THE SCHOOLPROJECTS IN AFGHANISTAN

‚Highschool Mohammad Hasan Khan‘
(since March 2012) Start of construction work: April 2004
Inauguration / handover: March 2005

After extensive research, the IAWA chose the community of Qala-ye Murad Bek, an area heavily fought over by the Mujaheddin and Taliban during the war, situated appr. 30 km north of Kabul, where due to the bombed-out schools, both local and outlying children – girls and boys – were taught outdoors as well as in UN-provided tents, irrespective of weather conditions and extreme temperature changes, during summer and winter.

The population consists primarily of refugees, among them a great many single women with children, who had returned after the horrors of war from Iran and Pakistan to their still partly destroyed hometown of Qala-ye Murad Bek.

In appreciation of the commitment of IAWA, the community of Qala-ye Murad Bek provided a campus areal of 4000 square meters free of cost. The laying of the foundation stone took place in the middle of April 2004 in the presence of the association’s chairwoman Laila Noor. In the meantime, Ms. Noor has flown to Afghanistan several times to inform herself personally on-site of the progress of the construction works and to coordinate any wishes and suggestions for the design of the premises with the school board.

In March 2005, the inauguration and official handover of the school, which had received generous financial support from, among others, the UNO-Flüchtlingshilfe e.V. (UN refugee aid) in Bonn and from many more sponsors, took place. IAWA’s chairwoman Laila Noor and its treasurer Jutta Freifrau von Taube represented the association. v. Taube anwesend. Moreover, an official delegation from the town of Qala-ye Murad Bek, the Afghan Minister of Education as well as members of the German Embassy and French officers of the International Security Assistance Force/ISAF (which had donated part of the furniture) were also present at the inauguration, appreciated by the school board and the children with a sense of joy and gratitude.

Surrounded by a 2-meter-high walled school grounds, the stone-built, single-storey school building now has 16 classrooms, a staff room, a conference room, a well-stocked library, and a six-roomed lavatory shed. Furthermore, a well and a water reservoir were installed, a sports field for the schoolchildren and, on request of the municipality, a terrace for the purpose of open communication have been created. There is also, to the joy of children and staff, a beautiful school garden in place. -In the meantime, a spacious gatehouse has also been erected, so that premises can be monitored around the clock.

The school, which was originally designed for 500 students, now accommodates 2000 girls and boys, who are taught separately in 3 shifts.

The school employs 20 teachers, a manager and principal, as well as a gardener and a guard. In order to be able to teach at this school, some of the staff put up with a one-hour commute. The salaries and running costs for the school are paid by the Afghan government.

In December 2005, external literacy and sewing courses for women were added to the program three afternoons a week. Each class has 65 participiants, with an upward trend. IAWA provided the basic materials for these classes. The salaries of the two teachers who run the classes extra-vocationally are also paid by the IAWA. To date, the women have manufactured clothing not only for themselves and their families, but also, as part of ‚capacity building‘, for needy members of the community; they have also begun to produce hand-crafted items for sale.

Since the school in Qala-ye Murad Bek, still under the care of IAWA, is the only school operating all year round, with an excellent reputation, both locally and at the Ministry, the Afghan Superminister and the Afghan Minister of Education have suggested during a visit in May 2008 that it advances to highschool level, offering 13 grades and a certificate of graduation. To date, the women have manufactured clothing not only for themselves and their families, but also, as part of ‚capacity building‘, for needy members of the community; they have also begun to produce hand-crafted items for sale. The IAWA took charge of the necessary reconstruction itself, and successfully. More than that, after the last visit of Laila Noor in 2010, the IAWA plans to add another storey to the school building in Qala-ye Murad Bek.