Our Work
The Story of Afghan Rural Schools
Children in Khas Kunar, in Afghanistan's Kunar Province, face steep odds when it comes to getting an education. Many families are too poor to spare their children for the school day. Even those who attend often need to learn additional languages beyond Pashto, since Afghanistan has no single national language. Scarce classroom seats tend to go to children with better family or clan connections, or those living in Kabul and other major cities — and girls face additional barriers in a society that often values sons over daughters. Because Kunar Province is one of the less secure regions of Afghanistan, it also receives less support from international aid organizations. Many rural schools still operate without electricity, clean water, or basic technology.
Despite the obstacles, we're optimistic. Since December 2013, we've installed solar panels to electrify three schools — a girls' high school, a boys' high school, and a boys' middle school — along with the office of the Director of Education in Khas Kunar.
— Dr. SafiAt the request of the girls' high school principal, ARS is now working to build additional classrooms for the school's roughly 700 students.
We have connections to the villages, schools, and local officials in Khas Kunar. My relatives teach at these schools, and I talk with them weekly, so I can be sure what we give ends up in the right hands.
— Dr. SafiDr. Safi is available to speak to audiences in the DC area, New York, and New England about his book, the organization, his childhood in Afghanistan, and the issues facing the country today. Contact him at 954-909-0216 or info@afghanruralschools.org.
Update: Dr. Safi's Visit to Khas Kunar (Spring 2024)
During a visit to Khas Kunar, Dr. Safi and his brother Abdul Wadoud Alizai met with the principal of the local girls' high school alongside their local representatives. They learned that while the school owns about two acres of land, the existing building uses only a small portion of it — and the surrounding area is marshy, creating a mosquito-borne health risk.
ARS took immediate action to drain the area as a temporary fix, and has since begun building six additional classrooms so students can move out of the tent where classes currently meet. A local representative is on-site supervising construction.
The next phase is to expand the school's facilities to better serve students and staff. ARS is now seeking grants and donations to fund this work.