‘I believe if we want to bring peace, education is a strong vehicle and a tremendous tool to initiate this. Why? Because it increases knowledge, develops skills and moral values. If we get this richness inside, this shouldn’t lead to violent behaviour because it brings an internal peace, and the internal peace leads to external peace in the society. So let us grow more seeds for education, wherever we can’.

Many people have a vision how to bring peace, but how many of us would follow this vision to Afghanistan? The interview that follows is with a lady who worked in Afghanistan for a year. It is almost exactly what she wrote:

Can you say a little about your background?

My name is Safida Begum. I come from the Northern Areas of Pakistan – Gulmit, Gojal in Hunza. I studied till grade 10 and moved to Karachi for further studies. After BA (bachelor in science) in 1987, I joined my school as a head mistress / head teacher (HT). I was the first HT within the Aga Khan Education (AKES) system among more than 50 male HTs. It was an interesting experience, where some of the colleagues were very good to me and were supportive while others tried to ignore me, as I was not considered important. However, the management was supportive so that was a huge encouragement for me to struggle for myself and for others’ future.

I kept on working but I did not enjoy it because I did not have proper management, academic and social skills and experience when dealing with students, parents and communities. I used to try to get ideas and support from men because many of them were educated and were working in different organisations. However, everyone was not so keen for women’s participation, so people among them used to disappoint me but I appreciate those who were so much supportive to me.

Luckily, Jonathan Mitchell as general manager joined AKES in 1990s, and initiated an improvement plan for local capacity development though the English Language Training Programs and then sent a group of potential candidates to the British Council Lahore for further training. The trainers John Trood and Mrs Trood from UK, played a key role throughout the process and further identified three (02 men and myself as a woman) as Master Trainers (MTs) to work with VSOs.

When we returned back from Lahore 6 VSOs (Volunteer Oversees Services) from UK also joined AKES as trainers. So we three local MTs worked with them to bridge between the foreigners and the locals to enhance the capacity of local teachers and develop our own language and methodological skills though the Language Enhancement and Achievement Program (LEAP).
However, then I got a scholarship for an M.Ed program at the Aga Khan University – Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED), Karachi. The medium of instruction at this institute was English as it is affiliated with the University of OISE Toronto, Canada and Harvard University. Yet, it was a smooth transition for me to cope with the program because of the language development.

This program changed my whole perspective, thinking and reflective skills. I understood myself and my professional needs, and professional needs of the local teachers, HTs, and the whole education system. Moreover, it broadened my perspective and I looked at education as a holistic approach, rather than teaching subjects and passing examination through rote learning.

We as a group of AKU-IED graduates returned back to our area and served at the Aga Khan University - Professional Development Center North (AKU- PDCN). So I served for 8 years, which provided me the opportunity to share my learning with different stakeholders e.g. teachers, HTs, Education Officers / supervisors from AKES, Government and Private sectors through different programs such as Whole School Improvement Program (WSIP), Educational Leadership and Management Program, Mentoring and other needs based programs.

The head of the AKU-PDCN’s practical support and mentoring boosted us up to a different level. Similarly, the academic, physical, moral and emotional support from AKU-IED enabled us to cope with the local needs and gender issues. I enjoyed my work and became a change agent for the area, where I helped to make differences in lives, and the above mentioned people made differences in my life and colleagues. So I gradually developed more confidence, motivation and curiosity for learning and sharing. Therefore, I got international exposures such as International Research Scholar at the University of Kansas USA and recently, went through a three weeks successful training on ‘Peace Building’ from American University Washington D.C.

In a similar way, many of my colleagues from Northern Areas (NAs) went through the LEAP program to enhance their English language skills and opted for M.Ed program at AKU-IED, successfully completed and now serving at leadership roles. Moreover, few of them completed / completing their Ph.D degrees.

The purpose of explaining all this is to demonstrate how change can be initiated and sustained through capacity development of local people. Moreover, I would like to acknowledge the contribution of the people in their leadership roles in our area, their strategic thinking, positive direction and vision and contextualised actions generated stimulation for learning. Thus, leadership makes a big difference, particularly, if the leaders have good professional understanding and professional approach to change.

What were your motivations in going to Afghanistan?

It was a stimulation and motivation to serve the poor communities and sow some seeds of motivation to lead to education.

Where were you based?

I was working in Badakhshan province and was based in Sheghnan, a place that remains closed for 9 months that shrinks life pattern but the border crossing points from Tajikistan side, enables to bring a momentum in life to survive within the traditional system.

Can you briefly explain what you were doing?

I was working as a Professional Development Advisor (PDA) for Badakhshan (BDK). We were three PDAs based in three provinces (Bamyan, Baghlan and Badakhshan). We concentrated on local capacity development. We were working in 62 government schools (that increased to 82 in 2008) in BDK, partnership schools with communities, district education, provincial and ministry of education and the Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) for in service teachers. We had 62 teacher trainers in all three provinces, where we were training them and they were giving training in schools and communities. The Local Training Head closely worked with the PDAs for the Leadership and Management Training in five districts of BDK to train the school HTs.

It is a huge province with lack of infrastructure and facilities so the process of change can be very slow. But my experience with working with these stakeholders was a significant part of a positive change of their thinking. I got a lot of appreciation from the trainees for developing their capacity. At the end of every training, the participants demanded more support and professional help. This indicates that people do want to improve their education and their environment but they need skilful people to understand their particular needs and deal according to their level of understanding. I think it is important because they seemed to be taking change as a change of religion and culture because they are innocent people and they are misguided for various interests and conflicts. Therefore, they need mentoring in a positive direction to support them to enhance their knowledge, increase their skills and improve their attitudes for a positive change in their communities and societies.

However, my experience also showed that the local leaders need to access the training centers so they could establish that nothing is against their religion or culture. Once they are satisfied with the trainers’ approach, they (local leaders) become the change agents within the communities because it enables them to link with their cultural values and talk positively about the initiatives.

Did you meet the Taliban!?

I do not know whether I did or not - I might have met them because I was working with many Mullahs. Initially, they had a different attitude when talking to me but when I worked with them, linked educational theories with their practical lives, and Quranic and Islamic values, they were more interested. Similarly, I am a friendly person, when I dealt with them friendly and politely, they behaved in the same way. So believe me, my heart beats for their positive remarks and their caring attitudes. I got a lot of respect during the training programs. My impression was that the Mullahs are not bad, rather they are shown bad.

How did you find being a single woman in Afghanistan, and particularly being a woman in a senior position?

Initially, it was quite difficult because the people and the staff would treat me as a woman, with whom they could never disagree or speak with, and they would keep me isolated. But I was a professional woman so I had to talk, agree or disagree in a friendly manner. When I talked some would listen to see what I say and whether it makes sense for them or not, while others would always just disagree for the sake of disagreement because I was a woman. It was quite disappointing situation but gradually, I understood the culture, the tradition and the people, who are positive and negative. So gradually I developed relationships with people around me, who were everything for me in that isolated place. I talked, shared jokes, listen to their stories and experiences and shared my experiences so that helped me to cool down and focus on my tasks. However, the Regional Education Officer (promoted to training head) became my mentor, brother, friend, colleague, and learner. I learned many things from him and he learned from me. We were good sister and brother. I realised a local person’s support enables you to feel at home but you need to develop that trust relationship within the person and within the community through your honesty and hard work. They are needy people and you are taken as a leader so you need to prove your ability to help them and satisfy them with your work. If you are able to do that then, they become your protectors and well wishers.

Did you feel afraid at any point?

I was afraid at the beginning because I had a different image of Afghanistan. I was scared of going to the traditional toilets as it was outside of the guest house but gradually, I realised that it was a peaceful area so I was not scared but I made arrangement to stay as a paying guest with a family so felt more protected.

Once I travelled alone with the local people in a local transport from Sheghnan to Faizabad. Though I was scared inside but showed a lot of confidence. However, the people were so good to me that I cannot express the feeling. I remember, once the older person gave me his ‘shall’ when he felt that I was cold. He also set in front of the seat to protect me. Similarly, when we were crossing the pastures in the mountainous region at Shiva, the local people stopped our van, requesting to take one of the injured people (who fought and got injured) to Faizabad but these people refused saying that they have a woman guest so they cannot take him.

Have you got any encouraging stories about the role of women in Afghanistan life?

Women are protected very well according to the culture and traditions. The local men in leadership positions, who were liberal, were trying to encourage women to participate at the Mothers Literacy Centers and educate their children. They were giving my example that she has left her children at home and have come to serve us to you should take it as an excellent opportunity and benefit from her experiences. One of the Commanders in a district motivated the HTs in the leadership training to allow their women to attend the Mothers Literacy Centers and the conference on Primary Education. He also suggested that they should play a key role in enhancing girls education by motivating and educating their communities.

How does the education system in Afghanistan compare to Pakistan? Are they facing similar problems?

It is difficult to compare two countries. Pakistan has come a long way and has developed mechanism and infrastructure for students to get education from Nursery to higher education so students have choices for their careers. However, Afghanistan remaining under war for 30 years, has lost everything. So there are gaps at every stage of human life from intellectual capital to social, emotional and moral so it will take time to establish an infrastructure and a support mechanism for students. But the international organisations have been playing a key role to fill some of the gaps in supporting the Government of Afghanistan. It was wonderful to notice a comprehensive National Curriculum for schools and the Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) was developed by international consultants according to the current needs of the global village. It is a huge contribution for the country if it is implemented in the same way. I think that Pakistan does not have that kind of comprehensive national curriculum.

Do you feel optimistic about Afghanistan’s future or not?

I am optimistic about the change could happen in Afghanistan but it will take a lot of time because people of Afghanistan are very much scattered from each other socially and emotionally. They are lacking connectivity and harmony among themselves. So instead of thinking about their country, they go for ethnicity that creates conflict among them that hinders their progress.

Is there anything else you would like to tell people in the UK about your experiences in Afghanistan?

First of all I would like to thank people from UK and USA, who made differences in my life, my people and my area. Then I would like to request people to think broadly and act locally. It means, whoever, goes to these kinds of conflict zones, it is essential to understand the culture, the tradition and work with communities to give them ownership. Facilitate them to enhance their capacity and work with them as a critical friend. It helps to be part of the culture and the critical view helps to understand the needs and work skilfully to satisfy the communities as clients. Once it is done, there is no way that those innocent people will forget you. It means you are in their hearts and minds all the time to follow your partway. So if someone gets that, for me, that is a great achievement and satisfaction in life.

English and Pakistani reflections

I do apologise for not having updated my blog for a while, unfortunately I have been having a few internet issues. First I got a virus on my computer in Pakistan, then I went home and with quite astounding stupidity managed to put the same virus on my parents computer (making a quick exit back to Pakistan advisable). Then when back in Pak I still didn’t have internet on my computer and then toddled off to the Northern Areas for a week where yaks were more in abundance than computers (apparently, though I didn’t see any). So, after that long apology and list of excuses, here follows what I wrote in the UK. But stay tuned, as they say, to the blog in the next couple of days cos I’ve got loads more exciting stuff in the pipeline – an interview with a lady who spent a year working in Afghanistan, a story of reconciliation and forgiveness in a village after an honour killing, and of course more insightful and deep comments about life in Pakistan (maybe?!). What follows is what I wrote in the UK:

So, I’m back in the UK again, for a two-week holiday. The main reason for coming back was my friends wedding, which was beautiful. But the extent of vacillation in making my mind up whether to come back had seriously never been seen before in the history of, well, history. I eventually decided I definitely would come back, five days before the flight, (after deciding I definitely wouldn’t) when I got a virus on my computer, thought I lost 8 months work and diagnosed myself with all stress related and heat related disorders in the medical handbook so helpfully given to us by VSO. (I am reminded of Three Men in a Boat – I know I didn’t have housemaid’s knee, but as for everything else….Seriously, my hair started coming out by the chunkful, and I was getting fairly concerned. The following comments on it really didn’t help my stress levels: a) is radiation causing it? and b) if the whole hair falls out it is not likely to grow back). But you’ll be pleased to know that my computer was restored to its former glory by a wonderful VSO volunteer to whom I will be forever grateful.

I did feel slightly guilty in coming back, for several reasons. I felt slightly like I was running away from my problems, instead of facing up to them. And also that was complicated by a feeling of guilt that the people I work with are unable to jump on a plane to get away from the heat, the gender inequalities, and the constant tension due to terrorism.

When I arrived back a week ago I could not get my head around the fact that a mere eight hours can make such a difference to everything – to my life, to the whole world, to what I can eat, where I can go, what I can do. Everything was different – on the surface everything looks different, and underneath all cultural values and world views are completely different. It was a shock seeing women walking around by themselves in short skirts, a surprise seeing churches again, so many new cars on the road, - nothing has changed in the UK but I was slightly mixed up…

But now I have decided that it was good coming back and having a break. I’ve been able to clear my head and to think things through, especially about why I was getting so stressed. I was really losing my tolerance level and my ability to see things through another’s point of view. I was looking at aspects of Pakistani culture from a typically western point of view (all the negative aspects of arranged marriages, all the restrictions due to gender etc etc) rather than trying to understand aspects of the culture that are completely alien to western cultural values from a Pakistani point of view instead. It really doesn’t help in my efforts at world peace and challenging barriers between the East and the West (on a minute scale) if I conveniently forgot that some (definitely not all) Pakistani girls are happy to have arranged marriages, and arranged marriages come from a long heritage of serving the family rather than the individual focus in the west, and there might actually be some negative things associated with the rampant individualism of the west.

I’ve been doing some reading as well as thinking since I’ve been back and realising that trying to understand another culture is like peeling an onion and the layers get more intricate and complicated as you go, and it is neverending! (hope you like the metaphor). I and other VSOs are often asked for help from people like how to get a UK visa, people looking for jobs in INGOs, that sort of thing. We were thinking that people just wanted to get to know us because they wanted something from us, we were just being used. But I am slowly realising that this is how things work in Pakistan, that contacts through family and friends are the prime means through which people get jobs, run businesses, politics is accomplished and actually the whole way the country runs. And I am also realising that people never say no to a request for help, as it is seen as shameful. I thought that the best way to deal with requests was to be honest and to say that I can’t help, but Pakistani’s were quite surprised by my response, so now I know why. And difficulties can be caused when ideas about shame / honour take precedence over being honest.

And I’ve been thinking through how to respond to the amazing hospitality that I have been shown. I have to be able to reciprocate it in some way, but given the level of my cooking skills that is not really an option. I did come up with a cunning plan – to fill my suitcase with my mum’s amazing chocolate brownie. Surprisingly enough mum didn’t seem as enamoured with my plan as I did, but I’ll work on her….

There are things I know I find difficult to implement personally about Pakistani culture because they are so alien to the way I have been brought up. For example, I still cannot just go around to a person’s house without an invitation – I feel like I could be intruding no matter how many times people tell me that it is an honour for them to have guests. And between friends, ‘sorry’ and ‘thank you’ are not said – not having to say sorry implies that friends forgive each other unreservedly, and not saying thank you implies an expectation that friends would serve one another. But I find this very difficult as I have to show gratitude when people do things for me.

I am thoroughly enjoying my time back in the UK, the wedding was so lovely, and it was been great catching up with friends and family. And I really have been thoroughly enjoying the vast range and quality of English food. I knew I wasn’t eating very much in Pakistan but I didn’t realise the extent of my hunger until confronted with the choice inside my parents’ fridge, and the difficult decision of where to start. It took me six days to eat so much my stomach was painful after every meal, but then I realised I got over it when I was defeated by two weetabix for breakfast. Unfortunately I didn’t really have the excuse that I needed feeding up as I didn’t actually lose any weight in Pakistan (due to the amount of fat in the food) but I justified my drooling over a baguette at Kings Cross and taking large amounts of time deliberating over menus by making the most of the opportunities available to me. Especially with pork. I had a temporary set back after the following comment from my brother ‘I do so admire people who can set aside their principles for the sake of their stomachs’ on my reaching for a sausage, but I fully intend to rediscover my vegetarianism on my final return to the UK. I don’t want to give the impression that I don’t like Pakistani food – that wasn’t the problem. The problem was cooking for myself as it was so hot and there were so many ants and I was so tired (I can really sense your sympathy). I usually ended up having noodles or baked beans on toast for dinner. Got a bit fed up in the end. (BTW baked beans were available in my local shop but not any more – I think I was the only person who bought them in several years, and the shopkeeper greeted me like a long lost child and sold all his remaining tins to me in one go). Anyway, perhaps that is enough about food now.

So, I’m going to go back (hopefully) having rediscovered compassion and tolerance, but I am also going to go back more realistic. Although the culture seems to get more confusing the deeper I go, I have to realise that some things I will never fully understand, and some things that I can never accept, but I can do my best to empathise and try to behave without causing offense. It is a privilege to be there and to learn more about this (infinitely confusing) society.