The Wheels are ON Razia's BUS!
The Razia Jan's Zabuli Education Center in Afghanistan, has successfully purchased a bus for girls to be safely transported to and from school. Last year, Rotary After Hours committed $5,000 to the "Wheels of Hope" project. The $45,000 raised in partnership with area Rotary Clubs will be transformative to bringing education to girls in Afghanistan.
This school just started back in March and was able to offer transportation for students who may otherwise not be able to get to school. "We are incredibly grateful to the many, many people who were involved with the Wheels of Hope campaign and are humbled with the results you were able to achieve. When you think of all the challenges that 2020 brought and yet, somehow this campaign met its goal, enabling us to purchase a bus that is already in use and helping to bring girls to/from the school! Watch this heart warming video from the girls themselves!
A recap of Razia's story and the Wheels of Hope Project-
"Where I live, it’s tradition that when a girl grows up, she doesn’t go outside." In Afghanistan, girls worry every day for their safety and their lives. Many have no voice and are viewed as property of the family. The Zabuli Education Center and Razia’s Ray of Hope are changing this. Under threats and dangers, Razia Jan opened the doors of the school, providing free education to girls (in the villages of duh subs, 30 miles outside of Kabul.)
Girls in Razia’s school learn to write their father’s name first, bringing honor to the family and shows the value of education. The Education is one of the most powerful gifts we can be given and can never be taken away once received. Graduates have gone on to be teachers, midwives, and shop owners. The alternatives for girls is forced marriage.
Razia’s school needed a bus. More than half of the students live over 5 miles from school, or more than an hour walk. Many families in the villages will not allow their daughters to attend school without safe and reliable transportation. This is particularly true when their daughter’s reach adolescence. Busing keeps students safe from violence and harassment on their way to school, while also making the trip to school manageable during the frigid Afghan winters, when walking miles in the snow and cold seems impossible, and during the oppressive heat of the Afghan summers. That's where we, along with area Rotary Clubs came into play.
Rotary opens opportunities. Rotary creates opportunities. Thank you for helping to give the opportunity of education to these young girls.
