Education

*Note: Unless otherwise noted, all information regarding education programming in Afghanistan is from 2019. Recent updates temporarily unavailable for safety and security reasons.

Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL)  leads the Mobile Literacy Initiative in Afghanistan, a project initiated by the UNESCO Chair at Georgetown University with support from the Geraldine P. Waldorf Fund. Since support for the first few classes, AIL has been able to attract support each year and there is now a long waiting list of women and older girls who wish to take the class. The initiative teaches literacy through the use of mobile phones and texting interaction between teachers and students, using a curriculum developed by AIL and including 2000 messages on a wide variety of life skills subjects. Since 2012, there have been 2,291 women who have completed the class. After just four months, 73% of the students tested at the 4th grade reading and writing level. Students continue to improve, and, in 2018, 91.6% of the students tested at the 4th grade level. Most students continue their studies after completing the class. (Updated 2019).

Artists for Afghanistan Foundation has supported Afghan refugees to resettle in the U.S. and Canada since the return of Taliban rule in August 2021 and is focusing on providing Afghan women and girls with much-needed vocational training and educational resources in their new communities. AFAF is also supporting online education resources for Afghan women and girls in Afghanistan. Artists for Afghanistan Foundation was originally founded in 2000 to help raise awareness and advocacy around the plight of Afghan women and girls under the Taliban regime. 24 years later, the focus of AFAF remains the same. Artists for Afghanistan Foundation works with established NGOs and individual groups of Afghan women and refugees to provide them with clothing, foodstuffs, furniture, etc. and connect them with educational and job training resources. Since August 2021, 50 – 70 Afghan women and their families have been assisted by Artists for Afghanistan Foundation. (Updated 2024)

Aschiana Foundation  supports the grassroots work of Aschiana’s programs in Afghanistan by providing children working on the streets and those in the internally displaced persons (IDP) camps with literacy and vocational training, healthcare, psycho-social recovery support, recreational activities and the opportunities to grow and develop in a safe environment. Aschiana, meaning “nest” in Dari, was founded in 1995 by Engineer Yousef Mohammed, who noticed the growing numbers of working street children—children who cannot attend school full time because they must work to support themselves and their families. Since then, Engineer Yousef has made it his mission to educate and empower these children. Today, in addition to the main center in Kabul, Aschiana operates in 6 provinces, and in 7 IDP camps—serving more than 3,500 children a day. Since its inception 20 years ago, Aschiana has served over 80,000 children. (Updated 2019)

Ayenda Foundation  had an active operation in Bamiyan, Afghanistan from 2006 to 2021. During this time Ayenda educated thousands of students from pre-school to 7th grade in Ayenda School. In 2018, Ayenda launched a pre-school program, a curriculum not offered in Afghan public schools. Since 2015, Ayenda Foundation had partnered with the worldwide 10,000 Global Girls Initiative to improve and empower Afghan girls through storytelling, creative expression, literacy, and mentorship. Ayenda also provided scholarships to female students from provinces throughout Afghanistan enabling them to attend the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF). After the tragic fall of Afghanistan in August of 2021, Ayenda has shifted its immediate focus to provide support to the Afghan Refugee children that arrived in the DC Metropolitan Area through Collaboration with the Lutheran Social Services of National Capital Area (LSSDCA). During this time Ayenda was able to provide a $25,000 grant to LSSNC in support of the Afghan Refugee families. Ayenda was able to provide more than 230 families, and 300 children, with the tools and resources to be safe, healthy, and successful in the early phases of their resettlement process. Most of the grant was used towards purchasing laptops, HP Chromebook, headset, car seats, booster seats and warm blankets. Ayenda was also able to provide a $10,000 grant to the AUAF in support of the 700 students that are studying online from Afghanistan. Despite the daily threats from the Taliban, the courageous students continue with their education as they know this is their only way out of the misery they are facing now. Ayenda is committed to provide educational opportunity to Afghans inside and outside the country. As we believe through the power of education, Afghans may be able to find a way to peace and stability. (Updated 2023)

The Bayat Foundation  The Bayat Foundation has nourished the lives of Afghans since 2005 by empowering primary, secondary, and university level education throughout the nation. Since 2022, more than 10,000 users have downloaded the Foundation’s ‘Mano Kodakam’, an innovative early childhood development (ECD) initiative aimed at increasing awareness around the importance of a child’s early years, and empowering Afghan parents and caregivers to give their children the best start in life. The application (available in both Dari and Pashto for free on both IOS and Android operating systems) inspires parents and caregivers to have more frequent, quality connections and interactions with children by highlighting do-able and desirable actions such as simple activities like “peek-a-boo” that are scientifically proven to have a significant impact on a child’s development. (Updated 2024).

Eagle Online Academy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing long-term online education solutions with a primary focus on benefiting women and girls. Their mission is to serve women in developing and war-zone countries who face significant barriers preventing them from accessing traditional education. Recognizing the immense opportunities that the Internet offers today, they strive to bring professional courses and educational opportunities right to their homes. During 2023, 1905 women were supported by Eagle Online Academy. Their English classes at the Academy have been instrumental in preparing Afghan girls to pursue scholarships and higher education opportunities. By providing comprehensive English language instruction, the Academy has equipped Afghan women with the language skills necessary to succeed in academic environments where English proficiency is often a requirement. Furthermore, their small business management class at the Academy has been pivotal in assisting women to launch their own small businesses from their homes. Through this program, the Academy provides comprehensive guidance and resources to empower women with the knowledge and skills needed to establish and manage successful enterprises.

The Foundation for Afghanistan awards scholarships to Afghan students and partners with local Afghan and U.S. universities and colleges to offer scholarships to Afghans, particularly young women. Due to restrictions on higher education for Afghan girls, the Foundations activities inside Afghanistan are on hold. (Updated 2024)

Friends of the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) , focuses on educating young Afghan women and men in Afghanistan. FAUAF has adapted to the constantly changing environment and the enormous demand for world class higher education in the country. By offering comprehensive and high quality education, FAUAF provides hope and purpose to their students in addition to connecting them with a variety of professional opportunities following their education. (Updated 2024)

The Lamia Afghan Foundation (LAF) was established in 2008 to improve the lives of girls and
women through the building of schools (eight built) for girls, by providing economic opportunities for
women, and by providing vocational and job training for women. The LAF also provided
humanitarian aid to needy families in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP)/Refugee camps, orphanages, schools, hospitals, and rural villages.  To date, the LAF has sent over 3.5 million pounds of humanitarian aid to 22 provinces in Afghanistan, supported four hospitals in Kabul with equipment and supplies, moved an ambulance from Chicago to a clinic LAF helped to build in Khairabad, in western Afghanistan, and humanitarian supplies for distribution to villages in Laghman, Nangarhar, and Nuristan Provinces to help refugee returnees from Pakistan.  The LAF had provided teachers for a school in the largest IDP Camp in Kabul. The Lamia Afghan Foundation currently improves the lives of girls by providing them a full education. Since September of 2021, the LAF has established and run twenty-three schools (in homes,) with twenty-five girls in each home school. The foundation takes girls through twelfth grade. We have fully qualified teachers and a school coordinator to periodically survey and report on each school. (Updated 2024)

The Nooristan Foundation  has continued to implement its “EmPower a Village” campaign,
which has been bringing light to villages since 2013 through electricity, followed by enlightenment from education. The concept has been simple and proven to be effective: Provide
micro-hydro equipment and involve communities in installation and maintenance. One of the reasons this program has been successful is the participation of the community in the project. In 2018, Nooristan Foundation began construction of the Bibi Aisha primary school in the western district of Nooristan province, once of the most underserved areas in the country. Since 2020, Nooristan has provided education to over 130 girls. Nooristan Foundation also launched “Encourage an Entrepreneur,” a program that teaches sewing skills for Afghan women and assists them in starting their own small businesses. Since 2020, the program has supported over 40 women begin their businesses, with 20 currently in the one-year training program. (Updated 2023)