“All people are free and born equal in dignity and rights”. “Everyone has the right to education”. Afghanistan Libre commits itself to upholding both of these articles from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In May 1996, Chekeba Hachemi founded the non-government organisation because the legal situation for the female population had deteriorated under Taliban rule. Since 2005, Afghanistan Libre is recognised as an Afghan NGO.
Education is one of the main topics which concern Afghanistan Libre. The organisation is convinced that knowledge is the key to peace and social progress, and that it prevents young girls from having to work and marry young. However, many schools have been destroyed as a result of the long-lasting conflicts, and there is still is a lack of teachers today. According to the NGO, 60% of all girls do not attend school, and in rural areas this number rises to 85%.
Afghanistan Libre has helped to rebuild schools and currently supports more than seven state schools with more than 10,000 pupils, mainly girls. Two of them are in the district of Paghman and two are in the province of Panjshir. Additionally, there are four pre-schools. The pupils take part in projects to learn computer skills and English, are given teacher training and prepare for the university entrance exam.
In cooperation with international partners, they campaign for girls to be given an official Afghan identity card. Without this document, the Tazkira, grammar school education is impossible. With the motto "A Light, a Tazkira", the pupils receive solar lamps and an identity card with which they can register for schools and exams. The solar lamps are useful to learn in the evenings when they have no electricity at home. The girls also become legal persons: a first step in the direction of equality and emancipation.
In addition, Afghanistan Libre has also equipped four health and education centres. Here, women and girls have access to free health care with instruction in primary health care, midwifery and psycho-social support. A training project is also planned in 2019 to enable women to develop a job-related perspective as a seamstress.
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