The Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL) is an Afghan women’s non-governmental organization (NGO) which was founded in 1995 by Professor Sakena Yacoobi to help address the problem of poor access for women and children to education and health services, their subsequent inability to support their lives, and the impact of this lack of education and health on Afghan society. AIL is an organization, run by Afghan women, that plays a major part in reconstructing education and health systems capable of reaching the women and children of Afghanistan--whether in refugee camps or still in their homes.
AIL presently has offices in Kabul and Herat, Afghanistan and in Peshawar, Pakistan. AIL serves 350,000 women and children annually, is run by women and employs about 450 Afghans, over 70% of whom are women. AIL has been project partner with Creating Hope International (CHI)--a 501(c)3 non-profit in the U.S.--since 1996. Through a long-term technical assistance agreement, CHI provides advice, training, financial management, and fund-raising assistance and acts as fiscal sponsor for AIL upon request.
AIL believes that educated people are the key to a future, developed Afghanistan. With that in mind, AIL works to empower all Afghans who are needy and oppressed by expanding their educational and health opportunities and by fostering self-reliance and community participation.
AIL's goals are to lay a foundation for quality education and health for years to come and to provide comprehensive education and health services to Afghan women and children, so that they can support and take care of themselves.
AIL requires community participation in all of its projects. Believing that the best results are achieved when everyone is integrally involved, AIL works with community leaders in the planning, developing and implementation of all projects. No project is started unless the community has requested it and is involved in it. Utilizing this visionary strategy, communities now contribute 30 to 50 percent of the resources needed for a project. These community contributions have come in many forms, including donated space, materials, and supplies. These contributions have strengthened the communities’ involvement in and ownership of AIL programs. AIL will continue to strengthen community contributions to and ownership of programs as a part of ongoing efforts towards sustainability.
AIL is committed to bringing peace and dignity to Afghan people as they struggle to overcome oppression, devastation, and injustice wrought by the last quarter century of war and instability. AIL's internationally recognized work is improving the health and education of Afghan women and children, relieving their suffering after three decades of war and civil strife, and enhancing the quality of their lives.
Since it is a non-governmental organization, AIL does not attempt to influence legislation nor does it recommend or work for the election of candidates for political office. In choosing the programs that it implements, AIL strives to assist women who are supporting their families.