A word from the President

Dear all,
 

It has been a 15 year journey for our Association, since the time in 2007 when we built and inaugurated our first school in the village of Nai Qala. I recently travelled there and saw the school standing proudly, well taken care of by the local community and having seen thousands of students graduate from its classrooms over this period.
 
Our initiative began modestly and yet, from the beginning, it was based on a very firm determination and commitment. We had no guarantee that we would be able to fund such a project. We did not know if it would be possible to build schools in such remote and mountainous regions. But we tried.
 
From the start, our vision and our narrative. built around the importance of projects by Afghans, for Afghans and with Afghans attracted attention. Our focus on education for girls and boys resonated strongly. From that moment  on, our concrete achievements established our credibility and created the needed trust.
 
We have now built 12 schools in 15 years and developed 90 pre-school projects in three provinces. These initiatives have benefited tens of thousands of children and their families.
 
We have also contributed to important social awareness and change. Our education projects are all accompanied by a deep focus on hygiene. Recently I saw one of our teachers pay for her student’s toothbrush and toothpaste so that the students could continue to care for themselves. The awareness is growing around our projects in many ways.
 
The situation in Afghanistan remains very delicate and difficult. While the security situation has improved, some policies of the new authorities are being questioned and international funding by several countries remains frozen.
 
Our vision is that work needs to continue. If we really believe in better lives for girls and boys in Afghanistan, dialogue and action are needed today and in the future. Nai Qala Association will humbly celebrate its 15 years of existence by committing to continue working hard for the dignity and improved access to education in remote rural regions of central Afghanistan.
 
Sometimes, as I travel through these difficult regions, I ask myself: “How has it been possible to keep these projects going for all these years?”
 
We owe it to the energy and dedication of the team in Afghanistan, our courageous colleagues, who carry out this work every day. It would not have ever been possible without the big hearts and support of the members of the Association’s committee and of our generous and trusting donors. Their spirit of partnership has been remarkable, and I am deeply grateful for that.
 
Deep down I know that the most powerful contribution comes from the thousands of girls and boys that I have met over the 15 years. Seeing their hope and hearing of their desire to study have given me and the team the unshaken resolve to stand by them.
 
With my profound and genuine thanks to all for your trust and support!

Warm greetings from Kaboul, 

Taiba Rahim, 
President of the Nai Qala Association

• In 2017 we launched a pilot project of 3 preschool classes in the province of Ghazni.
• Today our project includes the provinces of Bamyan, Daikundi and Ghazni and we are running 90 preschool classes for the benefit of 2000 children. 
• We are pleased that since the launch of this initiative we can count more than 5000 children as direct beneficiaries of our program and have reached 35,000 members of their entourage.

• In 2007 we began the construction of the first school in the village of Nai Qala, in the province of Ghazni.
• In 2022 we were proud to inaugurate our 12th school construction. In recent years, we have also renovated a school building and built a sanitary block for an existing school. Our schools are fully equipped and welcome children from the age of 7 to 18. They are maintained by the local communities who take great care of them.
• Since 2007 thanks to these buildings, 18,000 children, mainly girls, have benefited from decent learning conditions in the provinces of Ghazni and Bamyan. 

• The most recent project in our portfolio is a community-based education program.
• This school year 300 children whose formal school is too far from home benefited from a class that was opened in their community.
• We guarantee them trained teachers and suitable school materials. 

• We care about the quality of education and are committed to the teachers.
• This year we provided in-service training to 65 teachers in our preschool program. 25 new preschool teachers and 10 community classroom teachers received pre-service training.
• Since 2017, thanks to Nai Qala Association’s support, more than 200 teachers have had the opportunity to improve their skills. 

• In 2011, we provided the population of Nawur with a fully functional health center serving a population of over 20,000. The dispensary is now part of the health care network financed by the World Bank.
• We have recently been able to see that the clinic is well maintained and that the health care team is motivated.
• Our health efforts extend beyond construction: each year, young beneficiaries of the preschool program and their parents receive advice on hygiene and nutrition.

• Between 2015 and 2020, we supported more than 1000 high school students to prepare for Kankor, the university entrance exam: their scientific and language skills have been improved.
• Some of our more recent school buildings are equipped with computers. Teachers and students are gradually being trained to use them.
• Support for female students: in 2019, 30 female students from Bamyan University, former graduates of a Nai Qala school, improved their computer and English skills thanks to Nai Qala Association’s support.

• In its early days, Nai Qala was all about the passionate commitment of its president, supported by one field assistant.
• Today, a team of 10 professionals in the field manages the different projects and is responsible for the 100 teachers in the provinces.
• All the employees of the association are local staff, familiar with the regional culture and customs.

• 100 Swiss francs, 100 euros, 100 dollars give a young child the opportunity to attend a preschool year.
• 100 Swiss francs, 100 euros, 100 dollars give a young girl the chance to improve her science and language skills.
• 100 Swiss francs, 100 euros, 100 dollars cover the cost of tuition for a child in the community based education program.
• 100 Swiss francs, 100 euros, 100 dollars finance a brick for a new construction.

SWIFT/BIC: UBSWCHZH80A

Donation can also be made to our bank account in Kaboul or by PayPal (see details here).