Afghanistan blogs

by Save the Children staff member Jiffer Bourguignon

. An introduction to 'Rewrite the Future' in Afghanistan December 2006
. 'It's just too cold to fight' January 2007
. The Shamali Valley March 2007
 

The Shamali Valley

The Shamali valley is actually not that far from Kabul. Winding through the traffic of Kabul city - past the old Russian bread factory, over the hill next to the Intercontinental Hotel, past day laborers waiting at a central roundabout, shovels in hand - one is suddenly spit out onto the expansive plain of the Shamali.

The Shamali valley is well known for its fertile plains which produce a bulk of the grapes, almonds and walnuts in the country. This agricultural area is also well known for its strategic geographic location - a buffer and link between the majestic Hindu Kush mountains and Kabul city. Because of its position, the Shamali has been the frontline for heavy fighting throughout Afghanistan's long history of violent conflict. The area was heavily mined and constant clashes between the warring factions meant that the majority of the inhabitants of the Shamali fled their homes and sought shelter in Kabul or abroad.

This is where Save the Children conducts a large number of Early Childhood Development groups - groups of 15 pre-school children between the ages of 4-6 come together for two hours, three days a week to play games, read books and do sports in order to better prepare them for entry into the first grade in formal government schools.

Evidence of its violent past litter the plains; remnants of misshapen mud brick homes are surrounded by dormant vineyards. "Cleared by HT" is spray painted with white check marks to indicate areas that have been swept for mines. We pass a demining team, men in protective gear and plastic masks marking the mined areas with red rocks, while white stones denote cleared areas. Of in the distance, two boys guide a flock of sheep through the fields of red and white indiscriminately.

Roadside vendors sell boulanie, larger thinner versions of samosas - pastry stuffed with spring onions and deep fried- and handmade pottery from the neighboring village of Istalef. Their stands are adorned with posters of Aishwarya Rai, the famous Bollywood bombshell whose coquettish smile seems out of sorts when women with faces obscured by the blue burqa walk by. Very few of the towering pine trees remain, hacked down for firewood or to deprive militants of cover.

In a small room on the second floor of a family home in the district of Farza, fifteen children were playing counting games, building stoves and homes with local materials such as juice boxes and toilet paper rolls; I was reminded of the macaroni necklaces I used to make for Mom, which she proudly wore to family functions. Playgroup facilitators learned to make toys from local materials and discarded items found around the house at a Save the Children workshop. Children raced cars made out of discarded tea boxes; an abacus was fashioned out of a coat hanger, cardboard chips and pieces of twine.

When the toys are put away, the children settle, cross-legged on the floor for a story. Meena, the facilitator pulls one of the picture books designed by Save the Children with photographs that illustrate a story. Children yell out their interpretations of what is happening in the photos: "The boy is washing his hands!" "He's using soap!" "Now he's eating lunch!" The children narrated each page and then discussed the story's message: it is important to wash one's hands before eating.

The discussion was occasionally interrupted by the sound of explosions; presumably the explosions were controlled - the demining team must have found what they were looking for. The sound was little more than background noise that was seemingly indistinguishable to anyone but me.

The program ended with physical activities: tight rope walking, beanbag throwing, skipping rope. Studies show that children who attend Early Childhood Development programs prior to starting first grade are more likely to enroll and stay in school. They are also more attentive and perform better in the first year. With so many obstacles in their path, programs such as this give these children a little head start.