Project Wonkhai

at a glance

 In the fall of 2008, the doors will open at “Project Wonkhai,” a secondary school for 1200 girls. The Afghan government supplies teachers, who we will encourage and support with monthly salary supplements. We will provide initial textbooks and school supplies.

Construction will cost $115,000-120,000.
 

collaborators and supporters

A Wonkhai village elder, Seraj Wardak, designated a plot of land, on which we have built, as the site for a girls’ school. Khris Nedam, who has built a nearby elementary school and orphanage, offers advice and insight as we work closely with our collaborator, Fahima Vorgetts, an experienced construction organizer and fund-raiser, who travels to the site and communicates with locally-hired workers on our behalf. Combined, Khris and Fahima have built over a dozen charitably funded structures in Afghanistan.

why this will work

At first, our project seems dicey: the area is politically volatile, local obstacles can prevent girls from going to school, and distance makes our control over construction limited. Yikes!

Yet we’re confident our work is as wanted and safe as it is needed. We know there is a demand for education in this community: a nearby elementary school, which Khris Nedam built, graduates over 600 girls each year. Further, community support and the protection of village elders, who have requested our services, have prevented even attempts at attack. In the case of security threats, teachers shut down the school for several days to ensure the safety of the girls. We are hopeful that our school will meet with equal enthusiasm and safeguarding. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, Taliban violence has concentrated in Helmand and Kandahar, rather than Wardak.

Over the last few years, we have made several contacts who are pursuing unrelated work in Afghanistan. These contacts, as well as our collaborators and advisors, allow us to keep an eye on our project from multiple angles and perspectives.