While the news from Afghanistan was rather alarming from a Western perspective, Nai Qala continued to operate on the ground almost as a matter of routine.
After almost four months of political change and the departure of the international community, what are the impacts for Nai Qala?
Construction of school buildings
On the eve of the fall of the ruling government in Kabul, Nai Qala quietly marked the completion of the girls’ school that the association had started in September of the previous year. The small completion ceremony took place in the presence of the local authorities and the future beneficiaries who were at that time on forced vacation due to the … pandemic.
After a few weeks of hesitation, the girls were allowed to settle in as the provincial authorities lifted the ban on the older girls from studying. Nai Qala took advantage of the closure of the schools to carry out renovations on the old village school to prevent water infiltration due to the harsh winter conditions prevailing in the region. The new school and the older renovated one were inaugurated in mid-November before an audience of hundreds of girls, local community representatives and the new provincial authorities. The keys to the new building were officially handed over to the community.
What about the pre-school program?
Nai Qala runs a pre-school education program in the provinces of Bamyan and Daikundi. The children, the 65 teachers, support staff and local communities have again had more difficulty dealing with temporary class closures imposed by the government due to Covid than with the political change. The mountainous regions of central Afghanistan where Nai Qala operates have been largely ignored by successive governments in Kabul over the past 20 years; the rural population suffering from extreme poverty do not feel concerned by politics: their priority has always been to feed their families. Of course, some female teachers have questioned whether their work will continue under the new regime. No formal ban on working was issued to them and they were able to continue teaching to the great joy of their young students. Like all projects initiated by Nai Qala, the pre-school education program is defined, implemented, and activated in collaboration with the local communities who take ownership of it.
What about the new authorities?
Nai Qala has always engaged in discussions with the existing authorities. All projects are routinely approved by the Ministry of Education and the new regime is no exception. Nai Qala even had the opportunity of receiving one of the very first MOUs signed by the Minister of Education. The provincial authorities of Bamyan and Daikundi are giving positive signals for the continuation of educational activities for all, for example by allowing girls and boys to study, regardless of their age.
Looking confidently to the future
From the beginning, Nai Qala developed an approach based on community involvement. Local authorities and the population are always included in the project development, which encourages them to feel recognized, respected and involved. The pride of the population to participate in the elaboration and implementation of the projects explains why the dozen schools and the dispensary that we built are still functioning and are maintained in good conditions. The local authorities and the population have taken ownership of the projects and are protecting what Nai Qala has achieved and built with donor support. The local people will continue to protect the buildings and projects in this new phase as well. Although extremely poor and often illiterate, these communities are deeply committed to the education of their daughters and sons.
Following political changes, a small period of observation is always necessary, but nothing will change the position of the communities involved in the Association’s projects. The Association stays the course and continues its activities with the underprivileged populations. We do not intend to stop on the success of the last constructions: we have recently committed to building a new school in an even more remote village, in the district of Yakawlang. Construction is expected to start at the end of the winter when the weather will be milder. As far as pre-school education is concerned, we are about to start the winter vacation period. Before classes resume in the spring, the 65 preschool teachers and some of their primary school colleagues will take part in a pedagogical seminar organized to strengthen their skills.