Development Ratings

Afghan Connection operates in the education and health sectors in Afghanistan. Medical and educational infrastructure has been destroyed by years of conflict. Oppression has undermined staffing in both sectors as women were not allowed to work or train. In some areas, none of the mothers of school pupils are literate.

Afghan Connection’s work covers:

• Education: The charity organises the construction of school buildings using local contractors. It equips them with desks, benches, libraries, science laboratories, computer rooms, and sports equipment and grounds. Since 2002, 21 schools have been built, and the 22nd is under construction. Classrooms have been provided for over 25,000 children. The schools are used as resource centres by the local communities for literacy classes and meetings. Afghan Connection’s ‘Model Schools’ programme aims to upgrade schools for additional classrooms, security, safe water, latrines and equipment. Model schools serve as a central resource for neighbouring schools (to use their science equipment or sports facilities, etc.) as well as an example of the standard that could be reached. Schools are designed with surrounding walls so that girls can attend. This way, they cannot be seen by men from the outside, in keeping with the local practice. The girls are also safer from attack within the walls (two school girls were killed in 2007 by insurgents). Schools operate in shifts between boys and girls. 19 of the constructed Afghan schools are twinned with a UK school for mutual awareness and for fundraising.

• Health: Afghanistan has the worst chance of a woman dying in childbirth in the world at 1,800 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births (equal worst with Sierra Leone). Afghan Connection has provided training for local doctors and nurses to update them on obstetric, paediatric and neonatal best practice. Medical and nursing volunteers have spent between three and 18 months in Afghanistan training staff and carrying out clinic work to pass on appropriate skills. The charity has refurbished neonatal and intensive care wards at the Indira Ghandi Hospital, the only children’s hospital in Afghanistan, and the Kunduz hospital in Northern Afghanistan. Afghan Connection supplied 16 vaccine refrigerators for Merlin, a large and efficient medical and emergency relief NGO. Merlin’s vaccine project covers over 100,000 adults and children a year using the provided refrigerators.

Afghan Connection works closely with the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) which has been active in Afghanistan for over 25 years. The SCA pays teachers’ salaries and provides teacher training. It identifies potential new school sites and supervises building construction. Dr. Fane visits Afghanistan twice a year to visit the partners, review construction and new school sites, and exchange twinned school gifts and letters. To cover areas where it is from time to time considered too dangerous for foreigners to visit, SCA has employed local school consultants, who advise and train school staff and monitor the educational conditions and needs.