The Afghan Girls Fund Educates Young Women
and Girls of Afghanistan
The National Geographic Society established the Afghan Girls Fund (AGF) in 2002 with the goal to help build a school for young Afghan girls who had long been denied the right to education under Taliban rule.
In early 2002, the collapse of the Taliban regime coincided with photographer Steve McCurry's rediscovery of the now world-famous Afghanistan woman he photographed more than 17 years ago. Sharbat Gula is the name of the young girl whose eyes captivated people on the cover of National Geographic Magazine in 1985. After the rediscovery of this "Afghan girl" in early 2002, a tremendous response came from NGM readers to help Afghan women. This eagerness was part of the impetus for the Society to create the Afghan Girls Fund.
Since the Fund's inception more than $1,000,000 has been raised, and grants from the Afghan Girls Fund have created not only one school, but also reconstructed another for young girls in Kabul, established a library resource center, funded education publications like Parvaz, and enabled National Geographic to deliver educational products and maps to children and teachers in the war-torn region.
While Afghanistan unfortunately sees a continuation of its conflict now three decades on, one of the bright spots has been the work accomplished through the Afghan Girls Fund, all of which is made possible through contributions. Each achievement, however isolated or small they may seem, represent big change for the children and people of Afghanistan today—and in the future.
A brief recap on the initial projects funded by the AGF is detailed below. For a comprehensive update on the Fund, including the latest round of grants made at the close of 2006, view our recent Afghan Girls Fund Stewardship Report (PDF).
Girls at the ground-breaking of a new school.
Photograph by Julia Bolz
National Geographic Society Girls' Education and Training Center
One of the first projects on the ground in Afghanistan funded by the AGF was the National Geographic Society Girls' Education and Training Center. Built in partnership with The Asia Foundation, the Training Center opened in October 2002, and more than 270 girls ages 12-17 have received an accelerated primary education, giving them the equivalent of a 6th grade education over three years of study. In addition to an education, simple necessities including meals, hygiene instruction, and basic medical care are provided.
Afghan Girls' and Women's Library and Resource Center at Rabia-e-Balkhi Girls' School
After being nearly destroyed during the Afghan civil war, the Rabia-e-Balkhi school was reconstructed in partnership with The Asia Foundation. Part of the reconstruction included the building of the Library and Resource Center, which provides internet access and a conference facility among other resources. The Center continues to be an important educational supplement for the high school as it serves 108 teachers and more than 1,500 students. Rabia-e-Balkhi was the only public school in Afghanistan with an information resource center at the time it was built.
Parvaz
Created by the humanitarian association AINA in August 2002, Parvaz is the first full-color children's magazine in Afghanistan. A grant from the Afghan Girls Fund in 2003 enabled AINA to provide 25,000 Afghan girls with their first issue of Parvaz, which means "to fly." The magazine covers educational and health topics, as well as local information such as the danger of landmines. AINA was founded by National Geographic Fellow, Reza.
