Help Afghan Boys Trade Guns for Books

In 2009, the Afghan Institute of Learning helped to educate 5,700 boys and young men in AIL Learning Centers. Education allows Afghan males to find good employment and support their families, and offers an option to joining more extreme factions. Other AIL Accomplishments in 2009 included: • AIL trained over 1,800 Afghan teachers in pedagogy subjects, leadership, human rights, and school health. These teachers went to their classes and directly impacted over 500,000 students teaching these important subjects. • Nearly 23,000 students (primarily women and children) attended classes at AIL educational learning centers. • Over 362,000 Afghans received medical treatment and health education from AIL’s 6 health clinics and community health worker program. • In January 2010, AIL expanded humanitarian aid efforts with the harsh winter and reached out to 22 families in need. AIL staff delivered to each family quantities of rice, cooking oil and tea. Most heads of the family were widows with children from Herat, and were recommended by community members. • In February 2010, flooding in the Enjil district of Herat destroyed many family homes, and AIL responded with a concerted effort of initial food aid. Reminder: On March 16, 2010, GlobalGiving will be matching all donations made to any project on www.globalgiving.org by 30% (up to $1,000 per person)! If you could like to donate again to our project, your donation will go further on March 16th!!!

Dear donors to the ‘Help Afghan Boys Trade Guns for Books’:

We want to sincerely thank you for your many donations to this important project in Afghanistan. Our original goal was to reach $30,000.00, and we are nearly at that goal. However, due to the ongoing sensitive situation in Afghanistan, there is a still critical need to offer an option to boys and young men. Giving them the opportunity to become literate and get an education allows a choice that is different from the more extreme, violent options facing young males.

We have increased our funding goal to $40,000.00 to address this ongoing need. The Afghan Institute of Learning and Creating Hope International have used your donated funds to start and continue classes for boys and young men in several of our educational learning centers. Students are learning to read and have gone on to other subjects such as math, science, and computer technology. With this training, young men have the opportunity to find good jobs to support themselves and their families. In all our classes we also discuss human rights, democratic principles and peace. Your donations have, and will, continue to allow Afghan males a chance to improve and grow.

Thank you again for all your support.