A dedicated team of staff locally and abroad manage our programs in seven key areas:
(1) Investing in Basic Education; (2) Community and Family Literacy; (3) Technology for Education; (4) Grants and Scholarships; (5) Public Engagement; (6) Advocacy & Public Policy Dialogue; (7) Supporting At Risk Afghans.
In the course of our existence, we have trained over 10,000 teachers, established over 200 community libraries, supported thousands of women to become literate through classes for women who did not get to go to school, furbished schools with science laboratory materials and libraries, and helped teachers get access to resources like lessons plans, textbooks and visual aides through our extensive library of learning resources: www.darakhtdanesh.org.
Given the rapidly deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, we have been adapting our programming to respond to this new reality and to a growing need for the work we do. During the worsening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan in recent months, we have also provided humanitarian assistance to displaced families. Some of our current priorities include:
Delivering Humanitarian Assistance as funds allow; we have delivered more than 950 Learning Plus Baskets to families in need, which include educational resources and basic necessities such as staple food items, baby formula, hygiene kits and warm blankets, and educational materials.
Providing continued access to our Darakht-e Danesh Digital Library (DDL) and expanding virtual education opportunities through DD Courses and DD Classroom so that Afghan women and girls can learn wherever they are.
Hiring and training female teachers for our online learning programs, who would otherwise be denied employment because they are women.
Providing internet access, devices, and power banks to girls so they can continue their education from home, or wherever they are.
Expanding our Shafia Fund scholarship program to enable continued learning opportunities for young women in Afghanistan and those who have fled the country, who would not otherwise have the opportunity to study.
Mobilizing Canadians as engaged global citizens and engaging decision makers as we advocate for the rights of Afghan women and girls and for the safe passage for at-risk Afghans looking to leave the country.
Engaging higher education institutions with a solutions based toolkit to mobilize Canadian university resources and communities and provide alternative access to higher educational opportunities for Afghan women.
Establishing partnerships with NGOs in other countries such as Turkey and Pakistan to collaborate on program delivery to refugees.
In our work we recognize the link between quality education and peace building; we believe that a literate population with free access to information and with access to viable education and economic opportunities will be Afghanistan’s greatest stabilizing force and its best hope for achieving peace.
Today Afghan women and girls face daunting conditions in seeking education; however, this does not change the impact that education makes. In fact, this makes their access to education all the more essential and life-changing. Literacy is irreversible, and it is intergenerational: literate mothers raise literate daughters. Social change is birthed through education, and women and girls who can access education will be the leaders of tomorrow. When you support our work, you are investing in women and girls who will ultimately win their rights and who can fight to build a society where women and girls can live in dignity and in peace.
