Journey of Hope Fall 2015 | Page 28

3 W “Of course CAI, CAET, and our local partners, are abiding by all the rules and regulations of Pakistan,” explains Shakir Ali, director of CAET. “We are cooperating at every level of government as this situation continues to unfold. But the establishment of a local trust ahead of these regulations made the transition to the new way of doing things much easier for CAI.” With any new system there is the potential for delays. If there are holdups in processing permissions for visas or travel, it could impact our work and that of our partners. As often is the case with international efforts such as ours, CAI is not immune to occasional hiccup on the path to progress. Each of the countries — and villages — where we operate presents its own unique set of challenges on a daily basis. This is why having CAI physical presence in each of these areas is crucial. By listening and building relationships, CAI is able to bypass many potential obstacles without so much as a pause. We are ensuring the revolution in education — especially for girls’ education — is not impacted by changes like those in Pakistan. In the face of continued challenges, we ask ourselves how CAI will sustain the peaceful revolution of girls’ education in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Tajikistan? SUSTAINABILITY: THE ULTIMATE GOAL Passion lights many fires, but it alone cannot sustain them. That is why, over the course of the next few months, CAI will begin exploring partnerships with charitable foundations — our ultimate goal being to secure funding that would allow our in-country partners to move toward self-sustainability. In the rural areas where we work today, the first-generation beneficiaries of the education revolution now carry the torch that CAI, and a handful of other organizations and individuals, once carried alone. These young, passionate, and educated peace leaders need, and want, the support of international nonprofit organizations such as CAI. Why? Because their governments do not always have the internal resources to provide education to children in these isolated regions. During the tumultuous years since CAI started its work, many boys and girls from these regions became the first generation in their families to go to school. Many finished high school, some went to college, and a few returned home to become teachers, health workers, social workers, and personal champions of basic human rights within their local communities. This remarkable change took place in fewer than 20 years. Since 1996, in the regions we serve, the spark of an unstoppable revolution of education — especially of girls — was kindled with passion. Thanks to the brave hearts of committed people in many local and international organizations, that spark now burns as a bright, shining light today. And it is our local partners who are fanning the flames. When we come together, build relationships, and foster trust, this is a true recipe for change. n 9 Jim Thaden is the executive director of Central Asia Institute. He was Born and raised in Washington, but spent much of his adult life in Philadelphia, New York, and Tennessee. Prior to joining Central Asia Institute, he worked as development director for the Discovery Place, where he played a key role in that organization’s turnaround into a sustainable social enterprise. Prior to his social enterprise work, which he calls his “second career,” Thaden was a successful entrepreneur. Student at Raheshet Primary School in Panjshir, Afghanistan. 26 | JOURNEY OF HOPE CENTRAL ASIA INSTITUTE