Afghan Institute of Learning Stories
Transformation by Dr.Yacoobi
“It is so important to see that people are transforming and people are changing. It’s gives me pleasure because when a woman come to my door begging for money and she had 5 children with her and all the children were in the street, and I said, “I am not a humanitarian to give you money. The only thing I can provide for you is education.” And she said “No, I really want you to help me.”
We said, “Okay, you can work for us as a cook, but on one condition, you have to let your children go to a school.” She said, “No, my children are breadwinners for me. They are begging in the streets and bringing money for me. I cannot put them in the school.” I said, “Then I cannot help you. The only thing I can do, I give you a job as a cook but you put your children in the school.””
“ So we convinced her. She did, and what do you know, today her daughter went to my school, finished high school, became a nurse, worked as a nurse in my own hospital, and then she went back to medical school, she became a doctor. She is now a doctor. And she took her mother out of the cleaning and cooking, and she's supporting her completely and still today she is working in my program as a doctor. This is something that you see that the whole entire family life changed. She is supporting her sister and brother in a school. They are all going to a school.”
“ So for me, this is a power of education. Education changed my life, and I feel that education is changing everybody's life. There are many, many examples that many young woman are right now blossoming, they are they are holding huge job, and they are so proud of it.”
“ Education is like a light, leading people to a better life.”
“It is so important to see that people are transforming and people are changing. It’s gives me pleasure because when a woman come to my door begging for money and she had 5 children with her and all the children were in the street, and I said, “I am not a humanitarian to give you money. The only thing I can provide for you is education.” And she said “No, I really want you to help me.”
We said, “Okay, you can work for us as a cook, but on one condition, you have to let your children go to a school.” She said, “No, my children are breadwinners for me. They are begging in the streets and bringing money for me. I cannot put them in the school.” I said, “Then I cannot help you. The only thing I can do, I give you a job as a cook but you put your children in the school.””
“ So we convinced her. She did, and what do you know, today her daughter went to my school, finished high school, became a nurse, worked as a nurse in my own hospital, and then she went back to medical school, she became a doctor. She is now a doctor. And she took her mother out of the cleaning and cooking, and she's supporting her completely and still today she is working in my program as a doctor. This is something that you see that the whole entire family life changed. She is supporting her sister and brother in a school. They are all going to a school.”
“ So for me, this is a power of education. Education changed my life, and I feel that education is changing everybody's life. There are many, many examples that many young woman are right now blossoming, they are they are holding huge job, and they are so proud of it.”
“ Education is like a light, leading people to a better life.”
Medical Stories
My name is BiBi Gul. I have 3 children who are 1, 2 and 3 years old. They were so weak. I was very hopeless and fed up with life. One day my husband said there is a clinic in Shaikhan go and visit them, it has very kind and professional doctors. The clinic is so far from us, it is about 2 hours away from my house to the clinic. I came and visit the doctors and midwife and told about my problem. After visiting they told me that your children are affected by malnutrition , the reason was that I didn’t follow child spacing and my breast feeding was not sufficient for my babies, so they got malnutrition. The doctor referred my children to the nutrition section. My children were under treatment, every week they have been checked and monitored regularly and received nutrition food and put on weight, after 3 months two of them were able to walk. Now I am so happy, and after 3 years child spacing; I now have a new born child who is normal and well nourished. I am thankful from the doctors. Now lots of people visit this clinic from our area.
Pharmacist said: Farhad is 7 years old and lives in Maladan. One day he was very sick and his mother carried Farhad to the clinic. He had a very bad gastroenteritis and he had rapid heartbeat, dry mouth and severe vomiting and diarrhea so much so that he was unconscious. Farhad’s Mother was crying "Why is my son dying" I said " Don’t cry we will help him and if God wants he will become well" I rapidly gave him a IV of Ringer Fluid Serum ,after one hour Farhad opened his eyes and said "I am thirsty give me water".
We gave him Pedialyte Solution. His mother said "I bought same ORS Powder from Pharmacy and the ORS is very tasteless so my son would not take the ORS". I said "This Pedialyte is not tasteless" . The mother gave it to him and he became better and better. The mother prayed for all the clinic staff. I asked her "Why did your son have diarrhea?" she said: "We don’t have sanitary faucet water and we drink uncovered well water." I told her "You must drink boiled water and you must cover your well soon". She promised that she would cover their well and boil their water.At the end of the Ringer Serum I said "Please give him Pedialyte on the way and at home". So Farhad was happy and well and was smiling and laughing when he left with his mother.
A woman from a clinic who lost her child two years ago tells her story,
"My child died a few days after his birth. By the time I became pregnant for the second time, I came to this Clinic because I was suffering from weakness. During the examination, I was asked about my children. I told them about my experience. They asked me many questions and during answering to their questions, they figured out the cause. They told me that my child was suffering from Tetanus illness which caused his death. The clinic‘s doctor prescribed me the Tetanus vaccine for two periods during pregnancy and when the child is born, he/she should be vaccinated as well. He also prescribed me some medicines for my strength and gives the mentioned medicines from the Clinic.Every month, they come to the Clinic and finally my child was born at this Clinic. By the time my child was 18 months old, I came to Clinic to get the measles vaccine for the child. Now I have a healthy child. I am totally satisfied with the Clinic personnel and thank Allah and the Clinic personnel who provide services in the field of Health care."
My name is BiBi Gul. I have 3 children who are 1, 2 and 3 years old. They were so weak. I was very hopeless and fed up with life. One day my husband said there is a clinic in Shaikhan go and visit them, it has very kind and professional doctors. The clinic is so far from us, it is about 2 hours away from my house to the clinic. I came and visit the doctors and midwife and told about my problem. After visiting they told me that your children are affected by malnutrition , the reason was that I didn’t follow child spacing and my breast feeding was not sufficient for my babies, so they got malnutrition. The doctor referred my children to the nutrition section. My children were under treatment, every week they have been checked and monitored regularly and received nutrition food and put on weight, after 3 months two of them were able to walk. Now I am so happy, and after 3 years child spacing; I now have a new born child who is normal and well nourished. I am thankful from the doctors. Now lots of people visit this clinic from our area.
Pharmacist said: Farhad is 7 years old and lives in Maladan. One day he was very sick and his mother carried Farhad to the clinic. He had a very bad gastroenteritis and he had rapid heartbeat, dry mouth and severe vomiting and diarrhea so much so that he was unconscious. Farhad’s Mother was crying "Why is my son dying" I said " Don’t cry we will help him and if God wants he will become well" I rapidly gave him a IV of Ringer Fluid Serum ,after one hour Farhad opened his eyes and said "I am thirsty give me water".
We gave him Pedialyte Solution. His mother said "I bought same ORS Powder from Pharmacy and the ORS is very tasteless so my son would not take the ORS". I said "This Pedialyte is not tasteless" . The mother gave it to him and he became better and better. The mother prayed for all the clinic staff. I asked her "Why did your son have diarrhea?" she said: "We don’t have sanitary faucet water and we drink uncovered well water." I told her "You must drink boiled water and you must cover your well soon". She promised that she would cover their well and boil their water.At the end of the Ringer Serum I said "Please give him Pedialyte on the way and at home". So Farhad was happy and well and was smiling and laughing when he left with his mother.
A woman from a clinic who lost her child two years ago tells her story,
"My child died a few days after his birth. By the time I became pregnant for the second time, I came to this Clinic because I was suffering from weakness. During the examination, I was asked about my children. I told them about my experience. They asked me many questions and during answering to their questions, they figured out the cause. They told me that my child was suffering from Tetanus illness which caused his death. The clinic‘s doctor prescribed me the Tetanus vaccine for two periods during pregnancy and when the child is born, he/she should be vaccinated as well. He also prescribed me some medicines for my strength and gives the mentioned medicines from the Clinic.Every month, they come to the Clinic and finally my child was born at this Clinic. By the time my child was 18 months old, I came to Clinic to get the measles vaccine for the child. Now I have a healthy child. I am totally satisfied with the Clinic personnel and thank Allah and the Clinic personnel who provide services in the field of Health care."
Education Stories
A few years ago one Learning Center had four students in literacy class who were very interested in studying but unable to read and write. After attending the classes they were encouraged by teachers, so they got motivated and decided to study hard and change their futures. These students finally took the entrance exam at the government school and continued their lessons. Fortunately, after graduating from that school, they passed the university entrance exam with a high scores. They are now freshmen in different departments of Herat University. One of them said, “I had never imagined I could be able to read and write, but AIL managed to convince me to believe in my ability and today I am a student at university which is beyond my expectation. I am going to change my life and the life of everyone in the community, the same as Professor Sakena Yacoobi has done. I feel myself in a different world with full energy and abilities that AIL have given me. I owe all my success to AIL.”
Samana one of the students in literacy class said,
"I am fifteen years old. My family prevented me from going to school when I was a young girl. I was a student of the sewing class in Yacoobi foundation when I heard about mobile literacy class. It was something strange for me. Is it possible to read and write through mobile device!? I asked myself. I was not sure to be so, but I participated because owning a mobile cell was a pride and interesting for me. Everything changed soon in the first few days. I found out that I was wrong. It was quite possible to be educated through mobile literacy program. The class was very interesting for me. I learned to read and write messages partly in the first month. I am sure by the end of this class I would be able to read and write long messages, stories and article. I thank AIL for giving me the chance to reach my dreams.
A few years ago one Learning Center had four students in literacy class who were very interested in studying but unable to read and write. After attending the classes they were encouraged by teachers, so they got motivated and decided to study hard and change their futures. These students finally took the entrance exam at the government school and continued their lessons. Fortunately, after graduating from that school, they passed the university entrance exam with a high scores. They are now freshmen in different departments of Herat University. One of them said, “I had never imagined I could be able to read and write, but AIL managed to convince me to believe in my ability and today I am a student at university which is beyond my expectation. I am going to change my life and the life of everyone in the community, the same as Professor Sakena Yacoobi has done. I feel myself in a different world with full energy and abilities that AIL have given me. I owe all my success to AIL.”
Samana one of the students in literacy class said,
"I am fifteen years old. My family prevented me from going to school when I was a young girl. I was a student of the sewing class in Yacoobi foundation when I heard about mobile literacy class. It was something strange for me. Is it possible to read and write through mobile device!? I asked myself. I was not sure to be so, but I participated because owning a mobile cell was a pride and interesting for me. Everything changed soon in the first few days. I found out that I was wrong. It was quite possible to be educated through mobile literacy program. The class was very interesting for me. I learned to read and write messages partly in the first month. I am sure by the end of this class I would be able to read and write long messages, stories and article. I thank AIL for giving me the chance to reach my dreams.
Anisa’s story
My name is Anisa and I am 35 years old. I am literate and can read and write as well as sew. I have been coming to the AIL Learning Center for 9 years. The center is a long way from my house and I get here by walking or sometimes by bus. I come 6 days a week.I live in a household of 3 my husband, my daughter and me. I come from a family of 6 children and I have 3 brothers and 2 sisters. All of us are literate and my two sisters are teachers. My father passed away and my mother is living she is illiterate and cannot read or write and is uneducated.
I remember when I first went to the center. I was very excited and happy. It was something amazing when I walked into the class. In fact it was something incredible to me. There were 15 of us students all housewives To be honest I was a little bit unsure in the beginning because I didn’t believe in myself and all my classmates were young women, so I was a little shy and I asked myself, Could I learn the lesson? Is there a day when I could read and write? But soon everything has changed. I learned all the lessons well and got the first grade in the class.
The first thing I studied was the alphabet and then Arabic and Math. I have also learned about health and peace. I am able to share my ideas about peace with the community because of what I learned. I have told my siblings and child about things I have learned including health information.
My experience at the center was different than I expected. I didn’t expect to be promoted so fast, to be educated and get a job. I had never believed that I could make a lot of friends in the center. My life has completely changed because of being here.
The center has motivated me to start a new life with new thoughts. Before coming to the center I hated being a woman, but now I am proud of being a woman. I know all my rights as a woman and my economical problems have been solved now.
I always hoped to study until twelfth grade (high school) and graduate because I wanted to be a teacher but here the classes are until ninth grade (school). I would like to continue my education, but I need to get a job to pay my family, because my husband is jobless and my daughter needs money for her school. I am very happy and proud that I could help my family with the small salary I get. I had never believed that a woman could support a family.
I will allow all my daughters to be well educated in the future because I don’t want my daughters to experience the economical problems I have had. I really want my daughters be self sufficient and live in complete comfort and relief. I think it is impossible to live without education and a salary.
I think the center could improve by expanding the workshops, making communication with people, and more help from A.I.L. also by adding subjects such as English, and computer classes and long term workshops on leadership and democracy.
I would mention that during my studying at the center I once attended a workshop on leadership at the Department of Women Affairs held by A.I.L. I learned how to be a good leader. My life has been positively affected by the as I understood how to be a good mother to my children and help them in their education. I decided to study harder to graduate with a BA degree.
My name is Anisa and I am 35 years old. I am literate and can read and write as well as sew. I have been coming to the AIL Learning Center for 9 years. The center is a long way from my house and I get here by walking or sometimes by bus. I come 6 days a week.I live in a household of 3 my husband, my daughter and me. I come from a family of 6 children and I have 3 brothers and 2 sisters. All of us are literate and my two sisters are teachers. My father passed away and my mother is living she is illiterate and cannot read or write and is uneducated.
I remember when I first went to the center. I was very excited and happy. It was something amazing when I walked into the class. In fact it was something incredible to me. There were 15 of us students all housewives To be honest I was a little bit unsure in the beginning because I didn’t believe in myself and all my classmates were young women, so I was a little shy and I asked myself, Could I learn the lesson? Is there a day when I could read and write? But soon everything has changed. I learned all the lessons well and got the first grade in the class.
The first thing I studied was the alphabet and then Arabic and Math. I have also learned about health and peace. I am able to share my ideas about peace with the community because of what I learned. I have told my siblings and child about things I have learned including health information.
My experience at the center was different than I expected. I didn’t expect to be promoted so fast, to be educated and get a job. I had never believed that I could make a lot of friends in the center. My life has completely changed because of being here.
The center has motivated me to start a new life with new thoughts. Before coming to the center I hated being a woman, but now I am proud of being a woman. I know all my rights as a woman and my economical problems have been solved now.
I always hoped to study until twelfth grade (high school) and graduate because I wanted to be a teacher but here the classes are until ninth grade (school). I would like to continue my education, but I need to get a job to pay my family, because my husband is jobless and my daughter needs money for her school. I am very happy and proud that I could help my family with the small salary I get. I had never believed that a woman could support a family.
I will allow all my daughters to be well educated in the future because I don’t want my daughters to experience the economical problems I have had. I really want my daughters be self sufficient and live in complete comfort and relief. I think it is impossible to live without education and a salary.
I think the center could improve by expanding the workshops, making communication with people, and more help from A.I.L. also by adding subjects such as English, and computer classes and long term workshops on leadership and democracy.
I would mention that during my studying at the center I once attended a workshop on leadership at the Department of Women Affairs held by A.I.L. I learned how to be a good leader. My life has been positively affected by the as I understood how to be a good mother to my children and help them in their education. I decided to study harder to graduate with a BA degree.
Ahmad is 22 years old and he has been a student at a AIL Learning Center for one year. He said “ AIL changed my life positively. I started to study English and computer last year. Before I attended classes in this center, I didn’t even know how to turn on a computer, but I have learned well now. In fact, I’ve learned 7 computer programs. In addition, I’ve learned English well since last year. After I graduated, I took an entrance exam for a trading company inthe town and I got the job. My salary is excellent and I pay for my family, my mother and my father with the money I receive from work. My cousin is also interested in learning computer and English. I owe all my successes to A.I.L.”
Azita A's Story
One student story is that of Azita. Some years ago, Azita began studying at one of AIL’s rural centers. There were no schools for girls in her area, so her uncle encouraged her to begin attending the AIL Learning Center that he supervised. She began taking literacy and tailoring classes at the center, and it was clear early on that Azita was a very bright young woman. She was the top student in her class, quickly progressing to the fourth level of the literacy . While she was taking classes, things were changing; a local school opened and was looking for teachers. “I heard that the regular school in the village needed teachers,” Azita says, “so I took the exam for teachers and I passed! I was soon hired to be a teacher at the school. I began teaching the younger grades while still taking classes at the AIL Learning Center. One day I decided to take the exam to attend the high school courses at the regular school where I was teaching and I was accepted into the 9th grade.”
“My parents saw my amazing progress and made the decision to send me to the large city to live with an uncle so that I could have a better opportunity to continue my education. Now I am in one of the top high schools in the city, and I am the top student in my class. I help my uncle’s family around the house, and once a month I return to my village to visit my family. They are so proud of me and how educated I am, and it is all because of the AIL Learning Center in my village. It changed the direction of my life completely.”
Today Azita is a sophomore studying English at a university in Afghanistan, where she has made a number of new friends. She is also a part time English teacher at a school near her university. She is involved in activities on campus including being a member of a student council and is on the staff of the university’s magazine. She continues to attend AIL workshops as she is able, and is even taking an advanced computer course.
When asked about the way that education has impacted her life, Azita said, “I enjoy living and my work today, and that is because of the education I have received. I have decided that I want to be a good teacher to help the women from my village to become capable and to change their lives for the better. I do not want to see them suffer disappointment and depression. I plan to be a leader for the women of my village, and to defend their rights in the community. I have great ambition for my people, and for my own life, and I would like to thank AIL for changing my life.”
One student story is that of Azita. Some years ago, Azita began studying at one of AIL’s rural centers. There were no schools for girls in her area, so her uncle encouraged her to begin attending the AIL Learning Center that he supervised. She began taking literacy and tailoring classes at the center, and it was clear early on that Azita was a very bright young woman. She was the top student in her class, quickly progressing to the fourth level of the literacy . While she was taking classes, things were changing; a local school opened and was looking for teachers. “I heard that the regular school in the village needed teachers,” Azita says, “so I took the exam for teachers and I passed! I was soon hired to be a teacher at the school. I began teaching the younger grades while still taking classes at the AIL Learning Center. One day I decided to take the exam to attend the high school courses at the regular school where I was teaching and I was accepted into the 9th grade.”
“My parents saw my amazing progress and made the decision to send me to the large city to live with an uncle so that I could have a better opportunity to continue my education. Now I am in one of the top high schools in the city, and I am the top student in my class. I help my uncle’s family around the house, and once a month I return to my village to visit my family. They are so proud of me and how educated I am, and it is all because of the AIL Learning Center in my village. It changed the direction of my life completely.”
Today Azita is a sophomore studying English at a university in Afghanistan, where she has made a number of new friends. She is also a part time English teacher at a school near her university. She is involved in activities on campus including being a member of a student council and is on the staff of the university’s magazine. She continues to attend AIL workshops as she is able, and is even taking an advanced computer course.
When asked about the way that education has impacted her life, Azita said, “I enjoy living and my work today, and that is because of the education I have received. I have decided that I want to be a good teacher to help the women from my village to become capable and to change their lives for the better. I do not want to see them suffer disappointment and depression. I plan to be a leader for the women of my village, and to defend their rights in the community. I have great ambition for my people, and for my own life, and I would like to thank AIL for changing my life.”
Azita B's Story "My name is Azita and I am 15 years old but I do not look it because I am backward. ( She is very short and looks like a 6 year old) I was born like this it is genetic. My mother always tells me that you were as small as a cat and I brought you up so carefully. When I was 6 years old I could not talk or walk and my mother had to feed me. When I was 10 my sister held my hand and helped me walk, but sometimes she has got tired and said: "One day I will leave you near a mosque that a dog or other animals eat you."
I have never gone into the street to play with other children, because they made jokes. I was always at home and did not have any hobby to do. I have a sister who is 5 years younger. My mother registered her in a literacy course and she was going to school after the course. Whenever she was not at home, I would take her pen and notebook and continue drawing nonsense lines until I learned how to hold a pen? Then I started to beg to my father to let me go to course with my sister, but he told me no because the students will make fun of you. I continued begging my father and finally he let me to go.
My mother brought me to AIL center and registered me. I was in the first class and my sister was in third. All teachers sympathized with me and then after that, they accepted me as a normal student and I went to class for first time and started lessons, and no one in that class made jokes about me. My hands did not reach the board, but our teacher hugged me and I have been able to write on the board. Every night I have cried and asked God to help me learn something. I was given notebook, pens, and books each month from the office supply because we are very poor and my parents cannot afford these things for me.
Now backward Azita can write and read but I just have some problems with spelling and that is because of my mental situation. We are very poor but now I am always happy because I am literate and I have become familiar with praying and Islamic rules before I did not know about religion. My mother did not take me out with her.
Now I realized that being backward is not something to be ashamed of and I always pray for Professor Yaccoobi and I hope the best for her who has provided us such services."
Malika’s Story
“At 22, my hand was not used to holding pen and chalk. I had never seen anyone in my family write or read but my teachers encouraged and helped me. I have not only become a literate person, but know many things like famous poets, about the human body and health and I have learned math and geometry. I help my son who is in second grade, and my daughter in fifth grade.... This year, because so many more girls are coming to our center, I became a teacher of the first grade….. I earn good money from my sewing skills and use that money for my children’s education. Recently I started training in the Community Health Worker program in our village. I am able to do all of this because I am literate and now I can have an effect on others. I learned from AIL, and now I help others learn. That is the new meaning in my life.”
I have never gone into the street to play with other children, because they made jokes. I was always at home and did not have any hobby to do. I have a sister who is 5 years younger. My mother registered her in a literacy course and she was going to school after the course. Whenever she was not at home, I would take her pen and notebook and continue drawing nonsense lines until I learned how to hold a pen? Then I started to beg to my father to let me go to course with my sister, but he told me no because the students will make fun of you. I continued begging my father and finally he let me to go.
My mother brought me to AIL center and registered me. I was in the first class and my sister was in third. All teachers sympathized with me and then after that, they accepted me as a normal student and I went to class for first time and started lessons, and no one in that class made jokes about me. My hands did not reach the board, but our teacher hugged me and I have been able to write on the board. Every night I have cried and asked God to help me learn something. I was given notebook, pens, and books each month from the office supply because we are very poor and my parents cannot afford these things for me.
Now backward Azita can write and read but I just have some problems with spelling and that is because of my mental situation. We are very poor but now I am always happy because I am literate and I have become familiar with praying and Islamic rules before I did not know about religion. My mother did not take me out with her.
Now I realized that being backward is not something to be ashamed of and I always pray for Professor Yaccoobi and I hope the best for her who has provided us such services."
Malika’s Story
“At 22, my hand was not used to holding pen and chalk. I had never seen anyone in my family write or read but my teachers encouraged and helped me. I have not only become a literate person, but know many things like famous poets, about the human body and health and I have learned math and geometry. I help my son who is in second grade, and my daughter in fifth grade.... This year, because so many more girls are coming to our center, I became a teacher of the first grade….. I earn good money from my sewing skills and use that money for my children’s education. Recently I started training in the Community Health Worker program in our village. I am able to do all of this because I am literate and now I can have an effect on others. I learned from AIL, and now I help others learn. That is the new meaning in my life.”
Leadership workshops
Story from a participant
“I learned how to empower people. Once when I was walking on the road I saw a woman who was begging. I gave her money and asked why are you not working, take this money and start your own business. After few months I saw her in the bazaar. I didn’t remember the women, but she introduced herself and said, “You helped me and now I have a small business. I bought a cart for my husband and he started work with it in the market and now I am not begging on the roads.” I am so happy that I was a leader and led a family and empowered them.”
Love and Forgiveness Training
The Director of Education Department of Heart:
"The love and forgiveness program of AIL explained to me how we can have an peaceful society. Because I am the director of Education Department of Herat and every day many people come to my office I should be patient with all of them. Before the love and peace program of AIL I became angry and sad against the people and participants of my office when I attend in the love and forgiveness program of AIL I understood that I should change my behavior. "
Story from a participant
“I learned how to empower people. Once when I was walking on the road I saw a woman who was begging. I gave her money and asked why are you not working, take this money and start your own business. After few months I saw her in the bazaar. I didn’t remember the women, but she introduced herself and said, “You helped me and now I have a small business. I bought a cart for my husband and he started work with it in the market and now I am not begging on the roads.” I am so happy that I was a leader and led a family and empowered them.”
Love and Forgiveness Training
The Director of Education Department of Heart:
"The love and forgiveness program of AIL explained to me how we can have an peaceful society. Because I am the director of Education Department of Herat and every day many people come to my office I should be patient with all of them. Before the love and peace program of AIL I became angry and sad against the people and participants of my office when I attend in the love and forgiveness program of AIL I understood that I should change my behavior. "
