Teacher Training in Bamyan Province:

Dissatisfactory of educational quality due to lack of professional teachers is one of the basic needs in Education sector throughout the country. In Bamyan province, currently there are more than 3000 official and un-official teachers who teach 1, 10,000 students in 300 schools.

Shuhada Organization is conducting a three months Teacher Training Program in Bamyan Province. A number of 550 (218 female and 282 male) teachers from Bamyan center, Punjab and Yakawlang districts attend this program.

This program is funded by NZAID and KIBO for three years, which is being implemented in winter holidays, aiming to build the capacity of teachers in terms of school Science Subjects, Psychology as well as Principle of teaching methodologies

Carpet weaving project in Daikundi

Shuhada organization has lunched a Vocational Training project on (Carpet Weaving) for 32 women and girls at Women Center constructed recently by SO in Nili, Daikundi Province.

Despite the training on carpet waving, Literacy classes are arranged for the trainees, on basic Dari and Math. Meanwhile they will also be provided with the information about women rights, reproductive health, and awareness on HIV/AIDS and community health.

SO through this project aims to empower women in Hazarajat and support them economically and enable them read, write and do basic numeracy. At the end of training each trainee will be supported with one loom and its tools, so that they can work at their homes and independently run their business. This project is financially supported by Omid Foundation.

Computer and English Course

Women in Afghanistan have been suffering live due to lack of awareness, education and skills through which they can have income.

Meanwhile there are many literate women and girls but they can not find jobs with NGO and government systems because they lack computer and English skill, which are the first requirements with most of the organizations.

To help women and talented girls, SO has conducted a series of English and Computer courses in Hazarajat.

The second round of a English and Computer course supported by Arghosah Faraway Schools is underway for 22 girls ( university girls ) in Bamyan center. These girls are getting training on MS office and how to use internet.

Access to Justice

Shuhada Organization with the financial support of Asia Foundation has launched a project in Bamyan province entitled Women and Islam.

The project will contribute to building a solid foundation for protection of women’s rights, and respect for the rule of law in Afghanistan.

Central to the Foundation’s strategy is to raise awareness of women’s right to increase both the demand and supply sides of justice.

The project will work at the community, provincial, and national levels with leaders and government officials and institutions that are in positions to influence decisions on matters that have an immediate impact on women’s lives – particularly family matters, as well as build linkages between local bodies, such as local councils (Shuras and jirgas) and between the formal justice sector to strengthen the rule of law in Afghanistan.

Food Security in Bamyan:

Food security is a project which is under implementation in Yakawlang district of Bamyan province.

A number of 306 Male/female farmers directly involved in the project. This project aims to reduce the level of food insecurity which causes poverty and mal-nutrition among the district inhabitants.

Through this project, SO encourages communities to produce and sell alternative crops and fruits which support them economically and secure beneficiaries’ health status.

Women Council in Daikundi Province

This council was established in 2006 and registered in Ministry of justice, Ministry of Women’s Affair’s and civil society to work officially. Then in 2005 introduced with shuhada org and start their work together in Daikundi Province. The director of this council is Roshan Pakhtyari that established this council with many difficulties. This council has monthly meeting in their meeting they take decision that what to do. The staff of this council is around 50 people just four of them are man and the other staffs are women. The activities of this council in this province are creating of English classes, literacy classes, computer classes, carpet weaving, and tailoring. Shuhada organization with this council had literacy and tailoring classes for 813 people, for 90 people had English classes and provided winter classes for 550 students from great 6 to great 12. Till to now for 700 families they distributed humanitarian aid such as flour, oil, sugar, tea and etc in this area, and carpet weaving is continued for that province that’s why people are very interested to join it.

Conrad Hilton Foundation Award:

Conrad Hilton Foundation is an organization which grants international award for organizations that work for the purpose of providing humanitarian aid to the most unfortunate and disadvantaged. The Prize is not only intended to recognize and advance the efforts of the recipient organization, but also to call attention to the worldwide need for humanitarian aid and encourage others to expand their support. Hilton Foundation provides annually $1.5 million dollar award honors a charitable or non-governmental organization that has made extraordinary contributions toward alleviating human suffering anywhere in the world.
The international Prize is the world's largest humanitarian award and ranks as one of the largest monetary prizes in any category - equal to the Nobel Prize.
Shuhada Organization received an invitation for the award in 2008. Shuhada responded to the invitation and established communication with the Foundation providing the required documents and information to the Hilton Foundation. Although Shuhada Organization did not win the main prize in 2009 and the award was granted to an international credited organization, but still Conrad Hilton Foundation honored and encouraged Shuhada Organization for its humanitarian activities over 20 years in Afghanistan through granting $100,000 to it. Shuhada Organization feel committed to the genuine utility/expenditure of the grant and has submitted a break down for the Foundation in the areas of raising human rights awareness, health, and capacity building and supporting the Shuhada orphanages. Shuhada Organization remains in the list of Hilton Foundation’s nominees for 2010.

Samar Orphanage a story of hope in Afghanistan

During one of my media workshops in province of Bamiyan in Afghanistan, I met a 17 years- old sharp female teenager. I asked her, “What is your name?” She replied, “Parvin, Parvin Samar.” The moment I heard the name Samar, something triggered immediately in my mind from my reporting days in Washington. Samar, Sima Samar, the brilliant Afghan lady who accompanied Afghan President Karzai as minister of women affairs to Afghanistan and she was mentioned by former President Bush during his State of the Union Address. Yes that is her. I interviewed her. I asked Parvin, I know your mother. I interviewed her. There was immediately a sparkle in her eyes, a sparkle of hope. I asked, “Where do you live?” “Can I see your mom?” She said her mom lives in Kabul and she lives in an orphanage that is run by her mother in Bamiyan. It sounded a little strange that she would live apart from her mother. I got the address for the orphanage and told her I like to visit. Parvin asked me if I could visit their English class that starts early in the morning at 7:00 o’clock.

Two days later, Vahid our cultural assistant drove me to the orphanage and I taught their English class for a day. When I asked the students what their names were more than half of the class said their last names were Samar. Waaah, did Ms. Samar have that many kids? One of the teachers told me in private, Ms. Samar has told them they are her children and they have a choice to get her last name. Most of these kids don’t have parents or their parents gave them up for variety of reasons. Some even have parents but since their parents can’t take care of them, they choose to come to this orphanage. I think to myself, “what an angel?” How little did I know that Parvin’s mother is the angel who mothers about 200 kids? What an honor it was for me to have met a woman who not only fought for the rights of Afghan women but also fought for the right of children. I became even more interested... One of the kids walked up to me and told me whether I could do a media workshop for children because she had heard on a radio program that I was training journalists. I looked at her beautiful face and said sure….. I talked to their director and he told me these kids wanted to learn about journalism so they can share their story.

During the workshop, these kids would not take a break and were listening to every part of the training. They were sharp and curious. They also asked educated questions and performed an outstanding job on the class exercises. But what was most amazing about this orphanage was the sense of family and compassion among the kids. The older kids cared for the younger children and real young children played and ate together. When you walked in this orphanage, you didn’t feel this was an orphanage. It felt that you walk in a big house and met this large family. I learned Ms. Samar has telephone lines for these kids and they can call any time and can talk about their day with her. She makes sure these kids eat the proper portions of fruit and vegetable. Above all, she makes everyone feel like her own children. When most of us think about Afghanistan we think about war, death and destruction. Underneath all the pain and destruction there are many colorful stories. “Samar Orphanage” in province of Bamiyan is an example of hope and light in Afghanistan. Parvin, the 17- years old sharp teenager who I met was also raised in the orphanage. She is a skilled writer and a radio producer for the local radio in Bamiyan. The way she spoke about her mom, you could have never thought that Ms. Samar was not her biological mother. Programs like “Samar Orphanage” led by Ms. Samar’s vision are the bridge for the development of Afghanistan. The future of Afghanistan belongs to Parvins of Afghanistan and in case you are wondering what works in Afghanistan, I have to say projects like “Samar Orphanage” are big catalyst for change in the future of young Afghans. We need more Sima Samars in Afghanistan….
The young generation of educated Afghans will win the war…

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