Over the course of the last three decades, the fundamental pillars of Afghanistan’s civil society have eroded amid military conflict and political upheaval. Crucially, pervasive violence and insecurity have led to the loss or emigration of civil servants, entrepreneurs, and teachers. Without the public infrastructure or institutions of higher education in place needed to train a new generation of community, business, and intellectual leaders, economic and social development in Afghanistan has been impeded.
The Foundation for Afghanistan strives to address this dilemma and to facilitate the restoration of a stable and prosperous Afghan society. An independent, nonprofit charitable organization formed in 2008 by the former Afghan Ambassador to the United States Said Tayeb Jawad, the Foundation for Afghanistan concentrates on providing the resources necessary to develop human capacity in Afghanistan and enable Afghans themselves to drive the reconstruction of their country. By helping Afghans acquire the skills to effectively operate educational systems, health care networks, and business enterprises, the Foundation empowers the citizens of Afghanistan with the capability to build public and private institutions that will foster long-term progress and secure lasting peace. Ultimately, the Foundation aims to promote a self-sufficient society in which all Afghans are capable of making positive contributions to their community, and everyone has access to education, medical care, and economic opportunity.
Supporting Development Directed by Afghans
Unlike many active aid programs in Afghanistan, those supported by the Foundation do not comprise short-term global relief efforts implemented and led by foreign contractors and consultants who remain only for the brief duration of the project. Such projects often fail to achieve sustainable change when development professionals leave the communities they’ve come to help without providing local residents with the knowledge and tools required to organize their own initiatives and continue making advancements. In contradistinction, the Foundation works to cultivate human capital inside of Afghanistan and advocates a strategy of helping Afghans to help themselves as the best approach for effecting enduring rehabilitation of the country.
Accordingly, the Foundation maintains primary accountability to the beneficiaries of its programs. All phases of project design and succession are conducted in collaboration with local members of the participating communities. By engaging in projects across Afghanistan’s many provinces, the Foundation aims to create equal prospects for all Afghans to attain the confidence and abilities needed for self-reliance. Furthermore, in order to meet the needs of the Afghan government and its international partners for the involvement of expatriates in national reconstruction, the Foundation assists experienced Afghan professionals living in the US and Europe in planning their return to Afghanistan. Facilitating the participation of skilled members of the global Afghan community in the country’s development helps restore human capital that was lost during the preceding years of war and disruption.
Providing Scholarships to US Academic Institutions
Guided by its objective to increase Afghanistan’s human and institutional capacity for future development, the Foundation has concentrated much of its programming on educating the country’s young people. One of these programs expands upon existing student exchange opportunities by providing four-year scholarships at US colleges and universities to Afghan students who have exhibited high academic competence. The Foundation has established cost-sharing agreements with partner institutions in the US, through which it pays for students’ tuition, room, board, health insurance, and other essential needs. In turn, scholarship recipients work 10 to 15 hours in on-campus jobs, where they acquire valuable life skills and earn money to cover any personal expenses. Afghan society benefits when these students graduate and return home equipped with the practical knowledge to participate in the collective effort of revitalizing the country’s civil, governmental, and business infrastructure.
Summer Internships in Afghanistan
As a further means of precipitating the engagement of Afghan youth who study abroad in the positive transformation of their homeland, the Foundation also runs a program to recruit university exchange students to fill internship positions in Afghanistan. The Foundation began the program by securing internships in Kabul and Bamiyan for several students enrolled in a higher education initiative. It is currently collaborating with civil and private sector organizations to increase available internships and place talented students in positions throughout Afghanistan where their abilities are most urgently needed. Through the internship program, Afghan exchange students can attain meaningful work experience through roles that allow them to return to Afghanistan each summer and retain a vital attachment to the country, its citizens, and its ongoing development.
Educating the Dependents of Deceased Army and Police Veterans
Thousands of Afghans found employment in the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police in 2001. The income earned by these service members allowed them to support the education of their children and other family members. The Foundation for Afghanistan provides full scholarships and grants for the dependents of Afghan service members lost in combat to attend the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul. Efforts are also underway to expand scholarship opportunities to other private universities in Kabul. Recipients who are not yet prepared to enroll in college-level courses begin by completing the Foundation Studies Program before commencing studies toward a four-year undergraduate degree.
As with its other education programs, the Foundation intends for these scholarships to improve future prospects for Afghan youth, increase the number of Afghans with advanced degrees, and promote national self-sufficiency by providing training for a new generation of professionals qualified to lead the rebuilding of Afghanistan.