Raja J. Akram

Education creates empowerment, encourages growth and opportunity, and combats ignorance and fear. Central Asia Institute strives to increase access to education in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Tajikistan – countries where education is most desperately needed. For more than 20 years we’ve worked where many NGOs haven’t ventured, where there are often no roads, no schools, and no hope. We start at the end of the road with the communities most in need of help. Our methods leave convention behind in favor of real-world solutions that make the most difference. Each community faces different obstacles to education, and a one size fits all approach just won’t work. Over the years we’ve developed a variety of programs to meet the needs that traditional programs may not cover. These include construction of schools, vocational training for older women, literacy, scholarships, health and clean water access, and more. As communities grow, their needs change and we are ready to help them. While Central Asia Institute programs educate both girls and boys, we’ve found that focusing on girls creates the biggest impact. Girls and women with education are more likely to share this knowledge with their children, families, and communities. Unfortunately, these women and girls may have a more difficult time accessing education than their male counterparts. A girl who is educated is less likely to become a child bride or die in childbirth, and her family will be healthier. She can help raise her family out of poverty by bringing home more money with every year of schooling she completes. When women are educated, it improves the wellbeing of the whole society.