The Wakhan Corridor is a remote and hard to access region of Afghanistan, whose residents, the Wakhi people, are traditionally nomadic, and are known for their unique culture and lifestyle. They have been called the “prisoners of the Himalayas.” This underdeveloped area presents many challenges for its residents, especially in terms of education and life skills such as reading, numeracy, nutrition and hygiene. The population is widely scattered over a large area and the distance between villages and schools makes access to schools a major challenge. This hardship especially affects small children in primary stages who are unable to travel great distances to attend school, and coupled with the lack of high schools, often prohibits both boys and girls from continuing their education past the 9th grade. Another challenge is the lack of trained teachers and learning materials. Classrooms often don’t even have government textbooks, especially in the Wakhi language. Young learners fortunate enough to graduate from middle school are often still without basic literacy and numeracy skills, creating a population of young adults unable to read and write properly, and continuing the cycle of illiteracy and poverty.

This project will help improve the quality of education by training in-service teachers in under-resourced and isolated schools in the Wakhan District of Badakhshan Province. Students and teachers in those schools will receive educator resources that include a modest Science Lab and School Library Starter Kit.

The libraries will be accessible to the local communities in the five villages covered by the project, helping to promote a more educated population in these communities and an enhanced quality of life.