Project: Afghan Institute of Learning, Secret Home Schools for Girls
Grantee: Creating Hope International
Grant Year: 2001
Grant Amount: $20,000

The Afghan Institute of Learning is creating economic opportunity for the next generation of Afghanistan's women through its underground home schools that serve over 2,800 girls in grades 1-8 in Herat, Kabul, Logar and Jalalabad. Because the Taliban regime made education for girls illegal, AIL's support for home schools has been critical. AIL trains and pays women teachers, who run the schools from their homes, and monitors the work of each classroom under strict guidelines. Last year, there were 25 AIL girls' schools in Afghanistan, and this year there are 79. The schools are giving girls the opportunity to continue their education and are helping students heal in many other ways. With the current political crisis, the work of AIL is increasingly critical, as AIL is one of the largest organizations who are educating girls and providing employment for women. During this very difficult time, ALL of AIL's schools, clinics and other programs remain open. In addition to its schools, AIL provides essential employment opportunities for the adult women who work as teachers, doctors, health educators and nurses.

Unemployment is close to 100% for men, and women--with exception of NGO employees. AIL's Executive Director has been working in relative secrecy, because of the risk of defying the Taliban regime.

3GF approved a one year grant of $20,000 to help AIL continue to scale up this essential effort to educate girls. The intent is to ultimately create economic opportunity for a population for which no other opportunity exists.

For more information on this project visit www.creatinghope.org/ail.htm, call (313) 271-6213, fax (313) 565-8515, or write to the following address: