Hope for Afghan Children

While our primary focus at Hope for Afghan Children is supporting Afghan-run efforts to improve the life of boys and girls, that work cannot take place in an age vacuum. There can’t be an arbitrary cut-off age when these young people are turned out to fend for themselves with no further support. This is especially true for young girls becoming young women, who will have to contend with a society in which their human rights have been ignored and who are at great risk if they try to pursue their own goals.

Everyone at AFCECO is fully aware of this and they are working to create a support structure that will help launch the older children into the wider world, giving them a chance not only to build their own lives but also to become leaders in their communities.

Because AFCECO is not alone in recognising the special challenges faced by women in Afghanistan, we’ve invited Barbara James to write about SAWA-Australia, a group devoted to providing hope for Afghan women.

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SAWA-Australia aims to give hope to the women of Afghanistan. It raises funds for RAWA (the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan) and other progressive support organizations to ensure the education and quality of life for the girls and women of Afghanistan, including those who live as refugees in Pakistan.

Operated entirely by volunteers, SAWA is incorporated in South Australia but has local groups right around Australia.

SAWA concentrates on two major projects:

1. Vocational Training Center for Women

The Vocational Training Center for Women in Kabul, operated by OPAWC (Organization for Promoting Women’s Capabilities) was established in February 2008. This was in response to SAWA committee members feeling the need to do something to help the war widows and illiterate women of Kabul. The project is designed to help a small number of widows to learn some basics skills in making handicrafts and then provide them with tools and materials to sell their product on the market. It empowers them with sufficient skills and support so that they can stand on their own feet.

The Center is staffed by three literacy teachers and one handicraft trainer and offers free adult literacy classes and handicraft training.

The subjects taught in the Center are: Dari (Farsi), Mathematics, Basic Information on Child Care, and General Knowledge. The literacy program is of two years, comprised of four semesters of six months each. An exam is conducted at the end of each semester which students have to pass to proceed to the next semester. After finishing the 4th semester the students appear for the final examination and if they pass that exam they get the Merit Certificate of Literacy.

Handicraft courses run for 3 months, after which time the participants can establish the economic base to support a family. The centre has the capacity to accommodate 90 literacy students and 10 handicraft trainees. On an annual basis this corresponds to 45 literacy students and 40 handicraft trainees.

The Centre offers handicraft training for women who successfully completed the literacy course. The first handicraft class began in 2009 with women from the 2008 literacy classes. The women produce traditional Afghan dresses for festive occasions, beautiful beadwork  and support their families through their own work.

SAWA supports about 75% of the costs of the centre by funding the salaries of the teachers, the handicraft trainer, the housekeeper and the security watchman, the rent, electricity and gas for the building and some textbooks and other material. SAWA aims at increasing its support for the center to 100% through the raising of increased revenue.

As Suraya, the mother of 4 children says, “I went through the world blind before participating in this course.” You can read more stories like Suraya’s here.

2. Hewad High School

Hewad High School is located in Rawalpindi, a city in Pakistan with a high Afghan refugee population. It is a primary and secondary school for Afghan girls and boys and covers years 1 to 12. Hewad is Pashto for Fatherland.

Hewad High School is one of eight RAWA schools that were established in Rawalpindi when RAWA received large support from the international community after the 11th of September attack on the World Trade Centre towers. This support faded quickly, and most schools had to be closed again within two years. Hewad High School is now the only RAWA school still operating in Rawalpindi.

The school has 288 students, 148 boys and 140 girls. Classes are conducted in two shifts a day, morning and afternoon. SAWA has also funded a computer course in the summer holidays allowing many students the opportunity to learn basic computer skills.

Every year, Hewad High School graduates a number of students, who by finishing class twelve are provided with the Baccalaureate Certificate validated by the Afghan Embassy, based on which students can apply for the entry test in any university of Afghanistan. While Afghan universities hardly can accept more than 50% of those who apply for entry, the success of graduates from Hewad High School is over 85%, clear testimony for the high standard of the school’s education, which enables the students to easily pass the hard entry test.

Unlike in other Afghan schools, in Hewad High School boys and girls attend the same classes. The main motivation behind co-education is to develop respect for each other and raise a new generation based on the firm values of equality, democracy and mutual respect devoid of discrimination and oppression.

Jameela, the 23 year old student of tenth grade describes her love for education that has motivated her to sit in a class of 17-18 year olds. “I want to become someone in the future. I want to get educated so that I can do something for myself and my country.”

SAWA shares the support of Hewad High School with the Friends of RAWA (Japan).

I invite anyone interested in finding out more about SAWA to become a member, to visit our website or join us on facebook .

Barbara James

Secretary SAWA

PO Box 90 Flinders University Post Office

Bedford Park SA 5042 Australia