Afghanistan's fractured society is recovering from three tumultuous decades that followed the Russian invasion of 1979. Since then, several regimes have dominated this country, robbing it of a stable government. The fundamentalist group, the Taliban, ruled the people of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. These circumstances have forced Afghanis to be refugees for years, seeking shelter in neighboring Pakistan and other countries. Only since the fall of the Taliban in 2001 have they had the opportunity to return to their homeland, where they continue to live in fear and women have few rights.
Barakat Afghanistan is the local subsidiary through which Barakat, Inc. coordinates its efforts for education in the region. Through Barakat's schools and literacy programs, we enable the people of Afghanistan to improve their community by encouraging them to participate in the national political process. Through education, we hope to teach citizens to achieve positive changes through non-violence.
By bringing students from different backgrounds together in a school, Barakat aims to promote tolerance and to create a more vibrant community through the exchange of ideas and interaction of cultures.
Barakat works in the Faryab and Jowzjan provinces of Northwest Afghanistan, home to the Turkmen and Uzbek poeple. These distinct ethnic communities are resettling in their homeland after being refugees for many years. In addition to emphasizing the benefits of education, Barakat must be creative in promoting women's education: an issue that is low priority in this society.
Many students at Barakat's initiatives in Afghanistan come from low-income families and are the first of their families to attend school. Students are provided with transport, uniforms and textbooks, at no cost to their families. Female participation is increased by creating female-only sections for each grade.
Students at both schools are instructed in Dari, the national language of Afghanistan. Subjects taught also include English, mathematics, science, social sciences and Islamic studies.
Teachers at both schools are regularly trained by the government of Afghanistan, at the Dar Mualimin, or Education Center, in Andkhoy to increase their knowledge for different subjects and higher grade levels. Training sessions are five days a week, for two hours a day, for a two-year period.