Greetings!   

I asked Suzanne, a volunteer who has managed our sponsorship program for years to share with us information about seven of the fifteen college graduates sponsored through TIE. Most were found on the streets of Kabul and all likely would never have been able to afford college without the support of their sponsors. Education is the solution to ending cyciical poverty. We've been making that possible for Afghan children for seventeen years.

Schools in Afghanistan have not opened due to the Coronavirus and our libraries are closed.They, like we, a self-isolating, and in need of some uplifting news. We and they have plenty to share.

Budd

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Last December the number of university graduates in our Education Sponsorship Program increased by seven. We are thrilled for these children and their families. Three women and four men living in Kabul, Afghanistan, steadily worked their way through school and the terrible hardships of living in poverty and a war-torn country to earn degrees in midwifery, nursing, journalism, and law. Their names are Neelab, Halima, Jaweed, Latifa, Farshid, Hewad, and Obaidullah; all joined our sponsorship program in 2009 and shared the desire to give back to their country once finished with their education.  
Two new individuals entering the medical field in Afghanistan is truly a heyday for a country where the birthing mortality rate is one of the world’s highest and trained medical care is critically needed. At the close of 2019, Neelab and Halima graduated from midwifery and nursing programs, respectively. That they both possess the calling to minister to and heal others says a great deal about the character of these two young women. In one of Neelab’s letters to her sponsor, she says it all regarding what sponsorship can mean to the children in our program. “The money you send me has brought many positive changes in my life. I was a young girl with no schooling, but with your help, I finished school and am now literate. I have found my way into the university and am studying to become a good doctor so I can serve my people.” 
Halima had her sights on a nursing career since age 13 (if not before) when she became sponsored. With steely determination is how she has always approached her life. Halima was born with one leg shorter, yet became such a talented ping pong player that the Olympic committee in 2016 sponsored her to compete at the Paralympics in South Korea. And referencing the never-ending Taliban violence that still rocks Afghanistan to this day, one letter from her reads, “…life in Afghanistan is hard today. Really living is hard. Every day an incident happens.” Yet, Halima has persevered. And given how much Halima has already accomplished in her life, we at TIE would also like to take a moment to give a shout out to her parents. Given the traditional restrictions on women in Afghanistan, there is no way Halima could see such a possibility for herself without both her mother and father cheerleading in the background. 
The last student we introduce in today’s newsletter is Jawid who graduated with a degree in journalism. Jawid is a very handsome young man with one visibly disfigured leg. His life story when he joined our program described Jawid getting a shot from a doctor to treat some disease. Whatever was in that shot crippled his right leg permanently.  Jawid’s father was dead, and his mother eked out a living for the family as a tailor. Before becoming sponsored Jawid helped the finances by selling things on the street all day. But as is so profoundly true of many of our program students, Jawid did not let his disadvantages get in his way. He became a committed, hardworking, accomplished student. His disability seemed not to hinder him from playing soccer throughout his childhood. A letter from him in 2011 says, “I like school a lot. I would like to become the pride of my family.” And that is just what Jawid accomplished. That Jawid is now an educated young man will likely start a new trajectory for his family with regard to education and economic security.  

In TIE’s next newsletter we will sing praises for our four law students who graduated from university last December. Sharing about these accomplished young Afghan university graduates is extremely rewarding news for their sponsors,TIE, and it's supporters.  

Suzanne Rogge
Director, Education Sponsorship Program
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