Over the past few years, Julia and her colleagues have conducted several studies of over 500 teachers and students in Balkh Province.  We wanted to know what was and was not working.  Were we making a difference? The results we found were not simply good but phenomenal: 

• Education leads to longer and healthier lives. Fewer children are dying of preventable diseases like dysentery and dehydration. Malnutrition has declined, as has suicide and depression.
• Education leads to lower birth rates. If Julia asked a girl, “How many children did your mother have?” Many said 14. Then she asked, “How many do you want?” Most said two. Boys, in turn, want fewer wives.
• Education decreases harmful traditional practices, like early childhood marriage and child slavery. Thanks to the advocacy of our principals (led by a man who also happens to be a mullah), girls are no longer being married at age seven or nine. Principals have also helped stop the practice of sending young boys to work in Pakistan or Iran.
• Education teaches much-needed leadership skills and civic responsibility, and it provides a foundation for democratic governments. A number of families have participated more fully in the political, social and economic development of their communities, and there has been an increase in the women voting and running for office.
• Education is the path to rebuilding nations destroyed by conflict and building peace. Children from different ethnic groups, religious practices and economic backgrounds, who used to carry weapons and fight in school yards, are now playing soccer together and learning a common language.  Parents who fought for decades are participating in Parent Teacher Organizations. And, children who grew up hating Americans are now building bridges of understanding with children and families across the United States.

We could go on and on about many other social, political and economic changes in the communities.  Former Sec. General of the UN, Kofi Annan once said that, “To educate a girl, you educate a family.  To educate a family, you educate a community.  To educate a community, you change a country.”  We saw this first hand.

Another thing we found was that education brought opportunity.  When we had spoken to kids several years ago and asked what they wanted to do when they grew up, there was silence.  Nobody had a vision for their country or their future.  They were focused on survival.  Now almost every student talks about the future.  Julia especially remember the responses of three of the girls: 

• One said, “I want to be a teacher so I can improve my community and make my country less dependent on foreign assistance.”
• Another said, “I want to be a teacher so I can make sure that girls are taught about math, history and science.  Not just the Koran.” 
• The last said, “I want to become the Minister of Education.  I want to ensure there are schools not only for boys but girls!”

Julia also interviewed the Minister of Education in one of the districts where they are working.  She asked, “What do you think has changed the most in the communities since we started building schools?  Without hesitating he smiled and said, “HOPE.  You’ve given us hope again.”   We’d love to share a story to illustrate this: 

Parvana's Story

Back in 2003, at the first girls’ school Julia and her colleagues built, imagine the excitement in this community on the day the school was opened.  There was a huge celebration with music, songs, speeches and a feast.  It was something that the community will remember for years to come.  Four hundred twenty girls showed up that day, as well as eight female teachers.

Despite the new school, there were a number of girls in the community who were not at the ceremony.  Their fathers did not believe that girls should be educated.

One was a little Afghan girl who was about nine.  We don’t know her name, but we'll call her Parvana.  While all of her friends started the first grade, she was told to stay home and work.

You can just imagine Parvana with her long black hair and twinkling brown eyes.  Day after day, she saw her classmates walking into school, most wearing a new black school uniform with a white chador over their heads. 

Encouraged by the excitement of her friends, she started sneaking into school.  Realizing the danger, the principal pulled Parvana aside one day and warned her of the severe consequences if she were caught.  Although she could have been publicly whipped or stoned for disobeying her father, Parvana simply asked the principal to keep her secret. 

Days went by and Parvana continued to show up at school.  Then, one day, as dreaded, Parvana’s desk was empty.  The principal feared the worse. 

Well, earlier that week Parvana’s father had received a letter from a relative in Pakistan.  He was illiterate; he couldn’t read it.  Nor could anyone else in his family.  Subsequently, this little girl bravely came forward and told her father that she could read it for him.  Instead of beating her, he embraced her.  Although he was shocked, he was proud.  She was the first person in three generations to read in her family.  

This story and stories like it reverberated throughout the district.  Parvana’s school went from 420 girls and 8 teachers to almost 1,000 girls and over 20 teachers.  Soon afterwards, other girls’ schools in the area started and blossomed as well.  This one little girl had caused an amazing ripple effect.  Except for Kabul, there are more girls in school in this province than in almost any other part of Afghanistan.

Consequently, we are utterly convinced that it’s not us or the U.S. military who will change Afghanistan.  It’s the little 9-year-old girls like Parvana and principals, who are literally willing to die for the right to attend school.

We could tell you a dozen other stories.  Children, who used to speak multiple languages and fight in school yards, are now learning a common language (Dari) and playing soccer together.  Parents who fought each other for years and carried weapons are participating in Parent Teacher Organizations.  Putting aside the 3 R’s (reading, writing and arithmetic) – what these schools are doing is nation building and creating peace within Afghanistan.