Building a School in Afghanistan

Before a school is ever started, we spend hours and hours out in a community.  We want the villagers to know who we and we want to know about them.  Most of the Americans working on the project have lived in Central Asia for over ten years.  They speak multiple languages and are extremely well-respected development workers. 

Among other things, the team always describes why folks in America, on the other side of the world, are interested in helping Afghans.  They also work to set up relationships and expectations.  We don’t go into a community unless we’re invited.  We are guests. 

There is a wonderful expression in Central Asia:  “It takes two hands to clap.”  In essence, you can’t simply have one hand that gives (i.e., claps) or it will soon get tired and stop.  To make a relationship work, you need giving from both sides.  Thus, whereas we might provide the funds for the building, Afghans are responsible for helping build and maintain the schools, provide security and pay teachers’ salaries. 

Once the relationship has been established and the foundation of the building is ready to be laid, there is a community-wide celebration and a cornerstone is laid by elder.  Construction is very simple.  Construction materials, like bricks, stone and cement, are all purchased locally.  Afghan workers are hired from communities and provided with tools and training.