Hope for Afghan Children

Welcome to Hope for Afghan Children

Three decades of war and repression in Afghanistan have left deep scars on that country, most deeply on the children.

In a country where more than seven out of every 10 people are illiterate and where 1 out of every 12 children has lost both parents, providing care and education for girls and boys is a powerful step towards a more hopeful future.

Hope for Afghan Children is a gathering place for people who care about what is happening in Afghanistan and who are committed to making a better life for the country’s children.

We invite you to join us in this important and rewarding endeavor.

The orphanages we sponsor

AFCECO, the Afghan Child Education and Care Organization, provides quality care and education to hundreds of children in orphanages in Afghanistan and Pakistan, where the girls and boys learn:

• respect for all human beings regardless of language, religion, race, sex, color or other differences;
• there is no difference between people;
• no human being is superior to any other because of class, color, language, race or religion;
• all human beings do not have to think alike or live the same way;
• it’s to the benefit of society that all human beings live in peace, understanding and harmony.

Many of the children in the orphanages are not orphans in the traditional sense, but conditions are so harsh in much of Afghanistan that many parents are unable to care for their children or keep them safe. AFCECO provides a home, education and security to children who otherwise would have a very grim future.

Open a new world for your child and yourself

“You have changed the life of a generation of Afghan children who will remember you forever, and who will change Afghanistan’s future not with gun and force but with love and respect they have learnt in the orphanages.” – Andeisha, AFCECO’s director.

Sponsoring a child in an AFCECO orphanage is an extraordinary experience.

Unlike some child sponsorships where your link with the child is remote and filtered through a large organization, AFCECO sponsors are encouraged to build a personal relationship with the children they sponsor. Your child will send you letters and photos via email and you will be able to respond in kind.

Over the months and years, your Afghan children can become a central part of your world.

That’s the first bridge you build. It’s one of love.

You’ll also find your sponsorship builds bridges of learning, understanding and friendship, not only with the children you sponsor, but also with the adults who care for those children, your fellow sponsors, and with others who have come to care about the fate and future of Afghanistan.

Connect, share and do greater things

Sponsoring an Afghan child is a reward in itself. It’s a caring and learning experience for sponsors and children alike.

For some of us, though, that first sponsorship is simply the start of something bigger. As you learn about your child, the orphanage she or he lives in, the people who work in those orphanages, and the key role of education in building a safer, more egalitarian Afghanistan…as you learn all this, you may find your initial sponsorship blossoming into a larger personal commitment.

This site is here to help all AFCECO sponsors who seek a greater involvement.

• Sign up for the discussion forums and share your hopes and ideas.
• Connect with others who are co-sponsoring your child/children.
• Share your passion for your children (bragging is encouraged) and for the work we are doing together.
• Ask questions when you’re stumped by a Dari or Pashto word, or unsure how to write to your seven-year-old.
• Kick in some funds to our ‘Spotlight’ fundraisers – we can achieve larger goals together than by ourselves.
• Suggest other ways we can help further AFCECO’s work and goals.
• Share the word about AFCECO and this site with other sponsors and with potential sponsors.

Unveiling the home theatre system

Movie Night Magic

Our Movie Night Magic fundraiser was a success. We raised the money to buy a home theatre system for Mehan Orphanage by running a gadget drive. A gadget drive lets you turn your used electronics into cash to support a cause.

We’ll be running more gadget drives in the future, as well as other “spotlight fundraisers”. Watch this space for news. In the meantime, you can always use the buttons below to sponsor a child or make a one-time donation to buy something special for the orphanages.

Thanks to all who made the gadget drive a success.

Bring the work of AFCECO to your community

During 2009, Ian Pounds spent five months as a volunteer teacher (and learner) at the AFCECO orphanages in Kabul. He shared some of his experiences through his beautifully written journal. Since his return home, fired with inspiration and on a mission to gather many more sponsors for the orphanages, he has been touring the USA speaking about life in Afghanistan and the hope offered by these orphanages. Before he heads back to Kabul, grab your chance to hear him.

Click here to learn more.

Witness the face of hope in Afghanistan

Hear Ian Pounds speak about his five months in a girls’ orphanage in Kabul.

When: Monday February 8, 6:30pm (the day after the Super Bowl, but late enough for you to recover!)

Where: Tulane University, Jones Hall (aka Joseph Merrick Jones Memorial), Room 102.

Click here for a map of Tulane campus. Joseph Merrick Jones Memorial is building 25 on the map.

Click here to learn more about Ian.

Contact (504) 214-6886 for more information.