Afghanistan
Afghanistan Girls’ School Project
School-To-School Computer Program
Women’s Cottage Industry
Ayüb Azizi met Nate York in 2002 when Ayüb worked as an interpreter. Nate was impressed with how hard Ayüb worked and with his keen understanding of local politics and leaders. When Nate asked him why he worked so hard, Ayüb said, “Because I want my four daughters to have the chance at a real life.”
When Nate returned to Jawzjan province with funds to start construction on the first two schools, he hired Ayüb. Nate says it was the best investment he ever made. Ayüb worked tirelessly over the next five years to supervise construction of eight schools, and to help his wife and daughters develop the Afghan Women’s Cottage Industries. Ayüb has since moved to Malawi, where he continues to work for Solace.
There are over 6,600 students in classrooms because of the hard work of Ayüb and the staff of Solace.
Afghanistan Girls’ School Project
Goals:
To give women in Afghanistan all the opportunities of a good education.
Location:
All school are within Jawzjan province in Northern Afghanistan, bordering Uzbekistan.
Infrastructure:
- Jacksai School, City of Sheberghan
Students: 600
Completed: June 2003
Total Cost: $16,000 - Quarquin School, Quarquin Village
Students: 300
Completed: July 2003
Total Cost: $25,000 - Afghan Teppa School, Village of Afghan Teppa
Students (from 2 villages): 550
Completed: July 2004
Total Cost: $19,000 - Shor Jar School, Shor Jar Village
Students: 225
Completed: December 2004
Total Cost: $18,000 -
Jangal Arigh School, City of Sheberghan
Students: 200
Completed: May 2004
Total Cost: $25,000 - Kak Ear Tak Jar School, near Sheberghan
Students (coed): 150
Completed: November 2004
Total Cost: $24,000 - Khadija Jawzjani School for Girls, City of Sheberghan
Students: 4,000
New Wing/Internet and Computer Lab
Completed: November 2005
Total cost $60,000
Project Field Supervisor:
School-To-School Computer Program
Goals:
Provide computer stations, satellite Internet access, and technical training to introduce the Internet and computers as tools for collaboration between educators and students.
Location:
City of Sheberghan in Jawzjan Province, Afghanistan
Infrastructure:
- Khadija Jawzjani School Computer Lab
Students: 4000
Completed: August 2005 - Ibn e Yasin School Computer Lab
Student: 4500
Completed: July 2006 - 8 - 10 computer stations in each school
- Internet access through a satellite connection, one of only three in the city
- Training in the use and maintenance of equipment
- Training in how to help others start and maintain programs that encourage communication between students, educators and other schools
Project Field Supervisor:
More about the Afghanistan School-to-School project:
In 2004 Solace received funding from Overstock.com for computers for the new wing at Khadija Jawzjani – the largest girls school in Sheberghan. At the time, there were no public schools in Afghanistan with computers for students. The nearest Internet café was in Mazzar-Sharif, a two-hour dusty drive away. The technical, logistical, and political challenges to develop an Internet-capable learning lab were daunting.
Nate York was introduced to Joseph Davis, a contractor who had achieved success with Internet lab projects in remote Alaskan and Russian villages. Joseph agreed to come to Khadija Jawzjani in the heat of the summer of 2005, and train teachers and students to use the Internet for communication and research. Solace’s administrative director at that time, Stanfill Marcus Stanfill, secured contracts with the Kabul-based Internet provider PACTEC to install a satellite connection at the school.
After two weeks of daily classes in 114 degree heat, the first public Internet learning lab in Afghanistan opened in August 2005 in a ceremony packed with local officials and students. The celebration included a real-time online chat between students of the Khadija School, and high school students in Anchorage, Alaska.
One year later, Joseph Davis returned to train teachers and students at the Ibn e Yasin Boys School. The school was close enough to share the satellite connection.
Afghan Women’s Cottage Industries
Goals:
Provide a market, and training in basic business practices, for women to sell textiles as a way to improve their status in the family and community.
Location:
City of Sheberghan in Jawzjan Province, Afghanistan
Infrastructure:
- Solace gave $5860 in startup micro loans for equipment and supplies
Project Field Supervisor:
More about the Afghanistan Women’s Cottage Industries project:
Solace secured most of its early funding through the sale of handcrafted textiles from Afghanistan. Women working in the home created almost all of these goods. To provide a larger outlet, Solace worked with the online nonprofit Worldstock.com.
The Afghan Women’s Cottage Industries was started largely through the efforts of former Solace staffer Michelle Winston, and managed by the women of the Azizi family in Sheberghan. Women from several villages and the city of Sheberghan were given materials and training in business practices. The high-quality traditional fiber arts (such as carpets, embroideries, and hand-loomed clothing) were sold online for two years and provided the first income earned by many of the women in the project. At its peak in 2006, the program was providing income to over 500 women artisans.