Our 2040 vision is to have a self-reliant society.

OWDA will build schools all over the country to educate orphans and underprivileged children with the highest standard of education, focusing on self-empowerment. 

OWDA will work with the Ministry of Education to implement similar programs in public schools across the country.

“No progress is possible without change, and no change is possible without the change in mind first.”

HOW

The Challenges:

The common practice to help people is to provide them with food, shelter, and other basic necessities. But the aid alone can never solve a problem or eradicate poverty. On the contrary, this short-term solution creates more dependency and encourages stagnation.

If tossing aid to the problem was the solution, then such a catastrophic humanitarian situation wouldn’t exist today. Millions of people in Afghanistan lack access to basic needs, despite the hundreds of billions of dollars that poured into the country.

SURVEY 

Belief in a promising future:

 High School students:  9.5%

University students:      5%

General population:      4%

Commitment to their social responsibilities:

High School students:  4%

University students:      2%

General population:      5%

In such a self-sabotaging mindset, no amount of financial aid or projects can help create a self-reliant society.

SOLUTION

As human being we’re the most intelligent and adaptable creature. We have the capability to achieve anything; given we discover and use our infinite intelligence.

Our young generation is the key. They are the ones we need to invest on; not just providing them with the resources, we must help them utilize their true potential and restore their beliefs in themselves.

In Bamyan university alone, we have close to 6000 students who are more than willing to fulfill their social responsibilities. If we simply help them realize their true potential, they’ll become some of the most productive members of society.

School is an environment where everyone spends a large amount of their time learning about everything they want to do and be. Schools shape these students’ outlook on life, create self-belief, self-confidence, and bring the best out of them and be productive and responsible members of society. That, if everything is done right. But if the schools lack the abilities and skills to help our future generation reach their full potential, the consequences will most certainly be dire, and will create unbelievable socioeconomic, physiological, and many more challenges which will take many decades to overcome.

Therefore, the department of education has one of the most, if not the most, vital responsibilities towards shaping a nation’s future anywhere in the world. This institution has always been the true source of human development, thus the advancement of any society. The most vulnerable members of our society are sent here and entrust the caretakers with their future to be shaped. Consequently, a nation’s future depends on the quality of the method used in these schools. Therefore, it’s our obligation to work and pay serious attention to these methods used and consistently invest in improving them.

Afghan society is a great example of such a mindset. Based on our survey, unfortunately, the high majority of people, especially students who are the future of the nation, are becoming gatekeepers of the status quo. The students, who were the main focus of our attention, have very low self-confidence and are psychologically underdeveloped. With regrets, currently, students’ psychological needs are overlooked and no attention is given to this issue which is the key to the development of a child. This lack of attention is resulting in our Universities adding millions of low self-esteem, low self-confidence with low self-beliefs, and hopeless members to our society every year; which causes countless socioeconomic and psychological issues. This kind of environment will undoubtedly create stress and depression and will force the young members of any society to strongly consider leaving the country. Our survey unearths a very dangerous precedent we set for the generations to come.

The option to continue moving on the same path that got us here and simply hope for a better outcome must be abandoned. This calls for a strong action towards empowering people from within. Without people taking charge of their own future, no one can help society reach the milestone of self-reliance, thus self-sufficiency. Also, utmost importance should be given to not just capacity building of teachers through workshops or seminars to deal and help students with all their needs, but most significantly we must help teachers with the execution of the skills learned! This requires another parallel long-term program to work on the minds. Without the latter step, it’ll not just be a waste of time and treasure, we’ll literally be playing with the future of our new generation! 

The question is not whether people can or will change, it is how you intend to bring about the change.

Our pilot proved true and sustainable change can come with the right approach, and OWDA strongly believes that empowering people from within is not just the best approach, it’s the only way out of the current crises.

Most importantly,  OWDA’s pilot project proves its claim. The changes in the participants were so effective that they became an advocate of change in their society.

“No progress is possible without change, and NO CHANGE is possible without a change in the thoughts and beliefs of a society.”