PREPARING THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS
by Jed Williamson and Jim Thaden
Over the next 20 years , Central Asia Institute and its in-country partners will make literacy and education possible for a new generation of leaders , especially female leaders , in Pakistan , Afghanistan , and Tajikistan .
We will be there when girls , boys , women , and men , learn to write their names for the first time , when they pass their first test , and when they apply to college . We aren ’ t content to stop there .
CAI plans to be there when those same students lead their communities toward peace and prosperity , as the next wave of teachers , humanitarians , doctors , scientists , parents , and civil servants . How do we get there from here ? In honor of our 20th anniversary , we wanted to take a moment and show you how we are planning for the future . Here is a glimpse of some of the amazing things to come .
For the last two decades , CAI ’ s committed donors have gifted brick and mortar schools , vocational training buildings , and community centers . The education that occurs within these buildings produces thousands of grateful beneficiaries — from students , to teachers , to women learning trades . The positive social impact of this effort has helped shape the progress of the regions where we work and is instrumental in promoting peace . The return on investment is huge .
In the future , the best return on investment , at least in terms of social impact , will come not only from these structures , but also from carefully designed education programs that provide young people with the tools they need to lead .
By developing more programs that give students the information , knowledge , and methods they need to succeed , we can enable these young women and men to realize their own vision of the future .
How can we be so sure ? We ’ re sure because we ’ re seeing amazing results from our trial programs .
In 2015 alone , 3,014 young women received free afterschool lessons in core subjects by participating in our Students Education
Support Program ; 762 young women and men who previously had no access to education were prepared for a formal education in our expedited Quick Learning Center Program ; and all 109 early childhood development teachers in Tajikistan ’ s Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast attended a training on the latest methods for working with children ages 2-5 .
Education programs — like early childhood development , afterschool tutoring , and expedited learning courses for students whose education was delayed — enable young leaders , and especially young women , to believe in the power of their own potential . These programs provide them with the needed tools to peacefully and successfully lead communities . Education provides them with the confidence and skills to think and act creatively in the midst of continuing hostilities . Most importantly , it helps them build the strength of character required to step up courageously in times of crisis or uncertainty . We believe in them , and thanks to your continued help , CAI will be there to help them realize their full potential as individuals and community leaders for years to come .
6 | JOURNEY OF HOPE CENTRAL ASIA INSTITUTE