In 2005 AC were awarded a 3 year grant by the EU to expand the AC twinning programme which was already in existence.  We now have 19 UK schools twinned with Afghan schools and aim to have 20 by March 2009, the end of the project period.  We will aim to continue to support these schools after the project has ended.  At present over 26,000 students are involved in the UK and Afghanistan alone.

The schools form strong and lasting links. In the UK the students use the project as part of PSHE, geography and history lessons, learning also about different faiths and cultures.
In Afganistan the students receive strong support, gifts and letter and the knowledge that they are not forgotten.
Some teachers form links with UK teachers and all gain support, training and continued contact with the outside world.
Our schools in the UK are from all sectors – state, special needs and private.  The schools offer support, exchange gifts twice per year and receive regular updates from Dr Fane as she visits each school twice per academic year and brings gifts and letters to the children.  Some UK schools also undertake fundraising to provide “their” school in Afghanistan with extra equipment.

We hold a conference each year together with our Swedish partners and children from all three countries are able to exchange ideas and share their experience, either by attending the conference or taking part in a video link between the three countries. 

Equipping and Education

A.C provides equipment both to schools the Charity has constructed, and to other schools which take part in our Twin School Project (more details below)
It costs between £5,000 -£10,000 to equip a school, depending on the size.
Equipment will include desks and benches, sports and science equipment, library furniture and books, as well as the furnishing of the administration room for teachers.  We are also starting to supply generator run computers.

We have equipped all of the 21 schools we have constructed so far, as well as 4 other schools at the beginning of the project, and have funding to equip our 10 new school constructions over the next year.