Through the Girls Education Program in Afghanistan, work was done with communities to increase the value placed on education and literacy for girls and women. Increasing enrollment and retention rates of girls in school were the project-specific goals. The overall objective was to create an environment where girls and women experience gender equality, empowerment, and equal access to basic rights.
Rural communities in the region lacked qualified teachers and resources, which inhibited the quality of education and resulted in lower school attendance. In close coordination with education departments and school administration, CWSA organization provided training to teachers from public schools on pedagogical skills and the use of low-cost materials. Teachers, then, were able to make their classrooms child-centred, which resulted in improved quality and attendance.
In 2015, CWSA planned to replicate this model in other schools and hired me as a consultant to capture the visuals, stories and quotes to raise funds. The organization raised funds to reconstruct and repair structures while making schools more disaster-resilient and conducive to learning. Provisions such as furniture, first-aid kits, washrooms, boundary walls, and sports equipment were acquired to improve the safety and experience of students and teachers.
