Dear tremendous supporters of Trust In Education, Suzanne Rogge here, director for the last 5 years of the Education Sponsorship Program within TIE's cornucopia of good works in Afghanistan. For those of you unfamiliar with this life-changing program which TIE began back in 2009, individuals, families, and organizations here can sponsor children in Kabul to get an education. Most are impoverished children who previously begged, sold pencils or tea, polished shoes, or pulled carts in the markets to help support their families.  

        A total of 80 students from grammar school age to college are now in school full time with this modest financial assistance. The fifty dollars a month they receive is enough for their parents to promise not to allow them back on the streets.

        These children know this opportunity might very well profoundly improve their income potential and the material security of their families after they graduate. For the girls it can also mean a gigantic step towards self-determination as they are no longer a drain on their family's resources. Harsh as it may seem, this is often the reason girls are married off so young. 

       As Basir and his wife, Qudsia, identify new children from supportive families, who will study hard and just need a hand up, this program continues to grow. Currently there is no shortage of sponsorship interest within our community. In fact we now have more sponsors than children to sponsor. We appreciate the patience of those who have agreed to sponsor a child, while we find a child for them to sponsor.

        It takes more time to find and vet a candidate and his or her family than we realized. The brutal winter months and recent increased terrorist attacks in Kabul have also slowed the process down.

       The school year in Afghanistan starts in March and ends in December. When Budd and I receive the year end exam results, which recently arrived, it is a good time for us to take stock in this program. It is exciting to see the accomplishments of these young people who literally take their life in their hands every time they walk out the front door to go to school. 

Below are some current statistics for TIE's Education Sponsorship Program: 

*  Total students in program as of Jan, 2018: 80  (girls: 48 boys: 32) 

*  Total high school graduates to date: 33 

In 2017,  five graduated from high school. They are waiting to learn  whether they will be accepted to a university. If they are, they will go.

*  Total current university students: 16  (7 women, 9 men). 

Four are in mid-wifery or nursing programs (critically needed due to  extraordinarily high birth and maternal death rates in Afghanistan),  five are studying law, two are studying computer science, two are  studying literature or journalism, two are studying business, and one  is studying agriculture.

*   Total forecasted students to graduate from university in 2018: 11 (7 women, 4 men) 

*  Total students in high school in 2018: 33 

*  Total students in grades 5 - 8 in 2018: 25 

*  Academic Results for Students in grades 4 - 12 (December 2017):

Students passing final exams: 49 (84%) 

Total students ranking first in their class academically: 5 

Total students ranking #1, 2, or 3 academically: 10

Total students in top 25% of their class academically: 31(53%) 

       In reading the letters they write to their sponsors we learned these young people do not want to leave Afghanistan once they have completed their education. Time and time again they write about helping "their country and "their people". This is very moving considering the danger they have faced every day since they were born. 

       For me personally, it remains an ongoing gift to act as the conduit between our generous compassionate sponsors and these extraordinary young people in Afghanistan. For further information on becoming a sponsor  click here.

Thank you for your ongoing support!

Suzanne

Note from Budd:

       Below are two photos taken recently on pay day. Pictured are thirty one of the eighty who are currently sponsored. I characterize it as "pay" because they truly earn it. I was surprised by how old many of them are and shouldn't have been. We started the program eight years ago!! 

       The family below just learned that both of their daughters, Freshta and Morsal will be sponsored. Qudsai wrote us the following about the girls and their family.

Mother, son, Morsal and Freshta

"The father works very hard and doesn't want his daughters to work. He is a carpenter but he doesn't have machines to work, but still he works with hands which is very difficult for him. That is the reason he cannot earn enough money to support his family. He does not want his daughters to have to work. There are four children in the family, an eight year old boy and a twelve year old girl who are both paralyzed, Morsal and Freshta.

Morsal is thirteen years old, in the sixth grade and is ranked sixth in her class academically. Morsal said in 6 years she carries her books in a plastic bag she never had a school bag and she cannot buy notebooks for her to write on paper and she also don't have books she borrow books from her friends. She likes drawing and reading story books and she wants to become a teacher or doctor in the future.

Freshta is 9 years old. Freshta is in grade second and her position is third in the class. She is very cute and a cheerful kid. When I asked her what is your wish she looked at me and after few second she said I wish I had crayons and coloring pencils because all my friends have these thing I don't have I have to request my friends to give me. Freshta's wish really brought tears in my eyes because these kids don't have access in very small things. 

Freshta like her sister Morsal faces lots problems. She said she doesn't have uniform and stationery. Freshta loves cooking and drawing and when I asked what you want to be in the future she said; I want to be a principal of a school."

Budd

PS  Yes, we will make sure Morsal and Freshta get the "small things"and find out what tools their father needs to increase his income. The support sponsored children receive covers all costs of their schooling and puts food on their families' table. The per capita income in Afghanistan in 2016, the most recent calculation, was $596/yr,  equivalent to five percent of the world's average.