Since 1996

Impact
8.8 million
Students
267,162
Centers
321
Teachers Trained
19,311
Civil Society
Members Trained
7,925
Patients
1,400,394
Health Education
1,939,68 
Trained in
Health Workshops
8200

Year 2010

Served Annually
350,000
Students  
21,820
Medical Clinics
5
Learning Centers
25
Afghans Employed
480

The Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL) is committed to bringing peace and dignity to the Afghan people as they struggle to overcome poverty, oppression, economic devastation, and injustice wrought by the last thirty years of war and sectarian violence.

About Us
AIL is an Afghan women’s non-governmental organization (NGO) which was founded in 1995 by Dr. Sakena Yacoobi to help address the crisis of poor access to education and health services for Afghan women and children and subsequently their inability to support their lives, and the impact this has on Afghan society as a whole. AIL’s internationally recognized work plays a major role by creating or reconstructing education and health systems capable of reaching the women and children of Afghanistan--whether in refugee camps or in their homeland. AIL’s visionary programs have had a major impact and are now being replicated by the Afghan government and other NGOs in the region.

AIL presently has offices in Kabul and Herat, Afghanistan and in Peshawar, Pakistan. It is run by women and employs 70% women.  AIL offers pre-school through university education, training opportunities to teachers in interactive, critical thinking methodologies and training for members of civil society in subjects such as human rights, women’s rights, leadership, and peace. AIL also provides health education and health care through its clinics, health outreach and Community Health Workers Program.

AIL believes that an educated people are the key to a future developed Afghanistan. With that in mind, AIL works to empower all Afghans who are needy and oppressed by expanding their education and health opportunities and by fostering self-reliance and community participation.  AIL’s goals are to lay a foundation for quality education  and health for years to come and to provide comprehensive education and health services to Afghan women and children, so that they can support and care for themselves.

Where did we start? Home schools
AIL started during a desperate and dangerous time for education in Afghanistan. Through its Home School Program, AIL kept education for girls alive during the Taliban regime.  AIL provided grade 1 through 8 educations for girls in an underground system. Underground home schools were the only educational option available to these girls for more than four years. In 2001 (the last year of the underground home schools), AIL had 3,000 girls in 80 home schools in Jalalabad, Kabul, Herat, and Logar. AIL had trained more than 80 teachers for the schools. Mobile libraries in Herat and Jalalabad transported reading material between the underground schools.  AIL had also begun health programs in Kabul and Jalalabad and an income generating skills class in Herat. The underground schools and health programs gave hope to the students, the community, and the nation. 

AIL worked with community members to realize their common desire to keep education alive in Afghanistan by allowing some girls to continue their education. Community members cooperated with each other and AIL to secure space for the schools and to ensure that the schools, teachers, and students could teach and learn safely.

AIL’s Approach
AIL requires community participation in all of its projects believing that the best results are achieved when everyone is invested and integral to the project. AIL will only take on a project when the community has requested help and then AIL works closely with community leaders in the development and implementation. This visionary strategy has contributed to the fact that communities now contribute 30 to 50 percent of the resources needed for a project some even provide 90% of the cost with  AIL providing administrative and teacher training, oversight and a small amount of funding for partial salaries. These community contributions can come in many forms, including volunteer help, assistance with security, and donated space, materials, and supplies. This direct contribution strengthens the community’s involvement in, and ownership of, the project and is part of the mission of creating self sustaining development.


Another of AIL’s innovative strategies is to take a holistic approach to its provision of services. AIL believes people need to receive health care but also at the same time health education so the cycle of illness and disease can be broken.  Teachers need training in new interactive teaching methodologies but also need to know about peace, leadership and human rights so they can pass these onto their students.

AIL has a track record of 15 years of success seen on the ground in Afghanistan and in recognition received nationally and internationally as well as shown in the confidence of our supporters but perhaps the greatest testament to its success come in the words of a student.