poverty. Their future is bleak. These are the main reasons why our organization, Action for Development (AfD), remains committed to ensuring that the street children of Kabul have access to education.

Thanks to the generous donations received through the Global Giving platform, we managed to establish our school for street children in December 2016. Since our last report, we have enrolled an additional 25 children into the school, giving a total of 35 students. We hope that with further support, we will be able to enroll up to 400 children, and make a difference to many more lives.

The 35 street children have already benefited from the school in a number of ways. The first quarterly assessment of the children’s learning found that almost all children had improved literacy and numeracy skills. Some children had difficulty learning and we plan to provide the additional support needed. The students have been provided with meals since their enrollment, and the first nutritional assessment took place in August 2017. One child attending the school was injured while working on the street, and AfD provided access to the necessary healthcare.

There were two Eid festivals during the last quarter. With funds from private donations, the children and their families were able to enjoy this important celebration. We provided the families with items of food, new clothes, and special sweets.

With future funding, we will be able to provide further training and support for the staff at the street children school, social work visits to children’s homes, and a mentoring scheme for the children. We also hope to incorporate sporting activities into the program. Such activities are essential to the children’s health and well-being, and will help the children to learn.

AfD remains committed to ensuring that the street children irrespective of their gender will have access to education. We understand that education is the only way to bring sustainable peace to families and the country.

We would like to thank you again for your support of Kabul’s street children. You are an important part of their lives.

Best regards,

The team at AfD

Links:

• http://www.action-for-development.org/index.php/en/street-children-back-to-school/