AKF at European Development Days 2019
Reconnecting Afghanistan: From Instability to Opportunity
For centuries, Afghanistan was integral to connectivity—through the Silk Road’s trade and cultural exchange—between Asia and Europe, and within Asia itself. While decades of conflict have diminished this centrality, collaboration and integration remain critical to regional stability.
On 18 June, AKF hosted a panel discussion at the European Development Days in Brussels.
The theme for 2019 was Addressing Inequalities: building a world which leaves no one behind.
AKF’s panel discussion was centred around the findings of a new report by Chatham House, Reconnecting Afghanistan: Lessons in Cross-Border Engagement. This panel brought to light the impact of a variety of projects along and across the Afghan borders that aim to reduce inequalities and unlock the enormous potential of the region. The speakers:
- Explored examples of ‘local’ cross-border interventions, their implication on the economy, livelihood opportunities and job creation.
- Raised the profile of trade, energy and connectivity as effective tools of development, applicable to other contexts.
- Demonstrated that engagement with Afghanistan can bring positive economic benefits.
https://www.akf.org.uk/news/blog/eu-dev ... 25c8c5fc8d
Afghanistan & AKDN
The STAGES (Steps Towards Afghan Girls’ Education Success) II programme is funded by DFID through its GEC grant scheme. It is being implemented by a consortium of partners, led by the Aga Khan Foundation.
Sarah Cottereau
21 August 2019
A man educates a person, while a woman educates a family”
Afghan proverb
After decades of war in Afghanistan, access to education remains a challenge and the illiteracy rate is very high, particularly among women in rural areas. Mothers during a focus group discussion in Kabul city acknowledge the issue:
Most people believe that girls who are 14 years or older should not go to school and some people arrange their marriage. The mindsets have not changed much.
Research shows that fifty percent of girls drop out of school after grade 6 when they reach puberty and have to demonstrate their ability to adhere to social norms. They are at an age where families consider potential suitors and they also take on the responsibility of the “family name”, outweighing the value of education.
Tabasum, a 17-year old lower secondary student in a Community Based Education class (CBE) in Faryab province has five sisters who were never allowed to go to secondary school after completing their primary education. Their father had decided they should get married before turning eighteen. The same fate awaited her. She recalled:
I was so frustrated and lost hope when my family discussed my marriage. I told my family that I did not want to get married at a young age and expressed my wish to complete secondary school because I dreamt of becoming a teacher. However, they went ahead with arranging my marriage.
Aside from the threat of early marriage, adolescent girls often miss class because they are expected to help their mother with household chores as they get older. Rokhsar, a grade 7 CBE student in Khost province was absent very regularly. Her mother, herself illiterate, thought that household chores were more important than her education, stating:
What use is her education? My in-laws get angry when household chores are not performed on time and they want me to involve Rokhsar as well, since learning household chores can help her in future when she starts married life. She is the cause of family arguments and disputes.
“I told my family that I did not want to get married at a young age and expressed my wish to complete secondary school because I dreamt of becoming a teacher.”
STAGES II works with mullahs, school management committee members (SMC) and teachers to slowly change attitudes and gain community support for girls’ right to secondary education. SMC members and the local community play a fundamental role in encouraging parents to allow girls to attend school and they receive training from STAGES on conflict resolution and follow-up on absenteeism or drop out.
Female SMC members and teachers play a critical role in talking to mothers about the importance of their daughters’ education. In Rokhsar’s case, SMC members went to visit her mother and tried to find a solution to her problem. Together, they made a list of household chores, set a schedule for each task and distributed a few chores to Rokhsar after class. They requested her family to arrange their chores without arguing and convinced her mother to support Rokhsar and be patient with her so that she could continue her education. Some mothers during a focus group discussion in Baghlan province, said:
Our daughters are learning in school, we take over the household chores to let them go to their lessons.
STAGES’ midline survey showed that there was a 20 percent decrease in the number of men prioritising marriage over school since the beginning of the project, revealing a shift in attitudes around educated women and their value within the household. Parents are increasingly waiting to marry their daughters until they’ve finished their education, and as such, marriage is seen as less common a reason for dropping out of school among ALP/LSCBE students. A mullah in Khinjan district of Baghlan province, commented:
Girls here mostly get married early but I recommend for families to either delay the marriage time or allow girls to continue their lessons after marriage.
Religious leaders and shura members appear to be more comfortable discussing and promoting the delay of early marriage in the community. However, while 94 percent of SMC members report that they are able to communicate with parents about general issues regarding early marriage, when it comes to a specific situation, ultimately the decision is out of their hands. They often highlight the fact that they can simply advise families to delay marriage, but the economic situation of families is generally more influential. During a focus group discussion in Badakshan province, one girl confirmed:
When girls get married, there are other family problems they have to deal with, so they are not able to continue their schooling.
“Education will enable me to have a voice and participate in decision-making process within my family as well as in my future.”
photos and more...
https://www.akf.org.uk/news/changing-at ... 25c8c5fc8d
Sarah Cottereau
21 August 2019
A man educates a person, while a woman educates a family”
Afghan proverb
After decades of war in Afghanistan, access to education remains a challenge and the illiteracy rate is very high, particularly among women in rural areas. Mothers during a focus group discussion in Kabul city acknowledge the issue:
Most people believe that girls who are 14 years or older should not go to school and some people arrange their marriage. The mindsets have not changed much.
Research shows that fifty percent of girls drop out of school after grade 6 when they reach puberty and have to demonstrate their ability to adhere to social norms. They are at an age where families consider potential suitors and they also take on the responsibility of the “family name”, outweighing the value of education.
Tabasum, a 17-year old lower secondary student in a Community Based Education class (CBE) in Faryab province has five sisters who were never allowed to go to secondary school after completing their primary education. Their father had decided they should get married before turning eighteen. The same fate awaited her. She recalled:
I was so frustrated and lost hope when my family discussed my marriage. I told my family that I did not want to get married at a young age and expressed my wish to complete secondary school because I dreamt of becoming a teacher. However, they went ahead with arranging my marriage.
Aside from the threat of early marriage, adolescent girls often miss class because they are expected to help their mother with household chores as they get older. Rokhsar, a grade 7 CBE student in Khost province was absent very regularly. Her mother, herself illiterate, thought that household chores were more important than her education, stating:
What use is her education? My in-laws get angry when household chores are not performed on time and they want me to involve Rokhsar as well, since learning household chores can help her in future when she starts married life. She is the cause of family arguments and disputes.
“I told my family that I did not want to get married at a young age and expressed my wish to complete secondary school because I dreamt of becoming a teacher.”
STAGES II works with mullahs, school management committee members (SMC) and teachers to slowly change attitudes and gain community support for girls’ right to secondary education. SMC members and the local community play a fundamental role in encouraging parents to allow girls to attend school and they receive training from STAGES on conflict resolution and follow-up on absenteeism or drop out.
Female SMC members and teachers play a critical role in talking to mothers about the importance of their daughters’ education. In Rokhsar’s case, SMC members went to visit her mother and tried to find a solution to her problem. Together, they made a list of household chores, set a schedule for each task and distributed a few chores to Rokhsar after class. They requested her family to arrange their chores without arguing and convinced her mother to support Rokhsar and be patient with her so that she could continue her education. Some mothers during a focus group discussion in Baghlan province, said:
Our daughters are learning in school, we take over the household chores to let them go to their lessons.
STAGES’ midline survey showed that there was a 20 percent decrease in the number of men prioritising marriage over school since the beginning of the project, revealing a shift in attitudes around educated women and their value within the household. Parents are increasingly waiting to marry their daughters until they’ve finished their education, and as such, marriage is seen as less common a reason for dropping out of school among ALP/LSCBE students. A mullah in Khinjan district of Baghlan province, commented:
Girls here mostly get married early but I recommend for families to either delay the marriage time or allow girls to continue their lessons after marriage.
Religious leaders and shura members appear to be more comfortable discussing and promoting the delay of early marriage in the community. However, while 94 percent of SMC members report that they are able to communicate with parents about general issues regarding early marriage, when it comes to a specific situation, ultimately the decision is out of their hands. They often highlight the fact that they can simply advise families to delay marriage, but the economic situation of families is generally more influential. During a focus group discussion in Badakshan province, one girl confirmed:
When girls get married, there are other family problems they have to deal with, so they are not able to continue their schooling.
“Education will enable me to have a voice and participate in decision-making process within my family as well as in my future.”
photos and more...
https://www.akf.org.uk/news/changing-at ... 25c8c5fc8d
The Patient
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCmtyzW-KlU
The FMIC treats 60,000 patients each year from all 34 provinces in Afghanistan. The hospital is run by AKU in partnership with the Government of France, the French NGO La Chaine de L'Espoir, the Government of Afghanistan and the AKDN.
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCmtyzW-KlU
The FMIC treats 60,000 patients each year from all 34 provinces in Afghanistan. The hospital is run by AKU in partnership with the Government of France, the French NGO La Chaine de L'Espoir, the Government of Afghanistan and the AKDN.
Meet Laila
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC3teQf_RDY
Laila is a 9 year old Afghan girl who dreams one day of becoming a scientist. Find out how the Aga Khan Foundation, DFID and partners are helping to remove the barriers to education that Laila faces.
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC3teQf_RDY
Laila is a 9 year old Afghan girl who dreams one day of becoming a scientist. Find out how the Aga Khan Foundation, DFID and partners are helping to remove the barriers to education that Laila faces.
Video Quote: MHI on AKDN in Afghanistan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8RkXYmS9P8
Speech by His Highness the Aga Khan at the Prince Claus Fund's Conference on culture and development, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 7 September 2002.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8RkXYmS9P8
Speech by His Highness the Aga Khan at the Prince Claus Fund's Conference on culture and development, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 7 September 2002.
Video Quote: MHI on Excellence Verses Mediocrity in Development Issues
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YLXlHp ... rce=Direct
Speech by His Highness the Aga Khan at the Opening of the Kabul Serena hotel, Afghanistan, 8 November 2005.
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YLXlHp ... rce=Direct
Speech by His Highness the Aga Khan at the Opening of the Kabul Serena hotel, Afghanistan, 8 November 2005.
As RECEIVED
Translation of the Speech of Governor of Bamyan, Afghanistan.
Please find below the English Translation of the Speech of Mohammed Tahir Zuhair, Governor Bamyan Afghanistan sent by my Afghan friend:
The Aga khan is not asking for any return against all his services, donations and assistance. His Highness is representing the Islam of service, love, development and helping others. He is the real spiritual leader of Islam and he is following the Islam introduced by Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family). The Aga khan is promoting happiness, pluralism, respect for each other and improving the livelihood of poor. He is representing Islam of service to Humanity, helping the poor and marginalized people. This is what Islam wants.
The Aga Khan has introduced the Islam to the World as the religion of respect not terror, peace not violence and moderation not bigotry, unity not conflict.
The Aga Khan does not have any biases. He is serving all Muslims and non-Muslims equally without considering their race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sect and faith. He has never asked people to become ismaili in return for his services. One example is Bamayn's Modern hospital built by the Aga Khan. Although the percentage of Ismaili Muslims is very small in Bamyan and majority of people in Bamyan are non-Ismaili Muslims. The Aga Khan has built this hospital for everyone and he has never asked anything in return.
His only objective is serving the human beings and their welfare. He provides free services to Humanity in all continents. This is the real Islam. All Muslims are proud of the Aga Khan.
The Governor congratulated his Highness the Aga Khan on his 60 years of Imamat. He also congratulated his followers in Bamyan and the World and wished him long life. He also mentioned that he is committed as provincial governor and he fully supports AKDN's work in Bamyan. He further said that I am also proud to attend this honorable event.
He further said that those people, who use Islam for their own political benefits are not following real Islam. The real Islam is the one promoted by the Aga Khan.
Translation of the Speech of Governor of Bamyan, Afghanistan.
Please find below the English Translation of the Speech of Mohammed Tahir Zuhair, Governor Bamyan Afghanistan sent by my Afghan friend:
The Aga khan is not asking for any return against all his services, donations and assistance. His Highness is representing the Islam of service, love, development and helping others. He is the real spiritual leader of Islam and he is following the Islam introduced by Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family). The Aga khan is promoting happiness, pluralism, respect for each other and improving the livelihood of poor. He is representing Islam of service to Humanity, helping the poor and marginalized people. This is what Islam wants.
The Aga Khan has introduced the Islam to the World as the religion of respect not terror, peace not violence and moderation not bigotry, unity not conflict.
The Aga Khan does not have any biases. He is serving all Muslims and non-Muslims equally without considering their race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sect and faith. He has never asked people to become ismaili in return for his services. One example is Bamayn's Modern hospital built by the Aga Khan. Although the percentage of Ismaili Muslims is very small in Bamyan and majority of people in Bamyan are non-Ismaili Muslims. The Aga Khan has built this hospital for everyone and he has never asked anything in return.
His only objective is serving the human beings and their welfare. He provides free services to Humanity in all continents. This is the real Islam. All Muslims are proud of the Aga Khan.
The Governor congratulated his Highness the Aga Khan on his 60 years of Imamat. He also congratulated his followers in Bamyan and the World and wished him long life. He also mentioned that he is committed as provincial governor and he fully supports AKDN's work in Bamyan. He further said that I am also proud to attend this honorable event.
He further said that those people, who use Islam for their own political benefits are not following real Islam. The real Islam is the one promoted by the Aga Khan.
Video Quote: MHI on the Improvements in Infant Mortality in Afghan Badakshan
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlUaiLmOlro
Keynote remarks made by His Highness the Aga Khan at the MNCH Summit in Toronto, Canada, 29 May 2014.
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlUaiLmOlro
Keynote remarks made by His Highness the Aga Khan at the MNCH Summit in Toronto, Canada, 29 May 2014.
The aspiring beauticians and tailors of Bamyan – how even a short course can change the course of a life
For many girls in Afghanistan, gaining a secondary education is an achievement against all odds. But for those who do make it this far, there is still a considerable risk that their progress will be undermined by a lack of appropriate employment opportunities for them when they finish their studies.
To help them make the next step into meaningful employment, the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) have been working with young women and their communities to find work close to their homes and to provide the necessary vocational training to support them to succeed.
Alim Dara* village in Bamyan province is just one of many villages where AKF has been working with communities to find opportunities for their young women. With no secondary schools anywhere close by, many of the adolescent girls in the village had been forced to end their formal education after primary school. In 2018, AKF established a community-based education secondary class in the village which over 40 local girls attended. AKF spent time speaking with the students about the kind of work they would like to do after they graduated and what skills this would require. The majority of them requested cosmetology (beauty services) and tailoring, due not only to a genuine interest in such work but also because there was a demand for these services in the village: for weddings, brides and their bridal parties typically had to go outside of the village to have their hair and makeup done and to have clothes made.
AKF responded to this request by recruiting cosmetology and tailoring trainers for what would be a three-month course. Seventeen girls joined the cosmetology classes and eight attended the tailoring lessons. The girls were given training for three hours a day, six days a week. AKF then arranged to follow this with entrepreneurship training so the young women could learn how to set up, market and manage their small businesses in the community. Laila, one of the students, remarked:
“There are no beauty parlours in the village and we used to have to go to the district centre, but for the last three months, we’ve been practicing amongst ourselves and solving our own needs, as well as saving the money we would have spent at the beauty parlour. We are improving our skills and hope to open a centre in the village to earn more money and address the needs of our own community girls.”
Aisha, a cosmetology student, was also delighted with the opportunities the course had provided her.
“I was so interested to learn beautification skills outside the village, but because the classes were very far away, my father would not permit me to go and so I could not achieve my dream. I really felt hopeless, but AKF supported our village and in addition to continuing our basic education, I was able to attend the cosmetology course. Now I have the opportunity to achieve my dream – I feel so hopeful and I am really thankful for such a programme.”
One of the added benefits of even a short course like this one, is that it has allowed the girls to support their local economy, since otherwise the money for these services would have been spent outside the village. Moreover, it has helped these young women build their self-esteem and find ways to be financially independent, at the same time as allowing them to serve as role models for younger girls in the community. Not only the younger generation but the whole community can now see first-hand the opportunities that a good education for women and learning vocational skills can bring – informed women who can run their own businesses, support their local economies and inspire the next generation are key to breaking the cycle of poverty that has trapped so many for too long.
https://www.akf.org.uk/blog/the-aspirin ... 25c8c5fc8d
******
Girls' Education in Afghanistan
Photographs at:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/agakhanfo ... 25c8c5fc8d
For many girls in Afghanistan, gaining a secondary education is an achievement against all odds. But for those who do make it this far, there is still a considerable risk that their progress will be undermined by a lack of appropriate employment opportunities for them when they finish their studies.
To help them make the next step into meaningful employment, the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) have been working with young women and their communities to find work close to their homes and to provide the necessary vocational training to support them to succeed.
Alim Dara* village in Bamyan province is just one of many villages where AKF has been working with communities to find opportunities for their young women. With no secondary schools anywhere close by, many of the adolescent girls in the village had been forced to end their formal education after primary school. In 2018, AKF established a community-based education secondary class in the village which over 40 local girls attended. AKF spent time speaking with the students about the kind of work they would like to do after they graduated and what skills this would require. The majority of them requested cosmetology (beauty services) and tailoring, due not only to a genuine interest in such work but also because there was a demand for these services in the village: for weddings, brides and their bridal parties typically had to go outside of the village to have their hair and makeup done and to have clothes made.
AKF responded to this request by recruiting cosmetology and tailoring trainers for what would be a three-month course. Seventeen girls joined the cosmetology classes and eight attended the tailoring lessons. The girls were given training for three hours a day, six days a week. AKF then arranged to follow this with entrepreneurship training so the young women could learn how to set up, market and manage their small businesses in the community. Laila, one of the students, remarked:
“There are no beauty parlours in the village and we used to have to go to the district centre, but for the last three months, we’ve been practicing amongst ourselves and solving our own needs, as well as saving the money we would have spent at the beauty parlour. We are improving our skills and hope to open a centre in the village to earn more money and address the needs of our own community girls.”
Aisha, a cosmetology student, was also delighted with the opportunities the course had provided her.
“I was so interested to learn beautification skills outside the village, but because the classes were very far away, my father would not permit me to go and so I could not achieve my dream. I really felt hopeless, but AKF supported our village and in addition to continuing our basic education, I was able to attend the cosmetology course. Now I have the opportunity to achieve my dream – I feel so hopeful and I am really thankful for such a programme.”
One of the added benefits of even a short course like this one, is that it has allowed the girls to support their local economy, since otherwise the money for these services would have been spent outside the village. Moreover, it has helped these young women build their self-esteem and find ways to be financially independent, at the same time as allowing them to serve as role models for younger girls in the community. Not only the younger generation but the whole community can now see first-hand the opportunities that a good education for women and learning vocational skills can bring – informed women who can run their own businesses, support their local economies and inspire the next generation are key to breaking the cycle of poverty that has trapped so many for too long.
https://www.akf.org.uk/blog/the-aspirin ... 25c8c5fc8d
******
Girls' Education in Afghanistan
Photographs at:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/agakhanfo ... 25c8c5fc8d
Twelve specialist doctors graduate in Kabul hospital ceremony
Kabul, Afghanistan, 7 March 2020 - To meet the critical needs for medical specialists in Afghanistan in fields such as pediatrics and cardiology, the French Medical Institute for Mothers and Children (FMIC) graduated twelve specialists.
Ten male and two female doctors were awarded certificates in seven specialisations, including Anesthesia, Radiology, Orthopaedics, Pediatric Surgery, Pathology, Pediatric Medicine and Cardiology.
The certificates were awarded by Dr. Ahmad Jan Naeem, Advisor to the Minister of Public Health, Afghanistan, and Dr Shafiq Mirzazada, Director, Academic Projects in Afghanistan, Aga Khan University (AKU-APA). FMIC’s Post-Graduate Medical Education (PGME) flagship programme was developed in partnership with the Aga Khan University and Ministry of Public Health.
Ambassador Sheherazade Hirji, AKDN Diplomatic Representative to Afghanistan, said “the PGME programme brings cutting-edge skills and knowledge in Afghanistan while training doctors in rare specialties, promoting clinical practices and evolving research based inquiry in medicine”.
Dr Ahmad Jan Naeem praised the efforts of the graduating doctors with the hope that those doctors will serve the people of Afghanistan to the best of their abilities. He also applauded FMIC’s contribution in improving the healthcare system in Afghanistan.
aku-afghanistan-5th_pgme_graduation_cermony_fmic_march_7_2020_4.jpg
Photos and more...
https://www.akdn.org/press-release/twel ... l-ceremony
Kabul, Afghanistan, 7 March 2020 - To meet the critical needs for medical specialists in Afghanistan in fields such as pediatrics and cardiology, the French Medical Institute for Mothers and Children (FMIC) graduated twelve specialists.
Ten male and two female doctors were awarded certificates in seven specialisations, including Anesthesia, Radiology, Orthopaedics, Pediatric Surgery, Pathology, Pediatric Medicine and Cardiology.
The certificates were awarded by Dr. Ahmad Jan Naeem, Advisor to the Minister of Public Health, Afghanistan, and Dr Shafiq Mirzazada, Director, Academic Projects in Afghanistan, Aga Khan University (AKU-APA). FMIC’s Post-Graduate Medical Education (PGME) flagship programme was developed in partnership with the Aga Khan University and Ministry of Public Health.
Ambassador Sheherazade Hirji, AKDN Diplomatic Representative to Afghanistan, said “the PGME programme brings cutting-edge skills and knowledge in Afghanistan while training doctors in rare specialties, promoting clinical practices and evolving research based inquiry in medicine”.
Dr Ahmad Jan Naeem praised the efforts of the graduating doctors with the hope that those doctors will serve the people of Afghanistan to the best of their abilities. He also applauded FMIC’s contribution in improving the healthcare system in Afghanistan.
aku-afghanistan-5th_pgme_graduation_cermony_fmic_march_7_2020_4.jpg
Photos and more...
https://www.akdn.org/press-release/twel ... l-ceremony
The First Lady
Dr Hajira was the first female doctor in Badakhshan, Afghanistan. Today, she is the head of a dedicated gynaecology and obstetrics ward that treats hundreds of women every year.
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi7tP17OQDQ
Dr Hajira was the first female doctor in Badakhshan, Afghanistan. Today, she is the head of a dedicated gynaecology and obstetrics ward that treats hundreds of women every year.
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi7tP17OQDQ
Leading the charge
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UtqNjNeqgw
After studying to be a nurse, Elaha has risen quickly to become a nursing manager at the Faizabad hospital, where she is responsible for scheduling and overseeing all the nurses at the hospital – and has become the primary breadwinner in her family.
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UtqNjNeqgw
After studying to be a nurse, Elaha has risen quickly to become a nursing manager at the Faizabad hospital, where she is responsible for scheduling and overseeing all the nurses at the hospital – and has become the primary breadwinner in her family.
Learning must go on — protecting girls’ education in Afghanistan
For many Afghan girls, accessing a quality education is already wrought with challenges — a situation complicated further due to the pandemic. With the closure of schools, we found out how one community are keeping their girls learning against the odds.
Abbas Dara* is a relatively large village for the Andarab district in Baghlan province. Around 300 families live there and most rely on agriculture for income. With the nearest school a long way away, the majority of people are illiterate. Due to concerns for their safety when travelling to school, as well as economic and cultural constraints, girls, in particular, struggle to gain an education.
To provide opportunities for girls, the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), with funding from UKAID, established an Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP) class in 2019 for the thirty out-of-school adolescent girls in Abbas Dara. These classes are designed to fast-track learning so that girls who have been unable to study in the past can undertake future education or apply for skills training programmes.
After successfully completing the first grade, the students were on course to start the second grade. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Education announced in March that all schools must close.
In response to the pandemic, AKF staff, community leaders, and teachers had begun to put in place a series of measures and interventions to keep the community safe and raise awareness of the health risks and guidelines for avoiding infection. Health and hygiene materials including masks, gloves and soap were distributed to students, teachers and school committees. The latter two were also provided with guidelines on how to distribute these materials to students.
photos and more...
https://www.akf.org.uk/learning-must-go ... 25c8c5fc8d
For many Afghan girls, accessing a quality education is already wrought with challenges — a situation complicated further due to the pandemic. With the closure of schools, we found out how one community are keeping their girls learning against the odds.
Abbas Dara* is a relatively large village for the Andarab district in Baghlan province. Around 300 families live there and most rely on agriculture for income. With the nearest school a long way away, the majority of people are illiterate. Due to concerns for their safety when travelling to school, as well as economic and cultural constraints, girls, in particular, struggle to gain an education.
To provide opportunities for girls, the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), with funding from UKAID, established an Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP) class in 2019 for the thirty out-of-school adolescent girls in Abbas Dara. These classes are designed to fast-track learning so that girls who have been unable to study in the past can undertake future education or apply for skills training programmes.
After successfully completing the first grade, the students were on course to start the second grade. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Education announced in March that all schools must close.
In response to the pandemic, AKF staff, community leaders, and teachers had begun to put in place a series of measures and interventions to keep the community safe and raise awareness of the health risks and guidelines for avoiding infection. Health and hygiene materials including masks, gloves and soap were distributed to students, teachers and school committees. The latter two were also provided with guidelines on how to distribute these materials to students.
photos and more...
https://www.akf.org.uk/learning-must-go ... 25c8c5fc8d
Firmly on the road to progress – advancements in girls' education in Afghanistan
From being forbidden to enrol in school, to now making up 39% of learners in the country, find out how AKF and its partners – including the UK's Department for International Development – have been instrumental in helping to advance girls' education and what challenges remain.
https://odihpn.org/magazine/advancing-a ... 25c8c5fc8d
Improving Adolescents' Lives in Afghanistan programme
In rural Afghanistan, youth represent a large proportion of the population, but they are largely invisible as citizens. Subject to traditional, conservative norms that include unsupportive attitudes towards education, most girls and boys do not complete their secondary studies and are obliged to marry before the age of 18.
In response to this, from May 2017 to April 2020, the Aga Khan Foundation and it partners undertook the Improving Adolescents’ Lives in Afghanistan (IALA) programme to work with over 176,720 adolescents and young adults in the Afghan central highlands, helping them to gain the confidence and skills and opportunities necessary to act as effective agents of change in their communities. Going forward, they realise that only with their full participation in society will life in rural Afghanistan really improve for all.
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge8f466F9-I
In rural Afghanistan, youth represent a large proportion of the population, but they are largely invisible as citizens. Subject to traditional, conservative norms that include unsupportive attitudes towards education, most girls and boys do not complete their secondary studies and are obliged to marry before the age of 18.
In response to this, from May 2017 to April 2020, the Aga Khan Foundation and it partners undertook the Improving Adolescents’ Lives in Afghanistan (IALA) programme to work with over 176,720 adolescents and young adults in the Afghan central highlands, helping them to gain the confidence and skills and opportunities necessary to act as effective agents of change in their communities. Going forward, they realise that only with their full participation in society will life in rural Afghanistan really improve for all.
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge8f466F9-I
Kimya: Growing crops, nurturing a community in Afghanistan
After COVID-19 spread across Afghanistan, many, including Kimya’s eldest son, a rental driver, lost their jobs. However, a greenhouse the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) helped her to build has enabled their family to weather the pandemic. Of the 6,000 tomato seedlings produced through the greenhouse, Kimya sold half to support her family’s needs (in the spirit of community philanthropy, she gave the other half to neighbours who could not afford to buy the seedlings).
Kimya lives in Baghlan, Afghanistan. In 2017, a Canadian-supported programme helped her build a low-cost greenhouse, which enabled her to feed her family with the vegetables she produced and supplement the family income from the sale of excess crops and seedlings. “This programme has enabled me to cope with these new problems, and helped my family cope,” she says.
But coping with the pandemic was not enough for the entrepreneurial Kimya. She noticed that when she went back to buy more masks for her children, she noticed the prices had gone up exponentially. She realised she could not afford to keep buying them.
So she went to work. Using some of her earnings from selling the seedlings from her greenhouse, Kimya bought raw materials and started stitching masks at home.
“The masks in the market are very expensive and disposable, but the masks I produce are cheap, and can be washed and reused,” she says.
Her masks sell for AFN 10 (around US$ 0.14 cents) -- about five times cheaper than the disposable ones in the market. On top of earning extra income for her family, Kimya has also provided 300 free masks for people who could not afford them.
While the pandemic has placed added stress and burden on many women like Kimya, it has also highlighted the important role they play in their families and their communities.
Learn more about the Afghanistan Women’s Empowerment Programme on the Aga Khan Foundation Canada website by clicking here.
https://www.akdn.org/our-stories/kimya- ... fghanistan
******
Istoray: Unmasking new opportunities in a time of crisis
With the outbreak of COVID-19, Istoray’s business ground to a halt. A lockdown order on the market where Istoray’s business operated caused her, and many others, to lose their business and income.
“My business was on the brink of falling down, when I suddenly realised that I can save not only my business but also people of my community,” she said. “I analysed the market, saw the [demand for masks,] and started sewing,” she said.
Thanks to a Canadian-supported programme in Afghanistan, she had been equipped in 2019 to grow her business and train new tailors through business skills training. When COVID-19 hit, she was prepared. Now she makes 400 to 500 masks every day out of her home which, with the help of her children, are sold locally. A nearby drugstore also stocks her masks in packages of 12.
Istoray is not only helping to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by providing masks at an affordable price to her community, she has found a way to thrive during a period of crisis. Selling masks has doubled her monthly income at a time when many businesses have struggled to make ends meet.
In the future, Istoray hopes to extend her business even further by producing other quality protective clothes -- once she finds a supplier who can keep up with her demand for materials.
By empowering women like Istoray, the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is helping build communities and economies that are resilient to change and crises. Learn more about the Afghanistan Women’s Empowerment Programme by clicking on the Aga Khan Foundation Canada site here.
https://www.akdn.org/our-stories/istora ... ime-crisis
After COVID-19 spread across Afghanistan, many, including Kimya’s eldest son, a rental driver, lost their jobs. However, a greenhouse the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) helped her to build has enabled their family to weather the pandemic. Of the 6,000 tomato seedlings produced through the greenhouse, Kimya sold half to support her family’s needs (in the spirit of community philanthropy, she gave the other half to neighbours who could not afford to buy the seedlings).
Kimya lives in Baghlan, Afghanistan. In 2017, a Canadian-supported programme helped her build a low-cost greenhouse, which enabled her to feed her family with the vegetables she produced and supplement the family income from the sale of excess crops and seedlings. “This programme has enabled me to cope with these new problems, and helped my family cope,” she says.
But coping with the pandemic was not enough for the entrepreneurial Kimya. She noticed that when she went back to buy more masks for her children, she noticed the prices had gone up exponentially. She realised she could not afford to keep buying them.
So she went to work. Using some of her earnings from selling the seedlings from her greenhouse, Kimya bought raw materials and started stitching masks at home.
“The masks in the market are very expensive and disposable, but the masks I produce are cheap, and can be washed and reused,” she says.
Her masks sell for AFN 10 (around US$ 0.14 cents) -- about five times cheaper than the disposable ones in the market. On top of earning extra income for her family, Kimya has also provided 300 free masks for people who could not afford them.
While the pandemic has placed added stress and burden on many women like Kimya, it has also highlighted the important role they play in their families and their communities.
Learn more about the Afghanistan Women’s Empowerment Programme on the Aga Khan Foundation Canada website by clicking here.
https://www.akdn.org/our-stories/kimya- ... fghanistan
******
Istoray: Unmasking new opportunities in a time of crisis
With the outbreak of COVID-19, Istoray’s business ground to a halt. A lockdown order on the market where Istoray’s business operated caused her, and many others, to lose their business and income.
“My business was on the brink of falling down, when I suddenly realised that I can save not only my business but also people of my community,” she said. “I analysed the market, saw the [demand for masks,] and started sewing,” she said.
Thanks to a Canadian-supported programme in Afghanistan, she had been equipped in 2019 to grow her business and train new tailors through business skills training. When COVID-19 hit, she was prepared. Now she makes 400 to 500 masks every day out of her home which, with the help of her children, are sold locally. A nearby drugstore also stocks her masks in packages of 12.
Istoray is not only helping to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by providing masks at an affordable price to her community, she has found a way to thrive during a period of crisis. Selling masks has doubled her monthly income at a time when many businesses have struggled to make ends meet.
In the future, Istoray hopes to extend her business even further by producing other quality protective clothes -- once she finds a supplier who can keep up with her demand for materials.
By empowering women like Istoray, the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is helping build communities and economies that are resilient to change and crises. Learn more about the Afghanistan Women’s Empowerment Programme by clicking on the Aga Khan Foundation Canada site here.
https://www.akdn.org/our-stories/istora ... ime-crisis
How Laila kept learning during the Coronavirus
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPJtNGruRaI
When Coronavirus threatened to stop Afghan girls from getting to school and continuing their education, Afghan communities - with the support of the Afghan government, the UK's FCDO, the Aga Khan Foundation and partners - came together to find ways to keep girls learning so that no matter what they could follow their dreams.
This is how we did it.
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPJtNGruRaI
When Coronavirus threatened to stop Afghan girls from getting to school and continuing their education, Afghan communities - with the support of the Afghan government, the UK's FCDO, the Aga Khan Foundation and partners - came together to find ways to keep girls learning so that no matter what they could follow their dreams.
This is how we did it.
Aga Khan reaffirms commitment to Afghan peoples and to a peaceful, pluralistic Afghanistan
Geneva, Switzerland, 24 November 2020 - His Highness the Aga Khan, on behalf of the Ismaili Imamat and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), today reaffirmed his enduring commitment to a peaceful and pluralistic Afghanistan.
In a statement delivered at the virtually held 2020 Afghanistan Conference by AKDN’s Diplomatic Representative to Afghanistan Sheherazade Hirji, His Highness the Aga Khan, 49th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims and founder and Chairman of the AKDN, noted that as the country entered into a new period of transition, it would need the contribution of all of its people to address their common challenges: rising poverty, climate disruption, an unforgiving pandemic.
“It will need all their talents to build an inclusive future with more opportunities, requiring more education, more knowledge, more private initiative. In these endeavours, AKDN is, and will remain, a steadfast partner,” said the Aga Khan, emphasising that AKDN will maintain the breadth of its work in all sectors from education, healthcare and cultural restoration, as well as in economic development.
“During our 25 years in Afghanistan, AKDN has been guided by a fundamental belief that the key to the country’s future is in a vibrant, meritocratic, pluralistic civil society – in the Afghan people and in long-term institutions anchoring their contributions to the common good,” he said.
This year’s conference is organised by the Governments of Afghanistan and Finland, and the United Nations, and is being held virtually over 23-24 November 2020. Over 70 countries, international organisations, and agencies are attending the conference which builds on previous ones held in Brussels in 2016, and Tokyo in 2012. The aim of the conference is to commit the Afghan government and the international community to shared development objectives for 2021-24.
AKDN participated in two side events during the two-day conference.
At a panel discussion devoted to the theme of Afghanistan’s economic priorities and aid effectiveness on 23 November, AKF General Manager Michael Kocher shared his reflections as one of the country’s earliest investors, around the four building blocks of investments in connectivity, multi-input development, regulatory consistency and human capital that could help the country, especially young people, look forward with confidence.
Since 2008, AKDN has worked to improve education for girls and women in 24 districts in four provinces of Afghanistan. Girls were kept in school by improving the quality of facilities and teaching, while building parent, community, and government support. To date, 175,000 Afghan girls have been able to attend school and keep up their studies.
AKF Afghanistan / David Marshall Fox
In rural Afghanistan, more than a thousand young men and women received market-driven vocational training in 14 different professions, including construction, service, beekeeping, handicrafts and agriculture. Some 75% of the trainees have found jobs or started their own businesses.
AKDN / Farzana Wahidy
The Vanj Bridge between Afghanistan and Tajikistan is one of five bridges that are part of the Aga Khan Development Network's multi-sector cross-border development strategy.
AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer
Elaha became a nursing manager at the Faizabad hospital, Afghanistan, where she is responsible for scheduling and overseeing all the nurses at the hospital. Now, she says she prefers nursing to being a doctor, because she can interact with patients on a more human level.
AKDN / Kiana Hayeri
When work is completed at the Bala Hissar citadel site, one of the most significant historic sites in the country will be protected for posterity.
Aga Khan Cultural Services, Afghanistan
Aga Khan reaffirms commitment to Afghan peoples and to a peaceful, pluralistic Afghanistan
Geneva, Switzerland, 24 November 2020 - His Highness the Aga Khan, on behalf of the Ismaili Imamat and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), today reaffirmed his enduring commitment to a peaceful and pluralistic Afghanistan.
In a statement delivered at the virtually held 2020 Afghanistan Conference by AKDN’s Diplomatic Representative to Afghanistan Sheherazade Hirji, His Highness the Aga Khan, 49th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims and founder and Chairman of the AKDN, noted that as the country entered into a new period of transition, it would need the contribution of all of its people to address their common challenges: rising poverty, climate disruption, an unforgiving pandemic.
“It will need all their talents to build an inclusive future with more opportunities, requiring more education, more knowledge, more private initiative. In these endeavours, AKDN is, and will remain, a steadfast partner,” said the Aga Khan, emphasising that AKDN will maintain the breadth of its work in all sectors from education, healthcare and cultural restoration, as well as in economic development.
“During our 25 years in Afghanistan, AKDN has been guided by a fundamental belief that the key to the country’s future is in a vibrant, meritocratic, pluralistic civil society – in the Afghan people and in long-term institutions anchoring their contributions to the common good,” he said.
This year’s conference is organised by the Governments of Afghanistan and Finland, and the United Nations, and is being held virtually over 23-24 November 2020. Over 70 countries, international organisations, and agencies are attending the conference which builds on previous ones held in Brussels in 2016, and Tokyo in 2012. The aim of the conference is to commit the Afghan government and the international community to shared development objectives for 2021-24.
AKDN participated in two side events during the two-day conference.
At a panel discussion devoted to the theme of Afghanistan’s economic priorities and aid effectiveness on 23 November, AKF General Manager Michael Kocher shared his reflections as one of the country’s earliest investors, around the four building blocks of investments in connectivity, multi-input development, regulatory consistency and human capital that could help the country, especially young people, look forward with confidence.
akf-afghanistan-170806-r.jpg
AKDN's work to create viable enterprises in both small villages and big cities in Afghanistan, include training in construction, service, beekeeping, handicrafts and agriculture. Some 75% of the trainees have found jobs or started their own businesses.
AKDN / Farzana Wahidy
Earlier in the week, at a side meeting entitled “Support to Peace and Prosperity through Public-Private Partnerships in Key Infrastructure Investments” organised by the European Union (EU) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Mr Daler Jumaev, President of Badakhshon Energy shared the AKDN’s experience in the development of successful public-private partnerships, and the role of these partnerships in preserving peace and prosperity.
AKDN’s involvement in Afghanistan dates back to 1996 when it started distributing food aid during the country’s civil war. Since 2002, the AKDN and its partners have committed over US $1billion in development assistance to the country. The Network’s integrated approach combines economic, social, and cultural inputs. Its economic projects span over 240 cities and towns in the country’s 34 provinces, while its social development and humanitarian work directly covers eight provinces, and 19 provinces through consortia and partnerships, some 4 million people. It manages the health care for Bamyan and Badakshan under Sehatmandi. Its cultural programmes, which operate in Kabul, Herat, Balkh, and Badakhshan, have restored over 150 heritage sites.
This commitment has strengthened through the years, through formal partnerships with the Afghan government, significant joint investments into Afghan companies, and national and regional development programmes in partnership with international actors and donors.
https://www.akdn.org/press-release/aga- ... fghanistan
******
Statement by His Highness the Aga Khan at the 2020 Afghanistan Conference
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PqQHh0 ... e=emb_logo
Statement by His Highness the Aga Khan at the 2020 Afghanistan Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, 24 November 2020.
Delivered by Ms. Sheherazade Hirji, AKDN ’s Diplomatic Representative to Afghanistan
Read full statement: https://www.akdn.org/speech/his-highn...
Geneva, Switzerland, 24 November 2020 - His Highness the Aga Khan, on behalf of the Ismaili Imamat and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), today reaffirmed his enduring commitment to a peaceful and pluralistic Afghanistan.
In a statement delivered at the virtually held 2020 Afghanistan Conference by AKDN’s Diplomatic Representative to Afghanistan Sheherazade Hirji, His Highness the Aga Khan, 49th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims and founder and Chairman of the AKDN, noted that as the country entered into a new period of transition, it would need the contribution of all of its people to address their common challenges: rising poverty, climate disruption, an unforgiving pandemic.
“It will need all their talents to build an inclusive future with more opportunities, requiring more education, more knowledge, more private initiative. In these endeavours, AKDN is, and will remain, a steadfast partner,” said the Aga Khan, emphasising that AKDN will maintain the breadth of its work in all sectors from education, healthcare and cultural restoration, as well as in economic development.
“During our 25 years in Afghanistan, AKDN has been guided by a fundamental belief that the key to the country’s future is in a vibrant, meritocratic, pluralistic civil society – in the Afghan people and in long-term institutions anchoring their contributions to the common good,” he said.
This year’s conference is organised by the Governments of Afghanistan and Finland, and the United Nations, and is being held virtually over 23-24 November 2020. Over 70 countries, international organisations, and agencies are attending the conference which builds on previous ones held in Brussels in 2016, and Tokyo in 2012. The aim of the conference is to commit the Afghan government and the international community to shared development objectives for 2021-24.
AKDN participated in two side events during the two-day conference.
At a panel discussion devoted to the theme of Afghanistan’s economic priorities and aid effectiveness on 23 November, AKF General Manager Michael Kocher shared his reflections as one of the country’s earliest investors, around the four building blocks of investments in connectivity, multi-input development, regulatory consistency and human capital that could help the country, especially young people, look forward with confidence.
Since 2008, AKDN has worked to improve education for girls and women in 24 districts in four provinces of Afghanistan. Girls were kept in school by improving the quality of facilities and teaching, while building parent, community, and government support. To date, 175,000 Afghan girls have been able to attend school and keep up their studies.
AKF Afghanistan / David Marshall Fox
In rural Afghanistan, more than a thousand young men and women received market-driven vocational training in 14 different professions, including construction, service, beekeeping, handicrafts and agriculture. Some 75% of the trainees have found jobs or started their own businesses.
AKDN / Farzana Wahidy
The Vanj Bridge between Afghanistan and Tajikistan is one of five bridges that are part of the Aga Khan Development Network's multi-sector cross-border development strategy.
AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer
Elaha became a nursing manager at the Faizabad hospital, Afghanistan, where she is responsible for scheduling and overseeing all the nurses at the hospital. Now, she says she prefers nursing to being a doctor, because she can interact with patients on a more human level.
AKDN / Kiana Hayeri
When work is completed at the Bala Hissar citadel site, one of the most significant historic sites in the country will be protected for posterity.
Aga Khan Cultural Services, Afghanistan
Aga Khan reaffirms commitment to Afghan peoples and to a peaceful, pluralistic Afghanistan
Geneva, Switzerland, 24 November 2020 - His Highness the Aga Khan, on behalf of the Ismaili Imamat and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), today reaffirmed his enduring commitment to a peaceful and pluralistic Afghanistan.
In a statement delivered at the virtually held 2020 Afghanistan Conference by AKDN’s Diplomatic Representative to Afghanistan Sheherazade Hirji, His Highness the Aga Khan, 49th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims and founder and Chairman of the AKDN, noted that as the country entered into a new period of transition, it would need the contribution of all of its people to address their common challenges: rising poverty, climate disruption, an unforgiving pandemic.
“It will need all their talents to build an inclusive future with more opportunities, requiring more education, more knowledge, more private initiative. In these endeavours, AKDN is, and will remain, a steadfast partner,” said the Aga Khan, emphasising that AKDN will maintain the breadth of its work in all sectors from education, healthcare and cultural restoration, as well as in economic development.
“During our 25 years in Afghanistan, AKDN has been guided by a fundamental belief that the key to the country’s future is in a vibrant, meritocratic, pluralistic civil society – in the Afghan people and in long-term institutions anchoring their contributions to the common good,” he said.
This year’s conference is organised by the Governments of Afghanistan and Finland, and the United Nations, and is being held virtually over 23-24 November 2020. Over 70 countries, international organisations, and agencies are attending the conference which builds on previous ones held in Brussels in 2016, and Tokyo in 2012. The aim of the conference is to commit the Afghan government and the international community to shared development objectives for 2021-24.
AKDN participated in two side events during the two-day conference.
At a panel discussion devoted to the theme of Afghanistan’s economic priorities and aid effectiveness on 23 November, AKF General Manager Michael Kocher shared his reflections as one of the country’s earliest investors, around the four building blocks of investments in connectivity, multi-input development, regulatory consistency and human capital that could help the country, especially young people, look forward with confidence.
akf-afghanistan-170806-r.jpg
AKDN's work to create viable enterprises in both small villages and big cities in Afghanistan, include training in construction, service, beekeeping, handicrafts and agriculture. Some 75% of the trainees have found jobs or started their own businesses.
AKDN / Farzana Wahidy
Earlier in the week, at a side meeting entitled “Support to Peace and Prosperity through Public-Private Partnerships in Key Infrastructure Investments” organised by the European Union (EU) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Mr Daler Jumaev, President of Badakhshon Energy shared the AKDN’s experience in the development of successful public-private partnerships, and the role of these partnerships in preserving peace and prosperity.
AKDN’s involvement in Afghanistan dates back to 1996 when it started distributing food aid during the country’s civil war. Since 2002, the AKDN and its partners have committed over US $1billion in development assistance to the country. The Network’s integrated approach combines economic, social, and cultural inputs. Its economic projects span over 240 cities and towns in the country’s 34 provinces, while its social development and humanitarian work directly covers eight provinces, and 19 provinces through consortia and partnerships, some 4 million people. It manages the health care for Bamyan and Badakshan under Sehatmandi. Its cultural programmes, which operate in Kabul, Herat, Balkh, and Badakhshan, have restored over 150 heritage sites.
This commitment has strengthened through the years, through formal partnerships with the Afghan government, significant joint investments into Afghan companies, and national and regional development programmes in partnership with international actors and donors.
https://www.akdn.org/press-release/aga- ... fghanistan
******
Statement by His Highness the Aga Khan at the 2020 Afghanistan Conference
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PqQHh0 ... e=emb_logo
Statement by His Highness the Aga Khan at the 2020 Afghanistan Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, 24 November 2020.
Delivered by Ms. Sheherazade Hirji, AKDN ’s Diplomatic Representative to Afghanistan
Read full statement: https://www.akdn.org/speech/his-highn...
Highlights of the 2020 Geneva Ministerial Conference on Afghanistan
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ1Ta8NJypA
Geneva, Switzerland, 24 November 2020 - In a statement delivered at the virtually held 2020 Afghanistan Conference by AKDN’s Diplomatic Representative to Afghanistan Sheherazade Hirji, His Highness the Aga Khan, 49th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims and founder and Chairman of the AKDN, noted that as the country entered into a new period of transition, it would need the contribution of all of its people to address their common challenges: rising poverty, climate disruption, an unforgiving pandemic.
All information here: https://www.akdn.org/event/2020-afgha...
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ1Ta8NJypA
Geneva, Switzerland, 24 November 2020 - In a statement delivered at the virtually held 2020 Afghanistan Conference by AKDN’s Diplomatic Representative to Afghanistan Sheherazade Hirji, His Highness the Aga Khan, 49th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims and founder and Chairman of the AKDN, noted that as the country entered into a new period of transition, it would need the contribution of all of its people to address their common challenges: rising poverty, climate disruption, an unforgiving pandemic.
All information here: https://www.akdn.org/event/2020-afgha...
https://reliefweb.int/report/afghanista ... fghanistan
The European Union provides additional 35 million euros in support of the people of Afghanistan in the fight against COVID-19
Originally published: 26 Jan 2021
Today the EU-Delegation in Kabul announced an additional support of 35 million euros to tackle the ongoing pandemic and mitigate its socioeconomic impacts in Afghanistan. Since the start of the pandemic, the EU has mobilised almost 147 million euros to address the immediate health crisis and provide humanitarian assistance to the people in need.
“The pandemic has exacerbated an already grim situation in Afghanistan, creating even bigger needs in a country for decades plagued by war. Together with partners and in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan, the EU’s contribution aims to support those who suffer the most from this crisis. The three projects launched today will contribute to this further” says EU Ambassador Andreas Von Brandt.
The 35 million euros announced today will contribute to strengthening the response capacity of health systems, to test and treat patients, to improve infection prevention, to raise awareness and to reduce nutritional risks through three projects implemented by the World Health Organization, UNICEF and a consortium led by the Aga Khan Foundation.
“ As preparation for vaccine rollout signals new hope in Afghanistan’s fight against COVID-19, continued investment in testing, surveillance, clinical care, protection of health workers and essential health services remains vital for containing the spread of the virus in addition to offering quality medical care” says David Lai, Officer in Charge at the WHO.
Import restrictions and widespread unemployment have worsened food insecurity, and through the support of the EU and its partners 300 000 children and their mothers will also receive community nutrition services.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has put additional strain on the already weak health system and worsened underlying health and gender vulnerabilities. This generous EU funding will allow UNICEF to respond quickly to this secondary wave of challenges which profoundly affects the health and safety of children and women” says Sheema Sen Gupta, Representative a.i, UNICEF Afghanistan.
The projects implemented by UNICEF and the Aga Khan led consortium includes actions to mitigate women’s, children’s and teenager’s vulnerability to various forms of gender-based violence, including domestic violence.
“ With the support of the EU, the Aga Khan Foundation led consortium with Cordaid will reach 8.4 million direct and indirect beneficiaries in 16 provinces” says Sheherazade Hirji, Aga Khan Development Network Diplomatic Representative.
Media contacts
Samantha Mort
Chief of Communication
UNICEF
The European Union provides additional 35 million euros in support of the people of Afghanistan in the fight against COVID-19
Originally published: 26 Jan 2021
Today the EU-Delegation in Kabul announced an additional support of 35 million euros to tackle the ongoing pandemic and mitigate its socioeconomic impacts in Afghanistan. Since the start of the pandemic, the EU has mobilised almost 147 million euros to address the immediate health crisis and provide humanitarian assistance to the people in need.
“The pandemic has exacerbated an already grim situation in Afghanistan, creating even bigger needs in a country for decades plagued by war. Together with partners and in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan, the EU’s contribution aims to support those who suffer the most from this crisis. The three projects launched today will contribute to this further” says EU Ambassador Andreas Von Brandt.
The 35 million euros announced today will contribute to strengthening the response capacity of health systems, to test and treat patients, to improve infection prevention, to raise awareness and to reduce nutritional risks through three projects implemented by the World Health Organization, UNICEF and a consortium led by the Aga Khan Foundation.
“ As preparation for vaccine rollout signals new hope in Afghanistan’s fight against COVID-19, continued investment in testing, surveillance, clinical care, protection of health workers and essential health services remains vital for containing the spread of the virus in addition to offering quality medical care” says David Lai, Officer in Charge at the WHO.
Import restrictions and widespread unemployment have worsened food insecurity, and through the support of the EU and its partners 300 000 children and their mothers will also receive community nutrition services.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has put additional strain on the already weak health system and worsened underlying health and gender vulnerabilities. This generous EU funding will allow UNICEF to respond quickly to this secondary wave of challenges which profoundly affects the health and safety of children and women” says Sheema Sen Gupta, Representative a.i, UNICEF Afghanistan.
The projects implemented by UNICEF and the Aga Khan led consortium includes actions to mitigate women’s, children’s and teenager’s vulnerability to various forms of gender-based violence, including domestic violence.
“ With the support of the EU, the Aga Khan Foundation led consortium with Cordaid will reach 8.4 million direct and indirect beneficiaries in 16 provinces” says Sheherazade Hirji, Aga Khan Development Network Diplomatic Representative.
Media contacts
Samantha Mort
Chief of Communication
UNICEF
AKF-led consortium granted €10million by European Commission for Afghanistan's COVID-19 response
An AKF-led consortium has been granted €10m as part of a €35m package to tackle the ongoing pandemic in Afghanistan, which was announced today by the EU Delegation in Kabul. The measures are designed to mitigate the socioeconomic impacts of the crisis, as well as strengthen the response of existing health systems.
Projects implemented by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF will also benefit from this latest round of funding from EU International Partnerships. The additional €35m for Afghanistan now brings the total mobilised by the EU since the start of the pandemic for humanitarian assistance to €147m.
The three programmes aim to help strengthen Afghanistan’s health systems, to test and treat patients, to improve infection prevention, and to raise community awareness. David Lai, Officer in Charge at the WHO, commented:
“As preparation for vaccine rollout signals new hope in Afghanistan’s fight against COVID-19, continued investment in testing, surveillance, clinical care, protection of health workers and essential health services reins vital for containing the spread of the virus in addition to offering quality medical care.”
In addition to more typical COVID-19 response measures, such as health systems strengthening or spreading community awareness, there is also provision to improve food security in targeted areas. Import restrictions and widespread unemployment have worsened access to food, and so 300,000 children and their mothers will also receive community nutrition services through the funding.
The projects implemented by UNICEF and the AKF-led consortium will also work to mitigate women and children’s vulnerability to various forms of gender-based violence, including domestic violence.
In addition to more typical COVID-19 response measures, such as health systems strengthening or spreading community awareness, there is also provision to improve food security in targeted areas. Import restrictions and widespread unemployment have worsened access to food, and so 300,000 children and their mothers will also receive community nutrition services through the funding.
In a statement on the announcement, Ambassador Sheherazade Hirji, Aga Khan Development Network Diplomatic Representative in Afghanistan, described how the funding for the AKF-led consortium with Cordaid would benefit 8.4million Afghans.
The programme, which will run for 30 months across 16 provinces, includes a series of activities designed to contribute to the overall objective of strengthening the Afghan government’s response to the crisis. These include:
- Establishing 30 COVID-19 sample collection points
- Increasing oxygen capacity in nine provincial hospitals by establishing oxygen plants ·
- Reaching 96,378 patients with food baskets and nutrition counselling services
- Training 31,689 (15,291 women) community members on how to recognise COVID-19 symptoms, and on preventative measures.
There will be additional training provided for provincial and district health workers and hospital staff on Infection Prevention Control and on managing COVID-19 cases through e-health applications.
This programme is the latest of many that AKF is currently involved with across the world that are designed to help support governments to manage the crisis within their countries. The work also forms part of AKDN’s wider Global COVID-19 Response, which aims to slow and stop the spread of the disease, to treat patients quickly and effectively, and to mitigate the socioeconomic impacts wrought by the virus.
Photos at:
https://www.akf.org.uk/akf-led-consorti ... 25c8c5fc8d
An AKF-led consortium has been granted €10m as part of a €35m package to tackle the ongoing pandemic in Afghanistan, which was announced today by the EU Delegation in Kabul. The measures are designed to mitigate the socioeconomic impacts of the crisis, as well as strengthen the response of existing health systems.
Projects implemented by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF will also benefit from this latest round of funding from EU International Partnerships. The additional €35m for Afghanistan now brings the total mobilised by the EU since the start of the pandemic for humanitarian assistance to €147m.
The three programmes aim to help strengthen Afghanistan’s health systems, to test and treat patients, to improve infection prevention, and to raise community awareness. David Lai, Officer in Charge at the WHO, commented:
“As preparation for vaccine rollout signals new hope in Afghanistan’s fight against COVID-19, continued investment in testing, surveillance, clinical care, protection of health workers and essential health services reins vital for containing the spread of the virus in addition to offering quality medical care.”
In addition to more typical COVID-19 response measures, such as health systems strengthening or spreading community awareness, there is also provision to improve food security in targeted areas. Import restrictions and widespread unemployment have worsened access to food, and so 300,000 children and their mothers will also receive community nutrition services through the funding.
The projects implemented by UNICEF and the AKF-led consortium will also work to mitigate women and children’s vulnerability to various forms of gender-based violence, including domestic violence.
In addition to more typical COVID-19 response measures, such as health systems strengthening or spreading community awareness, there is also provision to improve food security in targeted areas. Import restrictions and widespread unemployment have worsened access to food, and so 300,000 children and their mothers will also receive community nutrition services through the funding.
In a statement on the announcement, Ambassador Sheherazade Hirji, Aga Khan Development Network Diplomatic Representative in Afghanistan, described how the funding for the AKF-led consortium with Cordaid would benefit 8.4million Afghans.
The programme, which will run for 30 months across 16 provinces, includes a series of activities designed to contribute to the overall objective of strengthening the Afghan government’s response to the crisis. These include:
- Establishing 30 COVID-19 sample collection points
- Increasing oxygen capacity in nine provincial hospitals by establishing oxygen plants ·
- Reaching 96,378 patients with food baskets and nutrition counselling services
- Training 31,689 (15,291 women) community members on how to recognise COVID-19 symptoms, and on preventative measures.
There will be additional training provided for provincial and district health workers and hospital staff on Infection Prevention Control and on managing COVID-19 cases through e-health applications.
This programme is the latest of many that AKF is currently involved with across the world that are designed to help support governments to manage the crisis within their countries. The work also forms part of AKDN’s wider Global COVID-19 Response, which aims to slow and stop the spread of the disease, to treat patients quickly and effectively, and to mitigate the socioeconomic impacts wrought by the virus.
Photos at:
https://www.akf.org.uk/akf-led-consorti ... 25c8c5fc8d
Providing vocational training to young Afghans
In Kabul, Jangalak Vocational Training Centre – part of the Aga Khan Cultural Services in Afghanistan – was established in 2015 to improve people's livelihoods through the provision of vocational training opportunities, especially amongst youth. Training of young men and women between the ages of 15 and 25 has focused on those vocations connected to Afghanistan’s rich material and crafts history, such as woodcarving, carpet weaving, tailoring, carpentry, embroidery, wooden model-making, traditional Jali screen-making, tile making and Rubab making.
The trainings are organised as such to provide balanced opportunities for both young men and women. While graduates can seek employment in the local market, they can also start their own micro businesses either from home or in small shops within their neighbourhoods. For female graduates, tailoring, embroidery and carpet weaving are examples of professions that enable them to work from home and contribute financially to their households, if otherwise not allowed.
Recently, a design section was established within the centre which provides students with contemporary as well as traditional designs to produce. Items made by the students that meet standards are put on display in the centre’s exhibition hall.
Photo gallery at:
https://www.akdn.org/gallery/providing- ... ng-afghans
In Kabul, Jangalak Vocational Training Centre – part of the Aga Khan Cultural Services in Afghanistan – was established in 2015 to improve people's livelihoods through the provision of vocational training opportunities, especially amongst youth. Training of young men and women between the ages of 15 and 25 has focused on those vocations connected to Afghanistan’s rich material and crafts history, such as woodcarving, carpet weaving, tailoring, carpentry, embroidery, wooden model-making, traditional Jali screen-making, tile making and Rubab making.
The trainings are organised as such to provide balanced opportunities for both young men and women. While graduates can seek employment in the local market, they can also start their own micro businesses either from home or in small shops within their neighbourhoods. For female graduates, tailoring, embroidery and carpet weaving are examples of professions that enable them to work from home and contribute financially to their households, if otherwise not allowed.
Recently, a design section was established within the centre which provides students with contemporary as well as traditional designs to produce. Items made by the students that meet standards are put on display in the centre’s exhibition hall.
Photo gallery at:
https://www.akdn.org/gallery/providing- ... ng-afghans
Pluralism, an approach to deal with diversity: Opinion
https://www.khaama.com/pluralism-an-app ... ion-89796/
Pluralism, an approach to deal with diversity: Opinion
By Jamshid Falak / in Afghanistan, Opinions / on Monday, 21 Jun 2021
"Diversity is not a reason to put up walls, but rather to open windows. It is not a burden. It is a blessing.(His Highness the Aga Khan IV)"
Diversity is the beauty of human societies. Diversity is human differences, manifesting itself in numerous forms such as values, ethics, believes, religion, ethnicity, gender, color, nationality, etc. People can recognize human differences from the early stages of their lives. According to neuroscientists, even newborn children have a sense of recognizing human differences. For instance, a newborn child can acknowledge that he/she is different from the children lying beside him/her. But at this stage in life, children do not respond to diversity. Later, when children grow up, they not only realize diversity but also react to it. Their responses can be either positive or negative based on their perception of diversity deeply rooted in values and ethics they have acquired over time from their societies and educational system.
Diversity indicates society’s richness. If diversity is governed well, it leads to socio-economic development and improved quality of life in society through innovation and learning. But, if people fail to manage diversity properly, diversity can be a great source of unrest and conflict in a society. Most of the conflicts in our country are rooted in our incapability to respond appropriately to diversity. For instance, our community is full of individuals who impose their personal believes and values on others, often by force, thinking that everybody should be like them.
Despite our failure to deal appropriately with diversity, our society is getting more diverse. The growing trends indicate that diversity has been increasing in our country mainly due to two reasons. First, globalization is a critical factor, leading to more diversity in our society. In the 21st century, humans are more interdependent than ever before. Globalization brings people together from different parts of the world with their own culture, beliefs, and nationalities to interact more frequently on various soc-economic domains. For instance, a medical doctor from India spends ten days a month in Kabul to treat his patients. The same logic can apply to numerous foreign experts and skilled laborers working in Afghanistan who are different from us in many ways. The second reason why diversity is increasing in our country is migration. Every year millions of people migrate from rural areas to urban areas to get employment or pursue higher education.
Given increasing diversity in our country, now the question is how we should deal with diversity. In general, people can approach diversity in two ways. The first approach is to respond negatively to diversity. The responses can range from opposing a person to humiliation, discrimination, and in extreme cases, physical violence. The second approach to deal with diversity is pluralism which means, adopting an attitude of tolerance, willingness to live peacefully with people who are different from us, and respecting the opposing ideas.
Despite our significant differences, pluralism can help us live peacefully together in a diverse country like Afghanistan. “Pluralism is an ethic of respect for diversity” (HH the Aga Khan, 2018). Pluralism does not require us to erase our differences but encourages us to embrace our differences, interacting with each other with respect and a spirit of tolerance and cooperation. Pluralism opens up windows for discourse and understanding, engaging actively with a human difference. Therefore, pluralism is critical to maintaining peace and stability y in our country Afghanistan.
To have a prosperous and peaceful society, we need to promote pluralism in our society. It does not happen overnight but requires our commitment and dedication. We need to learn what pluralism is and practice it in our day-to-day lives. Regardless of who we are and what role we play in our society, we need to consider pluralism in everything we do in our daily lives.
In conclusion, diversity is the human differences that can be found in multiple forms in society. Diversity represents the richness of society. The trends show that our society is getting more diverse. People can approach diversity in two ways. The first approach is to reject diversity, and the second option is to embrace diversity, using pluralism. Pluralism is the best approach to deal with human differences. It helps us live peacefully together in a diverse country like Afghanistan.
DISCLAIMER – The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of The Khaama Press News Agency. We welcome opinions and submissions to Khaama Press Opinions– Please email them to [email protected]
Pluralism, an approach to deal with diversity: Opinion
By Jamshid Falak / in Afghanistan, Opinions / on Monday, 21 Jun 2021
"Diversity is not a reason to put up walls, but rather to open windows. It is not a burden. It is a blessing.(His Highness the Aga Khan IV)"
Diversity is the beauty of human societies. Diversity is human differences, manifesting itself in numerous forms such as values, ethics, believes, religion, ethnicity, gender, color, nationality, etc. People can recognize human differences from the early stages of their lives. According to neuroscientists, even newborn children have a sense of recognizing human differences. For instance, a newborn child can acknowledge that he/she is different from the children lying beside him/her. But at this stage in life, children do not respond to diversity. Later, when children grow up, they not only realize diversity but also react to it. Their responses can be either positive or negative based on their perception of diversity deeply rooted in values and ethics they have acquired over time from their societies and educational system.
Diversity indicates society’s richness. If diversity is governed well, it leads to socio-economic development and improved quality of life in society through innovation and learning. But, if people fail to manage diversity properly, diversity can be a great source of unrest and conflict in a society. Most of the conflicts in our country are rooted in our incapability to respond appropriately to diversity. For instance, our community is full of individuals who impose their personal believes and values on others, often by force, thinking that everybody should be like them.
Despite our failure to deal appropriately with diversity, our society is getting more diverse. The growing trends indicate that diversity has been increasing in our country mainly due to two reasons. First, globalization is a critical factor, leading to more diversity in our society. In the 21st century, humans are more interdependent than ever before. Globalization brings people together from different parts of the world with their own culture, beliefs, and nationalities to interact more frequently on various soc-economic domains. For instance, a medical doctor from India spends ten days a month in Kabul to treat his patients. The same logic can apply to numerous foreign experts and skilled laborers working in Afghanistan who are different from us in many ways. The second reason why diversity is increasing in our country is migration. Every year millions of people migrate from rural areas to urban areas to get employment or pursue higher education.
Given increasing diversity in our country, now the question is how we should deal with diversity. In general, people can approach diversity in two ways. The first approach is to respond negatively to diversity. The responses can range from opposing a person to humiliation, discrimination, and in extreme cases, physical violence. The second approach to deal with diversity is pluralism which means, adopting an attitude of tolerance, willingness to live peacefully with people who are different from us, and respecting the opposing ideas.
Despite our significant differences, pluralism can help us live peacefully together in a diverse country like Afghanistan. “Pluralism is an ethic of respect for diversity” (HH the Aga Khan, 2018). Pluralism does not require us to erase our differences but encourages us to embrace our differences, interacting with each other with respect and a spirit of tolerance and cooperation. Pluralism opens up windows for discourse and understanding, engaging actively with a human difference. Therefore, pluralism is critical to maintaining peace and stability y in our country Afghanistan.
To have a prosperous and peaceful society, we need to promote pluralism in our society. It does not happen overnight but requires our commitment and dedication. We need to learn what pluralism is and practice it in our day-to-day lives. Regardless of who we are and what role we play in our society, we need to consider pluralism in everything we do in our daily lives.
In conclusion, diversity is the human differences that can be found in multiple forms in society. Diversity represents the richness of society. The trends show that our society is getting more diverse. People can approach diversity in two ways. The first approach is to reject diversity, and the second option is to embrace diversity, using pluralism. Pluralism is the best approach to deal with human differences. It helps us live peacefully together in a diverse country like Afghanistan.
DISCLAIMER – The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of The Khaama Press News Agency. We welcome opinions and submissions to Khaama Press Opinions– Please email them to [email protected]
AKDN’s Commitment to Afghanistan and its People
LANGUAGES
فارسی
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Kabul, Afghanistan, 25 August 2021- The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) is firmly committed to its core mandate of undertaking a range of innovative programmes and projects to improve the quality of life of communities in many parts of the world.
In Afghanistan, AKDN agencies have a longstanding engagement with a wide range of activities including healthcare, education, early childhood development, agriculture, rural infrastructure and economic opportunity, energy provision, climate resilience, telecommunications, cultural heritage conservation, and hospitality.
AKDN’s operations are designed to adapt to evolving contexts and circumstances to ensure sustainability, effectiveness, and efficiency. Based in Kabul, His Highness the Aga Khan’s Envoy, Akbar Pesnani, and the President of the Ismaili National Council for Afghanistan, Amir Baig, also appointed by His Highness, will maintain ongoing co-ordination with the authorities, local communities, donor agencies, and other stakeholders who have supported AKDN’s programmes and initiatives over the past several decades.
AKDN looks forward to continuing to work for Afghanistan’s peaceful and prosperous future, and to improving further the quality of life of the Afghan people.
For enquiries please contact:
Office of the Envoy of His Highness the Aga Khan to Afghanistan:
[email protected]
Office of the President of the Ismaili National Council for Afghanistan:
[email protected]
Media Enquiries:
[email protected]
https://www.akdn.org/press-release/akdn ... its-people
LANGUAGES
فارسی
E-mailSharePrint
Kabul, Afghanistan, 25 August 2021- The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) is firmly committed to its core mandate of undertaking a range of innovative programmes and projects to improve the quality of life of communities in many parts of the world.
In Afghanistan, AKDN agencies have a longstanding engagement with a wide range of activities including healthcare, education, early childhood development, agriculture, rural infrastructure and economic opportunity, energy provision, climate resilience, telecommunications, cultural heritage conservation, and hospitality.
AKDN’s operations are designed to adapt to evolving contexts and circumstances to ensure sustainability, effectiveness, and efficiency. Based in Kabul, His Highness the Aga Khan’s Envoy, Akbar Pesnani, and the President of the Ismaili National Council for Afghanistan, Amir Baig, also appointed by His Highness, will maintain ongoing co-ordination with the authorities, local communities, donor agencies, and other stakeholders who have supported AKDN’s programmes and initiatives over the past several decades.
AKDN looks forward to continuing to work for Afghanistan’s peaceful and prosperous future, and to improving further the quality of life of the Afghan people.
For enquiries please contact:
Office of the Envoy of His Highness the Aga Khan to Afghanistan:
[email protected]
Office of the President of the Ismaili National Council for Afghanistan:
[email protected]
Media Enquiries:
[email protected]
https://www.akdn.org/press-release/akdn ... its-people
Aga Khan Development Network urges International Community not to abandon Afghanistan
“Now is the time to be present, remain in dialogue and work together with communities towards peace, cohesion, opportunity and prosperity.”
Geneva, Switzerland, 13 September 2021 – The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) today urged the international community to remain engaged and to act, with compassion and foresight, to address dire humanitarian conditions in Afghanistan.
In a statement delivered by Michael Kocher, General Manager of the Aga Khan Foundation, at the invitation of United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres at the High-level Ministerial Meeting on the Humanitarian Situation in Afghanistan, the AKDN affirmed that its commitment to the people of Afghanistan remains unshaken.
The agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network have worked at the community level for more than three decades to support and help the Afghan people realise their aspirations for a better life.
akhs-afghanistan-12-189297r.jpg
The 400-KW solar plant of the Bamyan Provincial Hospital provides the majority of the facility's power supply. The 141-bed, state-of-the-art hospital is designed to be structurally safe, seismic-resistant and highly energy efficient.
AKDN / Sameer Dossa
With its 10,000 Afghan staff, across numerous provinces, the AKDN in partnership provides: life-saving treatment and healthcare for millions; education for hundreds of thousands of girls and boys; rural infrastructure such as energy provision, roads, bridges, and irrigation canals; economic opportunity and support for family incomes; natural disaster and climate change resilience; connectivity and communications; professional training and continuing education for women and men; and restoration of cultural heritage.
“This work is ongoing,” Kocher said. “Experience teaches us that determined, transparent and inclusive engagement – led and driven by Afghans in their communities – can and does take root and succeed. And bring real and lasting change.”
“Let us not turn away from decades of progress,” stated Kocher. “Or the two-thirds of Afghans under the age of 25, that have lived under the shadow of war – but with hopes and aspirations intact. We owe them dignity – the promise – of standing together in facing the future.”
Kocher called upon the international community not to abandon Afghanistan’s longer-term development given the profound consequences of doing so. “Conditions are dire,” he emphasised. “Healthcare, education, food security and the economy are under profound strain – at risk of collapse,” he urged, emphasising that the following immediate and corresponding measures need to be taken quickly if Afghanistan is to avert a prolonged crisis of shocking, destabilising proportions:
Arrange food aid, medicines and work programmes to stave off desperation;
Authorise direct support to healthcare and education providers;
Restore the banking system to facilitate international transfers, allowing financial support and access to markets; and
Unblock assistance previously authorised for direct relief as well as the tools and means to reduce future dependency.
The High-level Ministerial Meeting was convened by Secretary-General Guterres to highlight the acute needs in Afghanistan and underscore the urgent funding support and actions required by international partners to support the people of Afghanistan.
aku-afghanistan-fmic-report-r.jpg
The French Medical Institute for Mothers and Children (FMIC) in Kabul is managed by the Aga Khan University in partnership with the governments of France and Afghanistan and the French NGO La Chaine de L'Espoir. Since its opening, FMIC has recorded nearly 780,000 patient visits and performed more than 22,800 surgeries, 470,000 radiology procedures and 2.5 million laboratory tests.
AKU
For more information please contact:
Semin Abdulla
Communications Manager
Aga Khan Development Network
https://www.akdn.org/press-release/aga- ... fghanistan
“Now is the time to be present, remain in dialogue and work together with communities towards peace, cohesion, opportunity and prosperity.”
Geneva, Switzerland, 13 September 2021 – The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) today urged the international community to remain engaged and to act, with compassion and foresight, to address dire humanitarian conditions in Afghanistan.
In a statement delivered by Michael Kocher, General Manager of the Aga Khan Foundation, at the invitation of United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres at the High-level Ministerial Meeting on the Humanitarian Situation in Afghanistan, the AKDN affirmed that its commitment to the people of Afghanistan remains unshaken.
The agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network have worked at the community level for more than three decades to support and help the Afghan people realise their aspirations for a better life.
akhs-afghanistan-12-189297r.jpg
The 400-KW solar plant of the Bamyan Provincial Hospital provides the majority of the facility's power supply. The 141-bed, state-of-the-art hospital is designed to be structurally safe, seismic-resistant and highly energy efficient.
AKDN / Sameer Dossa
With its 10,000 Afghan staff, across numerous provinces, the AKDN in partnership provides: life-saving treatment and healthcare for millions; education for hundreds of thousands of girls and boys; rural infrastructure such as energy provision, roads, bridges, and irrigation canals; economic opportunity and support for family incomes; natural disaster and climate change resilience; connectivity and communications; professional training and continuing education for women and men; and restoration of cultural heritage.
“This work is ongoing,” Kocher said. “Experience teaches us that determined, transparent and inclusive engagement – led and driven by Afghans in their communities – can and does take root and succeed. And bring real and lasting change.”
“Let us not turn away from decades of progress,” stated Kocher. “Or the two-thirds of Afghans under the age of 25, that have lived under the shadow of war – but with hopes and aspirations intact. We owe them dignity – the promise – of standing together in facing the future.”
Kocher called upon the international community not to abandon Afghanistan’s longer-term development given the profound consequences of doing so. “Conditions are dire,” he emphasised. “Healthcare, education, food security and the economy are under profound strain – at risk of collapse,” he urged, emphasising that the following immediate and corresponding measures need to be taken quickly if Afghanistan is to avert a prolonged crisis of shocking, destabilising proportions:
Arrange food aid, medicines and work programmes to stave off desperation;
Authorise direct support to healthcare and education providers;
Restore the banking system to facilitate international transfers, allowing financial support and access to markets; and
Unblock assistance previously authorised for direct relief as well as the tools and means to reduce future dependency.
The High-level Ministerial Meeting was convened by Secretary-General Guterres to highlight the acute needs in Afghanistan and underscore the urgent funding support and actions required by international partners to support the people of Afghanistan.
aku-afghanistan-fmic-report-r.jpg
The French Medical Institute for Mothers and Children (FMIC) in Kabul is managed by the Aga Khan University in partnership with the governments of France and Afghanistan and the French NGO La Chaine de L'Espoir. Since its opening, FMIC has recorded nearly 780,000 patient visits and performed more than 22,800 surgeries, 470,000 radiology procedures and 2.5 million laboratory tests.
AKU
For more information please contact:
Semin Abdulla
Communications Manager
Aga Khan Development Network
https://www.akdn.org/press-release/aga- ... fghanistan
Aga Khan Foundation | Michael Kocher Addresses Geneva Conference on Afghanistan | 2021
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5p64YpVoRc4
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5p64YpVoRc4
The land we now call Afghanistan has been a place of constant migration through its mountainous passes. Its linguistic, cultural and religious diversity is a result of millennia of trade along the Silk Road. More than a dozen ethnic groups are mentioned in the country’s constitution.
Afghanistan’s fall to the Taliban means that some minorities are again at heightened risk of persecution.
As a religion and politics scholar focused on the Khoja – Shiite Muslim communities originally from India but now scattered across the globe – I have studied the precariousness of being a religious and ethnic minority in the region.
Among the Afghans who have the most to lose today, I would argue, are groups with a different interpretation of Islam – particularly the Shiite Hazara community, the nation’s third-largest ethnic group, who have faced discrimination for more than a century.
In July 2021, nine Hazara men were killed by Taliban fighters in southeastern Afghanistan, according to a report by Amnesty International – echoing previous periods under the Taliban when the Hazara were targeted.
Rich history
The Hazara’s roots in South Asia go back centuries. Their ancestors are said to include Mongol troops, and recent genetic analysis has confirmed partial Mongol ancestry.
Today, the Hazara comprise 10%-20% of the national population of Afghanistan, where their traditional homeland is in a central region called Hazarajat. This makes them an important minority in a country of 38 million.
There are also significant Hazara communities in Pakistan, as well as a Western diaspora in such countries as the United States and the U.K. Many Hazara outside Afghanistan fled during the violence of the past five decades, from a coup in 1973 and the Soviet invasion to the Taliban’s rise and the U.S.-led war.
Frequent targets
While most Hazara are Muslim, the majority belong to the minority Shiite tradition. Most Muslims around the world follow the Sunni tradition, which recognizes Muhammad’s companion Abu Bakr as his rightful successor. Shiite Muslims like the Hazara, however, believe that the prophet’s cousin and son-in-law, Ali, should have succeeded Muhammad after his death in A.D. 632.
In Afghanistan, as elsewhere, tensions between the majority Sunni Muslim population and Shiite Muslims has been a source of steady conflict. The Hazara continue to be targeted and brutally murdered by the Taliban in Afghanistan and its associates in Pakistan. Islamic State-affiliated groups have also targeted Shiite communities in South Asia, including the Hazara.
The community has long been among Afghanistan’s poorest and faces daily harassment, including in finding jobs.
Not just religion
The Taliban idealize a particular vision of Islamic “purity” and seek to impose it through their strict rules.
To understand the Taliban only as Muslim extremists, however, is to miss the political and economic reality of why and how they operate in Afghanistan. Afghanistan produces the vast majority of the world’s opium, which is used to make heroin, and the Taliban control much of those profits. Violence in the name of religion also helps the group expand its territory and enforce control.
From this perspective, minorities like the Hazara pose a twofold threat to the Taliban.
First, their different traditions challenge the Taliban’s authority to claim religious truth. Their presence is a testament to an indigenous, pluralistic tradition of Islam that has accommodated multiple faiths over centuries, despite periods of brutal persecution. For example, the famous Bamiyan Buddha statues in the heart of Hazara territory were respected for centuries by the surrounding community, until they were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001.
Second, Afghanistan is a weak state where many tribes and communities cooperate or compete for power. Long-standing ethnonationalist conflict makes it in the Taliban’s interests to keep dissent to a minimum.
The Hazara’s security represents something bigger: the possibility of a pluralistic and multiethnic nation. Since the American withdrawal, however, thousands of Hazara who withstood years of hardship and violence have sought refuge in Pakistan. For now, they and other minorities fear a period of increased oppression and dislocation under the Taliban.
/theconversation.com/who-are-the-hazara-of-afghanistan-an-expert-on-islam-explains-166776?utm_source=Yahoo&utm_medium=related-link&utm_campaign=related-link-1&utm_content=article-165942
Afghanistan’s fall to the Taliban means that some minorities are again at heightened risk of persecution.
As a religion and politics scholar focused on the Khoja – Shiite Muslim communities originally from India but now scattered across the globe – I have studied the precariousness of being a religious and ethnic minority in the region.
Among the Afghans who have the most to lose today, I would argue, are groups with a different interpretation of Islam – particularly the Shiite Hazara community, the nation’s third-largest ethnic group, who have faced discrimination for more than a century.
In July 2021, nine Hazara men were killed by Taliban fighters in southeastern Afghanistan, according to a report by Amnesty International – echoing previous periods under the Taliban when the Hazara were targeted.
Rich history
The Hazara’s roots in South Asia go back centuries. Their ancestors are said to include Mongol troops, and recent genetic analysis has confirmed partial Mongol ancestry.
Today, the Hazara comprise 10%-20% of the national population of Afghanistan, where their traditional homeland is in a central region called Hazarajat. This makes them an important minority in a country of 38 million.
There are also significant Hazara communities in Pakistan, as well as a Western diaspora in such countries as the United States and the U.K. Many Hazara outside Afghanistan fled during the violence of the past five decades, from a coup in 1973 and the Soviet invasion to the Taliban’s rise and the U.S.-led war.
Frequent targets
While most Hazara are Muslim, the majority belong to the minority Shiite tradition. Most Muslims around the world follow the Sunni tradition, which recognizes Muhammad’s companion Abu Bakr as his rightful successor. Shiite Muslims like the Hazara, however, believe that the prophet’s cousin and son-in-law, Ali, should have succeeded Muhammad after his death in A.D. 632.
In Afghanistan, as elsewhere, tensions between the majority Sunni Muslim population and Shiite Muslims has been a source of steady conflict. The Hazara continue to be targeted and brutally murdered by the Taliban in Afghanistan and its associates in Pakistan. Islamic State-affiliated groups have also targeted Shiite communities in South Asia, including the Hazara.
The community has long been among Afghanistan’s poorest and faces daily harassment, including in finding jobs.
Not just religion
The Taliban idealize a particular vision of Islamic “purity” and seek to impose it through their strict rules.
To understand the Taliban only as Muslim extremists, however, is to miss the political and economic reality of why and how they operate in Afghanistan. Afghanistan produces the vast majority of the world’s opium, which is used to make heroin, and the Taliban control much of those profits. Violence in the name of religion also helps the group expand its territory and enforce control.
From this perspective, minorities like the Hazara pose a twofold threat to the Taliban.
First, their different traditions challenge the Taliban’s authority to claim religious truth. Their presence is a testament to an indigenous, pluralistic tradition of Islam that has accommodated multiple faiths over centuries, despite periods of brutal persecution. For example, the famous Bamiyan Buddha statues in the heart of Hazara territory were respected for centuries by the surrounding community, until they were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001.
Second, Afghanistan is a weak state where many tribes and communities cooperate or compete for power. Long-standing ethnonationalist conflict makes it in the Taliban’s interests to keep dissent to a minimum.
The Hazara’s security represents something bigger: the possibility of a pluralistic and multiethnic nation. Since the American withdrawal, however, thousands of Hazara who withstood years of hardship and violence have sought refuge in Pakistan. For now, they and other minorities fear a period of increased oppression and dislocation under the Taliban.
/theconversation.com/who-are-the-hazara-of-afghanistan-an-expert-on-islam-explains-166776?utm_source=Yahoo&utm_medium=related-link&utm_campaign=related-link-1&utm_content=article-165942
https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-cu ... ghanistan/
Aga Khan Trust launches website to track cultural threats in Afghanistan. The platform will be a repository of verified information on potential dangers to heritage landmarks
Melissa Gronlund
Sep 23, 2021
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture in Afghanistan has launched an information platform to track threats to cultural heritage in the country.
The Aga Khan Cultural Services' list will be hosted on major social media platforms of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and will allow the group to log threats to sites of historical importance and bring them to international attention.
The website will also form a repository of information indicating potential dangers to these areas. These can arise from a number of fronts, including economic development, Taliban policy, continuing conflict and climate change.
In its announcement, the committee said it had developed the website in “response to the need for unbiased and balanced information on cultural heritage”.
Community members can privately share news to be posted, but each piece of information on the website will be verified by members of the Aga Khan Trust before it is put online.
The platform launched with the story of a planned demolition of a fortress in Helmand that was halted in the last week by local community groups. Located along the Helmand River in the town of Grishk, the fortress is understood to date as far back as the eight century.
The fortress in Grishk was almost demolished last week. Photo: Special Collections, Harvard University Fine Arts Library
International interest in Afghan cultural heritage remains high and impartial information from the ground remains hard to come by. However, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture continues to staff and run its projects in the country.
Aga Khan Trust launches website to track cultural threats in Afghanistan. The platform will be a repository of verified information on potential dangers to heritage landmarks
Melissa Gronlund
Sep 23, 2021
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture in Afghanistan has launched an information platform to track threats to cultural heritage in the country.
The Aga Khan Cultural Services' list will be hosted on major social media platforms of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and will allow the group to log threats to sites of historical importance and bring them to international attention.
The website will also form a repository of information indicating potential dangers to these areas. These can arise from a number of fronts, including economic development, Taliban policy, continuing conflict and climate change.
In its announcement, the committee said it had developed the website in “response to the need for unbiased and balanced information on cultural heritage”.
Community members can privately share news to be posted, but each piece of information on the website will be verified by members of the Aga Khan Trust before it is put online.
The platform launched with the story of a planned demolition of a fortress in Helmand that was halted in the last week by local community groups. Located along the Helmand River in the town of Grishk, the fortress is understood to date as far back as the eight century.
The fortress in Grishk was almost demolished last week. Photo: Special Collections, Harvard University Fine Arts Library
International interest in Afghan cultural heritage remains high and impartial information from the ground remains hard to come by. However, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture continues to staff and run its projects in the country.