EU Announces €6 Million Aid for Afghan Children’s Education
The European Union Delegation in Afghanistan has signed a new €6 million funding agreement with Save the Children to support children’s education. The aid will finance the implementation of a new project titled Facilitating Access to Knowledge, Hope, and Academic Resilience (FAKHAR).
This initiative will provide safe, inclusive, gender-responsive, and sustainable learning opportunities for Afghan boys and girls—especially those who are out of school, living with disabilities, or belonging to vulnerable communities.
Through the project’s activities, community-based schools and early childhood education centers will be established, educational materials and textbooks will be supplied, and opportunities will be created to enhance children’s literacy, numeracy, and social skills. Community participation will also be strengthened to ensure the sustainability of educational programs.
Veronika Bošković Pohar, Acting EU Chargé d’Affaires for Afghanistan, said the support reflects the EU’s unwavering commitment to Afghan children. She emphasized that every child, regardless of gender or circumstances, has the right to safe and inclusive education. According to her, focusing on girls’ education not only expands opportunities but also revives hopes for the country’s wellbeing, and an educated generation is the foundation of a brighter future for Afghanistan.
Planned for 36 months, the project pursues three main goals:
1. Improving access to safe education for children.
2. Strengthening children’s basic academic and social skills.
3. Ensuring the sustainability of the project through community involvement.
These goals will be achieved through the establishment of community-based schools, provision of essential learning materials, and support for green schools initiatives that emphasize energy efficiency, water conservation, and environmental protection.
Melkamu Kassa, Save the Children’s Program Director in Afghanistan, thanked all donors and supporters who have enabled the organization to stand as a leading institution for Afghan children. He stressed that every child has the right to realize their full potential and that the organization is committed to supporting and protecting them. He added that the efforts particularly focus on girls, children with disabilities, and those excluded from the education system, to ensure safe and quality primary learning opportunities.
This assistance comes at a time when thousands of Afghan children remain deprived of education, with vulnerable boys and girls still excluded from schools. The joint efforts of the EU and Save the Children are expected to open the doors of education for Afghanistan’s next generation and lay the foundation for the country’s long-term stability and development.
