Abstract

The community readiness model entitled ARISE (Afghan Retraining Initiative for Self-Employment) created a vocational program for women in Kabul, Afghanistan. Goals included the teaching of literacy, numerology, civics, health education, and financial autonomy. The Foundation for Global Community and The Afghan Center ARISE project was funded in 2003 by USAID, GTZ, UNICEF, and the ILO. One Thousand Afghan women were recruited and paid stipends to attend six months of training in health, literacy, numerology, and civics courses followed by vocational training in bookkeeping, carpentry, carpet weaving, and jam-making. Qualified Afghan staff were hired to teach courses and participants were encouraged to study the vocation of their choice. The education of Afghan women resulted in new vocational skills and improved health literacy for disease prevention. Participants experienced access to and management of their earnings for the first time, resulting in greater purchasing power for their families. The results of the program allowed participants to experience a greater level of social justice, fairness, and equality in healthcare, politics, and economics leading to individual potential and hope for future generations. The project may be adaptable for other post-conflict zones.