Education; a Turning Point for Tragedy

The names in this story have been changed to protect the identity of those mentioned here:

This is the story of a young couple. Like too many others, it ends in tragedy. Like too many others, it involves a woman regarded as a second class citizen. Her life is meaningless to those around her. But if they had valued her, for all she was worth, she may have been saved.

Sardar married Shahla when he was 16 years old. The two were matched beyond their will; she was only 13. They had two daughters and a son. Sardar, Shahla and their children lived with Sardar’s mother and his brother’s family. At the time this story took place, Sardar and Shahla had been married for 6 years. She was 19 years old…

Sardar was a farmer, but like many others he struggled with the burden of extreme poverty. Ultimately he was unable to support his family, so he traveled to another province to look for a job. It was difficult for him to find a job, as he was illiterate with no skills or education. Though he looked for many months.

After one particularly exhausting and long day, Sadar came home disappointed. The only thing on his mind was how he was to take care of his large family. The moment he returned home, he asked his mother about his wife. She did not realize the extent of her son’s exhaustion and unhappiness, nor did she realize the affect her words would have.

His mother ranted, “Your wife has been gone; shopping with your sister- in- law.” She complained despite the fact that it was the first time Shahla had gone shopping. The way his mother bitterly said this made it seem as though his wife had gone shopping everyday, neglecting her duties as a wife, while he was out looking for a job. In any household, this might seem like an insignificant bustle between husband and wife. In Sadar’s household, this one confrontation would have dire consequences.

Now infuriated, Sadar reacted by screaming at Shahla when she was back from shopping with her sister. He scorned her, telling her that as a housewife it is her responsibility to look after his family and his mother. This verbal reproach led to physical beating. As Sardar continued beating his wife, neither her sister nor his mother tried to stop him. By the time he was finished with her, she had so many broken bones and ghastly wounds that Shahla was rendered completely helpless. While she endured misery and abuse, no one was there to save her.

Shahla became ill for several days; she was left completely immobile from her husband’s beating. Her husband and in-laws refused to look after her or take her to the hospital. As a result of her injuries and neglect, she passed from this world and left behind two daughters ages four and two, and a five-month-old son.

This tragedy, though heartbreaking, is not uncommon. More women and girls have been killed in the last fifty years as a result of gendercide, than have been killed in all the battles of the twentieth century combined. In the far eastern countries like China and India, the practice of sex- selective abortion has been banned as a result of the gross disregard for the importance of female life.

Consider this story posted in Le Monde on March 28 about women in Afghanistan being imprisoned for ‘moral crimes’ such as running away from home and adultery. According to the Afghan government, this is a simple enforcement of Sharia law. However, Afghanistan is the only country in the world that interprets Sharia law this way. This gross misinterpretation has women being imprisoned because they lack rights as human beings.

There is a distinct connection of income, education, and the perpetuation of this old world treatment of women. In countries like Afghanistan, and Pakistan women are treated as possessions, and there is a well accepted belief that they are not worth the investment of an education. Instead, it is believed that their worth is at home and providing labor for menial work. Ironically, countries that invest in education for women are much better off. And that is the investment that Barakat is making to develop these countries to their full potential.

Thus, at Barakat we believe education is a human right.

“Investment in girls’ education may well be the highest-return investment available in the developing world. The question is not whether countries can afford this investment, but whether countries can afford not to educate more girls.” –Lawrence Summers, former chief economist of the World Bank.

Investing in Girls

Today marks the 100^th anniversary of International Women’s Day, and this year’s theme is “Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women.”  Barakat operates schools and literacy courses for women and girls in South Asia, believing that equal access to education is crucial to reducing poverty in the region.

In many parts of the world, including Afghanistan and Pakistan, girls are less likely than boys to attend school, be vaccinated, or see a doctor.  A recent TIME essay discussed the importance of investing in girls in the global fight against poverty.  “Investment in girls’ education may well be the highest-return investment available in the developing world,” wrote Larry Summers while serving as chief economist at the World Bank.

Girls who attend school for at least seven years typically earn higher wages, marry later, and have fewer children than those with less education.  Fewer dependents per worker leads to greater economic growth. Women are also more likely than men to reinvest their income in their families, buying things like books, medicine, and malaria nets.

Development experts say part of the solution involves providing girls with access to schools and health clinics with programs designed specifically for them.  Helping girls realize their potential will require the support of entire communities, including mothers, fathers, teachers, and religious leaders.

Barakat has witnessed the vital role of supportive family members in our initiatives such as the Girls Scholarship Program in Pakistan.  Scholarship recipient Surayya has four siblings.  Her father is a carpet weaver and her mother is a tailor.  She says, “My father wishes that all of his children get an education, but due to lack of funds he cannot afford our studies.”  Surayya is fortunate to have parents that support her education rather than sending her to work, and with a Barakat scholarship she can continue her studies.  “Education is not necessary for males only,” says Surayya.  “I want to be a well-aware Afghan girl who is able to understand her rights.”

American girls are also getting involved in this cause.  High school girls in the Boston area have held fundraisers for Barakat’s Girls Scholarship Program to support students like Surayya.  The United Nations Foundation has started a campaign called Girl Up, which encourages American girls between the ages of 10 and 19 to give a “High Five” to girls in developing countries by donating $5 to provide school supplies, health check-ups, and more.  Actions like these display how the next generation of leaders is already making progress to improve the lives of girls around the world.

Taliban and Women’s Education

Afghan education minister Farooq Wardak has said a paradigm shift may be coming in the battle for women’s education, telling the media recently that the Taliban had undergone a “cultural change” and decided to end their opposition to girls’ education in the country. While Wardak is close to Afghan President Hamid Karzai – and involved in reconciliation talks with the Taliban – members of the militant group have not confirmed his statement.

Girls attend computer class at a Barakat school in Afghanistan

Indeed, even within the Taliban it appears there are contrasting views on the issue, with the Taliban’s former Ambassador to Islamabad, Mullah Zaeef, telling the BBC that the ban imposed by the Taliban was “a temporary measure” due to the group’s disapproval of co-education and of male teachers teaching women. In addition to the Taliban, others in Afghan society have also opposed educating women for various reasons. As the education minister said, “In the deepest pockets of our society, not only the Taliban, there was not very friendly behavior towards education.”

Beyond these cultural obstacles identified by the minister, millions of Afghans who brave violence and tackle prejudices to send their children to school, face even more challenges. With the country ranked amongst the world’s poorest and still recovering from thirty years of conflict and war, schools are struggling to make ends meet and provide a quality education to their students.

Despite the hardships, Afghans of all ethnic groups – including parents of Barakat students – are determined to provide their children with previously unimaginable opportunities through the power of education. As Wardak went on to say, “During the Taliban era the percentage of girls of the one million students that we had was zero percent. The percent of female teachers was zero percent… today 38 % of our students and 30 % of our teachers are female.” Hopefully, with the minister’s announcement, Afghanistan can look forward to these numbers rising in years to come.

-Faris Islam

The Roots of Change: Lyla Speaks with Barakat Alumni about Problems and Solutions for Afghanistan

Check out this great post from the field – Lyla sat with former Barakat students and got their points of view on issues in Afghanistan, and what change in the future will look like:

How many of us can say we stay in touch with our elementary schools? One of my tasks in Pakistan is to meet with some of Barakat’s former students.  In my first blog I wrote about the way many of these students use Facebook to stay in touch with their alma mater.  On Sunday I got to meet a few of them.

 

Education will give this generation of Afghan children in Pakistan the chance to strengthen their communities and solve social problems.

 

Naveed is a well-spoken young man of 18.  He is in high school and wants to become a pediatrician.  Next to him sat Abdul Mujid, recently married and with hopes of becoming an engineer.  Finally there was Saeed Ullah, who is also finishing high school and wants to become a wrestler.  He names Arnold Schwarzenagger as his biggest role model.

In introducing themselves to me, each of them talked about their hopes for the future of their country.  Naveed and Abdul Mujid both hope to promote education.  Saeed Ullah hopes to follow in Arnold’s footsteps and enter politics after a successful career as a pro wrestler.

When I asked them about their country’s past, they listed illiteracy and poverty as some of its greatest challenges.  The Taliban used to scare people away from school, they told me, especially girls.  ”Our parents’ generation tells us many stories about what Afghanistan was like in the past, but all the stories are sad.”

“And what about the future?” I asked. “What stories do you and your friends share about Afghanistan’s future?”  I was met with three blank stares.

Naveed looked at his friends and smiled, realizing I didn’t understand.  We don’t talk about the future of Afghanistan together, he said.  ”I’ve only been there once.  How can I say what should or shouldn’t happen?”  Abdul Mujid and Saeed Ullah nodded in agreement.  ”We’ve hardly seen Afghanistan.  When we bring it up in conversation, people tell us to stop talking because we don’t know [the situation].”

If I got that response every time I talked about the future of my country, I’d probably stop talking, too.

Later on I posed the same question to another former Barakat student.  He tried patiently to paint the picture for me.

“Let’s say you are an American but lived your whole life in Pakistan.  You were born and raised here.  Should you be the one planning America’s future?” he asked.

While I see his point, I believe the situation for Afghanistan is different. 3.6 million Afghans currently live outside of Afghanistan –  many fled as a result of the Soviet Invasion in the  of Afghans have fled their country over the last four decades, and many more have been born on foreign soil.  But just as this does not make them less Afghan – it does not rob them of the right, no, the responsibility, of dreaming about their homeland’s future.  Together.

Back to the three young men who sat in front of me: all of them have individual hopes for their future.  They see what kind of opportunities education has afforded them, and they want this for all Afghans.  But they’re not yet dreaming together.

“If you aren’t dreaming about Afghanistan’s future with each other, who is?”  Again I was met with silence.

“If you aren’t, you can be sure that someone else is,” I went on.  ”And you may not like what they plan.”

“That’s true,” said Naveed eventually.  ”It’s just not something we talk about together.”

Each of these young men has a dream about what their future will look like.  All of them want to return home eventually, to a country they’ve barely seen but which is still theirs.  Their dreams are individual, as are all of ours to some extent.  We start dreaming about what we know, what we can control.  Most eighteen-year-olds don’t feel like they can control a country ravaged by generations of war and “help” from its neighbors far and wide, these three included. But eventually, I suspect their desire to provide the next generation with a better life than they have–which is how each of them ended up in a Barakat school, incidentally–will draw them from their individual dreams to a communal dream.

I’m looking forward to what a doctor, an engineer and a pro-wrestler cum politician can do together.

On the Love of Learning: Lyla Sees Dedication of Students in Pakistan Firsthand

Here’s the next installment in blog posts from Barakat’s interim executive director, Lyla Hardesty, in her three week journey to Pakistan:

“What’s your name?”
“My name is Zalifa,” came the confident but reserved reply.
“Zalifa, why are you in school today?” I asked.
Zalifa shot a quick glance at her teacher, her eyes asking if this was a trick question
“Because I want to learn to read,” she said.

 

Lyla with male students at Barakat Evening Elementary School

 

Duh, she must have been thinking.

Ok fine, maybe it was a dumb question.  But I wanted to hear it for myself, hear from Zalifa and Shukriya and Zara and all the rest that they were in school to learn.  I talked with many girls like Zalifa this evening, girls who come scurrying into Barakat Elementary in their brightly colored clothing (and sometimes a little after the bell has rung) with books in hand, ready to learn.  And I mean ready.  Most of these girls have worked all day long weaving  carpets with their families.  Their fingers and eyes are tired, but their minds are sharp, and they love being in school.  They love learning Dari, math and English.  In fact, I’ve found more female math enthusiasts among the Afghan refugee community here than I’ve met in the last 10 years in the US.  Not bad.

In the first class I introduced myself, telling students my name, where I’m from and why I’m in their class.  Then I said:

“Miss Sumera [Barakat Pakistan's Country Director] told me about you girls coming to school, and I was so excited to meet you, and now here I am.”

 

Students at Barakat Evening Elemenatry School, ready to learn despite a long day

 

After this sentence left my mouth, I paused, overcome with emotion.  Yep, I thought, that’s exactly why I’m here.  Looking around the room I was moved by the dedication of these young women, some of them as old as 19 and married, all of them standing firm in the face of significant cultural opposition to sit in this classroom and learn to read.

No matter who I talk to here–Pakistanis, Afghans, teachers at other schools–the story is always the same.  “Afghans here don’t usually send their children to school, especially their daughters, and especially Turkmen.”  I have about 400 girls who would tell you differently.

Check out our website for more info on our programs! Check back for more updates from Lyla, as well as for updates on education and women’s issues in South and Central Asia!

Education for All: Personal Success Stories from Lyla’s Visit to Pakistan

Below is the next post in a series devoted to Barakat Interim Executive Director, Lyla Hardesty’s trip to Pakistan. In this post, Lyla hears personal success stories about education for Afghan refugees in Pakistan, as well as the debate revolving on whether parents should send their children to school instead of keeping them home to weave carpets and generate more income:

We were sitting on a beautifully handcrafted carpet in a room that boasted little else save a shelf with a few blankets.  This carpet would easily go for $1,000 if sold in the United States, but it was serving its purpose well here in the home of these Afghan refugees affected by the recent Pakistani floods.

“Of course we send our children to school,” declared one woman proudly.  “We want them to learn other languages and lead a better life than the one we live.”

“No,” said another on the other side of the room.  “I don’t send my children to school.  I need them at home to weave carpets.  We’re Turkmen, that’s what we do.”

The girls on the far left and right attend Barakat Elementary School. Their friend in the middle says that she does not want to go to school and would rather stay home and weave carpets, the main source of income for these families.

“But she is also a Turkmen,” piped in Basmina, one of my translators, motioning to another young woman in the room.  “And she is now in high school.  And her sister…”  Basmina paused dramatically, knowing that her next statement would take this mother by surprise.  “Her sister is in medical school in Rawalpindi.”

“Really?” said the mother, obviously surprised.

“Yes,” replied Haleema, now aware that all eyes were on her.  “Our family thinks education is very important, especially for girls.  My mother and father made it a priority for my family growing up, and now we’re waiting to get married until we’re done with school.  Weaving is still very important to my family, but my father knows that education will have a long-term impact on our lives.  And this is what I want, too.”

The women in the room sat back, pondering what Haleema had just said.  For these Afghan refugees, income generation requires all available resources, with boys and girls weaving carpets or selling vegetables from a young age.  The long-term benefit of education is not as important for many families, especially for girls.  A woman’s role is in the home, they believe, and there’s no reason for her to read or write.

This little boy proudly demonstrated his ability to write aleph, the first letter in the Urdu alphabet to his cousin, whose parents have not yet allowed her to start school.

The staff at Barakat has seen this change in the last 15 years.  Many children are now eager to slip on their smart blue and white checkered uniforms and carry backpacks with pencil and paper.  But fifteen years ago, the 22 students in Barakat Pakistan’s first class represented 22 hard-won steps towards education as a community value.  As more students like Haleema demonstrate the long-term benefits gained by education, more girls are declaring their own career aspirations–doctor and teacher being the two most popular–and asking their parents to send them to school with increasing success.  Our former students are some of our strongest advocates, too, visiting the schools and community to talk to parents about the value of education.

All of the students pictured here attend Barakat Elementary School.  Their mothers said they want their own children to have a better life than the one they themselves lead.

If you have thoughts about debates revolving around education, or have questions for Lyla about her trip, feel free to leave them below! You can also see Barakat’s website for more information or check us out on Facebook and Twitter!

Happy World Teachers’ Day!

Barakat is happy to join UNESCO in celebrating World Teachers’ Day! As we continue our efforts to empower thousands of women and girls in South and Central Asia through education, we are reminded often about how necessary quality teachers are to this cause. Teachers in Barakat programs have been essential to the spreading of knowledge about human rights, the perils of smoking and gender equality. Our teachers serve as role models for their students and continue to exhibit the values of education.

A Barakat Teacher in Pakistan (Photo Credit: Barakat)

The origin of World Teachers’ day marks the signing of the UNESCO/ILO Recommendation Concerning the Status of Teachers, on October 5, 1966. This document, while recognizing the importance of teachers in “continued moral and cultural progress and economic and social advancement,” creates a set of universal standards and rights for teachers in order to ensure that they get the resources they need in their important roles.  UNESCO marks the event every year with a conference dedicated to international issues within teaching. This conference will be coupled with a virtual exhibition titled, ” A Tribute to Teachers.” Worldwide celebrations of teachers will take place.

Ever think about where you would be without the influential teachers in your life? If you think teachers had a bit impact on your life, consider what teachers can do for disenfranchised groups all over the world. In places where there are no school buildings or inadequate textbooks, the presence of a teacher can deliver education, despite lack of other resources. Please join Barakat in celebrating the contributions of teachers worldwide, and remember your favorite teachers today!

Girl’s School Attacked in Pakistan

For many of us at Barakat, a step forward feels like it’s sometimes met with none other than a rude push right back.

For the past couple of months, Barakat has been working to establish a new scholarship program in our Pakistan schools for female students who’ve performed well academically and wish to pursue higher education. (To learn more about this initiative, check out our upcoming July newsletter, or read about our sister program in Afghanistan.)

But amid the fundraising, planning, and selections, we read the news.

According to an article in  Iran’s media organization, Press TV, a girls school in northwest Pakistan was bombed on Monday by unknown militants. Thankfully, there were no casualties, but the five-room schoolhouse was utterly  destroyed.

Courtesy Press TV

The school was not one of  Barakat’s; it was a government-run school in the Sheik Baba area near Khar in the Bajuar agency region.

Although the militants remain unnamed, the Taliban, who outwardly opposes female education and has been responsible for many similar acts in the past, is highly suspected.

At times like these, it is difficult to understand why these acts of aggression are taken against those who are least capable of defending themselves, and it is easy to feel dismayed and let down.

But the government of Pakistan refuses to give up, and neither do we.

Pakistan has vowed that despite the violence, it will not shut down any of the girl’s schools.  And here at Barakat, we promise that no matter how many times we’re pushed, we’ll continue to move forward.

Click here to help.

Written by: Lisa DeBenedictis

UNHRC: Disparities in Education Still Exist

By: Lisa DeBenedictis

In many countries, advancements in women’s rights have increased exponentially in recent years. And yet, disparities are still present, with some of the most pronounced in some of the South Asian countries that Barakat works with, such as Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Last week, the United Nations Human Right’s Council (UNHRC) held its annual discussion on Women’s Human Rights in Geneva. At the conference, the organization was informed that the progress on gender equality in education is so stagnant that it will be very unlikely to reach the Millennium Development Goal of eliminating the disparities in education between men and women by 2040.

In her opening remarks, Deputy High Commissioner Kyung-wha Kang stated that of the 130 million young people not in school, 70 percent are women.

At Barakat, we agree with the UNHRC that education is a human right that is freeing and empowering. Indeed, according to United Nations research: “Girls who are educated are likely to marry later, are better protected from a forced or early marriage, are likely to contribute to reducing the HIV/AIDS rate in their countries, will have fewer children and are less likely to suffer pregnancy-related complications or death…and when they are able to work, they are more likely than boys to invest most of it in their families.”

Though economic factors play a large role (poor families may not be able to afford to send any of their children to school, regardless of their sex), studies have shown that given the choice to either send a son or a daughter to school, the daughter is most often the one that has to stay home.

“Girls have been the first to be withdrawn from school, in order to help their families cope with the economic hardships,” said Kang.

Help Barakat enroll more young women in school. Donate now.

Unqualified Teachers A Nationwide Issue

Written by: Lisa DeBenedictis

Forget the lack of textbooks, supplies and access to computers.

Imagine instead a school without teachers—or even trained teachers.

This, however, is the harsh reality that many schools across Afghanistan are forced to deal with.

The Maidan Wardak province, just west of Kabul, was formerly run by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and the Hizb-e-Islami party and the Taliban. As a result of much political strife, Maidan Wardak’s economy—and education system— has suffered deeply.

“Most professional teachers have either taken refuge outside the province, been martyred during the wars, or worked for foreign organizations due to economic problems at the moment,” said Maidan Wardak’s Director of Education, Hafizollah Waziri, in an interview with the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR).

Out of the 4,375 teachers employed in the province’s 331 active schools, only 510 are qualified to teach, he added.

And according to Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education, it’s a nationwide issue. Of the 175,000 registered teachers, over 70 percent have not graduated from teaching training colleges. Even more alarming, some of them reported as only having completed the sixth grade.

In Barakat’s Mullah Kareem Nazar School in the Andkoy district of the Faryab province, the school is lucky enough to have a good relationship with the local government. It is a government-sponsored school, and so they appointed each of the school’s 15 teachers. The minimum requirements for hiring a teacher in the Mullah Kareem Nazar school are: successful completion of the twelfth grade, completion of teacher training college, and experience.

But Barakat’s Besh Kapa Surkh School in the Aqcha district of the Jowzjan province has had more trouble. The school’s relationship with the local government is not as strong, and without governmental help, it is difficult to find properly qualified teachers. As of now, the 12 teachers working at Besh Kapa Surkh have completed both the twelfth grade and their teacher training college programs, but not all are very experienced.

In order to counter this problem, we at Barakat are in the process of hiring seven more experienced teachers at Besh Kapa Surkh School, which will provide help to both the students and the teachers.

Remember, the money you donate goes directly to the funding of our schools, including the salaries of our teachers. Help us help our students get a quality education by donating today.

Students sit in one of the classrooms of Barakat's Besh Kapa Surkh School.

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