Fareima's Story
14-year-old Fareima lives in Afghanistan, where 60% of girls aged 7-13 are not in school. Those who do manage to attend government schools have to put up with over-crowding and a dire lack of equipment.
Monday 21 May 2007
Fareima has been attending a Save the Children learning centre, which she's really enjoyed. But the centre is due to close soon, because money for the project is running out.
"I joined Save the Children's learning centre," says Fareima. "But now those classes are being discontinued, so I have nowhere to go."
There is a nearby government school, but Fareima's mother doesn't want her to go there because she's worried for her safety.
Fareima says, "I really want to continue my studies here, but I don't think my mother will let me. My father was a Mullah and used to teach children the Koran. He was killed because he dared to teach young girls. After that, my mother was too scared to send me to the big school."
Security is less of an issue at the Save the Children centres, as they are usually run in someone's home where the girls can learn safely.
Fareima says the ongoing fighting in Afghanistan has transformed the family's life. She's lost her father and her brother, and it means the remaining family members now live in a state of permanent worry.
She says, "The fighting has really changed our lives. Everything is always uncertain. Even now, we don't know if this government will last."
Save the Children's Rewrite the Future campaign aims to ensure that all children in conflict-affected countries can go to school. More than 10,000 children have already benefited from our learning centres in Afghanistan, and we're hoping to expand our work to include teacher training and supplying essential school materials.
However, the funding for our work in Afghanistan is running low. Support Rewrite the Future today and give children like Fareima the best chance in life.
