Young Afghan women face many challenges getting an education, especially in conservative areas in the country’s east and south. In Nangarhar Province, 35 female university students recently completed a course to learn basic computer skills. They overcame issues of security, the need to get permission from their families, and lack of transportation in order to learn valuable skills that will help them succeed in their future careers.
The 35 students make up nearly half of the female student body at Nangarhar University. USAID and the university hope to enroll the remaining female students in IT courses by the end of the academic year. To increase female enrollment, Nangarhar University offers separate USAID-supported classes for female students and faculty members. This approach has clearly been successful in increasing participation in the IT courses offered at the Nangarhar University Afghan Next Generation eLearning (ANGeL) Center. The center, established by USAID and the Afghan e-Quality Alliances program, make the internet and e-learning opportunities more accessible to university students, faculties, and staff.