“Journey with an Afghan School” – Our History and Goals

Our History

This grassroots project to build bridges between America and Afghanistan began just months after 9-11 and the Taliban were removed from power in Afghanistan. Communities from around the country teamed up with Julia Bolz, a human rights lawyer and social justice advocate, who founded a project called “Journey with an Afghan School.” She taught about poverty in the developing world and the plight of children in Afghanistan, namely that school was held in abandoned houses, fields and tents; and basic supplies like pencils and paper were nonexistent.

With funds raised by these communities, teams in Afghanistan have built 10 new schools and repaired 12 others destroyed by war. They also have distributed textbooks, school supplies and athletic equipment; facilitated cross-cultural exchanges; created libraries; provided teacher trainings, courses on life-skills and curriculum development; and supported computer centers.  Today, we serve close to 20,000 Afghan students, affecting some 140,000 family members. 

            ��          To learn more about our projects in Afghanistan, click here.

Uniquely, around 50,000 Americans have been involved with this project. They come from public and private schools, family foundations, book clubs, various religious institutions, colleges, non-profits like National Geographic and Rotary, community giving circles and Fortune 500 companies. 

Most of these U.S. supporters have been paired up with a sister school in Afghanistan.  Each of these schools has what we call a “lead” partner that is responsible for helping raise funds to build and maintain the school, particles in cultural exchanges, and update their communities in America about the status of the school.  Our “leads” in the United States come from Seattle, Washington; Austin, Texas; Washington, D.C.; Madison, Wisconsin; Rancho Palos Verdes, California; Aspen, Colorado; and Crested Butte, Colorado.

            ��          To learn more about our partners in the United States and the work that they are doing, click here.

Our Methodology-- Engaging, Educating & Empowering

Our goal is to eliminate poverty and oppression by transforming communities socially, politically and economically.  We also hope Americans will come to understand those who differ vastly in their expressions of religion, culture, language and scope of opportunities, and they will come to understand us.  We do this by engaging, educating, and empowering those in Afghanistan, as well as America.

Over the past six years, Julia Bolz (the co-founder of “Journey with an Afghan School”) has spoken over 300 times to various public and private schools, book clubs, giving circles, universities, government agencies, businesses, churches, and communities across the country.  She also has met with members of the U.S. Congress, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, U.S. State Department, and U.S.-Afghan Women’s Council.

We seek to:

��          Build global citizenship and global connections by encouraging Americans to learn about other cultures and current events in other countries, study foreign languages, recognize how decisions at home affect communities abroad, stop dehumanizing and stereotyping various communities, welcome exchange students into our homes, reach out in friendship internationally, and be generous and caring to others.

��          Raise awareness about poverty and oppression in the developing world, particularly in Afghanistan; engage in sustainable development; and build models that can replicated in other parts of the world.

��          Facilitate cultural exchanges and cross-cultural projects between students.

��          Generate the political will to ensure that all children, especially girls, have an opportunity to attend primary school in the developing world.