As a result of the positive and immediate responses I received to the Taking It To The Streets newsletter, I increased our commitment to sponsor children from 10 to 25, before I left Kabul. We already have sponsors for 20 of the 25. I am very excited about the program and how people responded. Others have written to obtain more information. The purpose of this email is to summarize the sponsorship program and to share what I learned from the founder of Aschiana.
A "street child" earns an average of $2 a day ($60 a month). In many cases the child is the breadwinner in his/her household. Reducing the income generated by that child from $60 a month to $20 indicates that the family recognizes the value of an education. The family is investing in the child's education along with everyone else. As everyone knows, this approach is preferable.
 
Artwork by Aschiana Students
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Many of these children are not able to transition into the regular school system immediately. They lack the education necessary to be accepted. Aschiana provides the educational training needed to transition. Their goal is to enable a child to transition within six months. Once a child is integrated into the school system, Aschiana monitors attendance and progress. Before receiving the $20 monthly payment, sponsored children must bring in a form signed by their teachers attesting to their attendance. Aschiana has people who patrol the streets periodically to make certain sponsored children aren't working the streets. If a child either misses too many classes or is caught back on the streets, Aschiana meets with the family to determine why. Every effort is made to keep the children on track.
The cost to sponsor a child is $260 a year ($20 a month for 12 months plus an administrative fee of $20 for Aschiana). We prefer that this be paid in advance, to minimize bookkeeping. Checks should be made payable to TIE and sent to PO Box 936, Lafayette, California 94549. For those who wish to have the cost charged to a credit card send us an email and we will contact you to obtain the information we need.
We have agreed to handle inquiries from sponsors who sponsor through TIE. This lightens Aschiana's load. We told Aschiana that we have someone working for TIE in Kabul who will provide additional monitoring and oversight. Aschiana not only didn't resist this request but welcomed it.
A disturbing work of art
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Now I know there are those who will recognize immediately that this is a lousy plan for TIE. TIE has just taken on more work without raising additional income.You're right. For the time being we have the ability to take on this additional work without jeopardizing our other programs. In the future we may track and fund this activity separately. For now, I'm just happy that TIE is in a position to help.
Aschiana should be sending me photos of the children and some profile information within the next couple of weeks. They are being funded effective May 1st. We'll assign children to sponsors as soon as we can.
The minimum commitment for a sponsorship is one year. Anyone who decides to not continue his sponsorship next year should give us at least 60 days notice. A third grader will want to go to the 4th grade next year and then there is the 5th etc. That's a lesson I learned about supporting education immediately. You can build a well or finance an irrigation project and leave. A decision to educate is a long term commitment. TIE will do everything possible to avoid disrupting the education of children sponsored through TIE. A child, who lives up to his/her end of the agreement, should never go back to the streets, for lack of a sponsor.
 
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I arrived back yesterday and am again recovering from cultural shock.
I've already enjoyed a matinee, popcorn and medium coke, the monthly
cost of keeping a child off the streets of Kabul. I have a way of
rationalizing matinees as a necessary escape from the realties I
confront while in Afghanistan. It's not always easy readjusting to life
in Lafayette.
Budd
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