A 12th school for remote rural communities

When we first visited the village of Dou Aab in 2016, we were struck by the learning conditions of the students and the extreme deprivation of the area. Dou Aab School, a primary school for children up to 9th grade, girls and boys ages 7-16, had no solid building. Classes were held in the open air, sometimes under torn tents, and could not be held in bad weather. The students were mostly sitting on the ground, under the sun or sometimes in the snow, as is often the case in the projects for which Nai Qala is committed. Not surprisingly, these poor conditions made it very difficult to complete the annual school program and resulted in a high dropout rate. 

Although, since our first visit to the village, an organization has provided temporary plastic structures, the teachers’ lack of motivation and the parents’ disinterest in education unfortunately remains a reality. The absence of a proper building is interpreted by the population as an abandonment by the state and the international community, leading them to seek economic opportunities outside the village. 

In its mission to provide dignified learning conditions for children in the disadvantaged rural areas of central Afghanistan, Nai Qala Association embarked on the construction of its 12th school building. The Association ensured the selection of the land for the future construction in consultation with the village council of elders, the transfer of ownership, the tendering of the construction to local companies and signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Education ensuring the inclusion of the school in its portfolio. 

Construction began in May 2022 and, with good weather, was completed in October 2022. The building’s walls are constructed with stones from the surrounding mountains; the sand and gravel used for the masonry comes from nearby rivers. The construction company hired men from the village, providing dozens of families with a welcome income in a region where economic opportunities are scarce.

Located at the foot of the mountain, the building is visible from afar: it is a school with 6 classrooms, 1 room for the teachers, 1 multi-purpose room serving as a library and computer room, all equipped with the necessary furniture. The building is completed by a sanitary block with access to running water, an outdoor sports field for volleyball, and a perimeter wall.

A joyful ceremony involving the school children, villagers and local authorities concluded the project. The young pupils from 5 classes of the Nai Qala pre-school program joined the celebration and got to know the school that will welcome them in the spring. The inauguration of the new building was the occasion to officially hand over the keys of the school to the principal and the community to the delight of the 540 current beneficiaries and the future generations of schoolchildren of Dou Aab.

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