NetAid, in partnership with the Aga
Khan Foundation, recently announced a new Afghanistan initiative that will
help reconstruct that country's ailing educational system. The Aga Khan
Foundation U.S.A., with the support of The Rob Lloyd Family and Cisco Systems,
works with Afghan communities to train teachers, rehabilitate schools,
and put children in school. These services are vital in Afghanistan, where
years of war and hardship have deprived most children of access to basic
education.
Girls' education especially is a focal
point. In an effort to create educational role models for young girls,
the project pays special attention to the need for female teachers. Women
interested in teaching are recruited from local villages, and provided
with high-quality training administered in a safe and supportive environment.
This NetAid project aims to enroll 2,000 children in school by the start of 2004. Additionally, it will train 100 new teachers, rehabilitate ten schools, and construct a women's hostel in which teachers can stay during training.