Have Skype? Help shape an Afghan woman's future from home

No need to speak Pashto

The process of the lessons is pretty straightforward, Pamela tells us. “First, we -- I can't tell you my student's name because it would place her in danger -- sign into Skype and then wait for our slot to become available; each lesson lasts 50 minutes. The first thing I did was assess her reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. Her English level is quite high. She's taught herself over the last few years through classes at the Afghan-Canadian Community Centre [ACCC], and she's had previous speaking practice through Skype lessons. I email her homework and other documents.”

As you would imagine, there are some challenges involved in teaching this way. The most obvious would probably be how to communicate with someone if you don't speak their language -- Afghanistan's two official languages are Dari Persian and Pashto -- and, as there's no video connection, you can't use body language or acting to get your message across. “Well, as many of the students speak Pashto, all the volunteer teachers are sent a link to an online dictionary just in case we have problems communicating,” Pamela highlights. “This hasn't been an issue with my student yet, though.”

“Cultural considerations, however, have been a learning curve. When I was accepted into the program I was sent a Teachers' Handbook, which includes an explanation of issues that might arise. The first thing for me was my Skype ID photo: I was using ‘Beach Skype,' which was a bikini bottom on the Skype logo, so I changed that as it would be immodest for their culture. Lesson planning also requires more thought as I have to be careful about both the topics I choose and the images on the worksheets we use. Teachers in the program have access to materials from ESL websites that the AIWR has subscribed to, but the handouts we use in the West also include cultural references or subjects that students in Afghanistan may not be familiar with. I've had to modify my expectations of which topics we can chat about: Talking about chocolate -- a universal favorite -- went well, but subjects we take for granted in the West, such as favorite TV personalities, didn't work at all. A lot of the lesson material we use in the West may include pictures of men and women together, alcohol or exposed skin, which is either prohibited or immodest for Afghanistan's culture.”

Given the unstable situation in Afghanistan, how regular have the classes been so far? “Even though the Internet connection is via satellite and the computers are, for the most part, reliant on generators because of the erratic electricity supply in Kandahar, we've had minimal problems with the actual Skype connection,” Pamela explains. “We often use the chat/text box if the connection becomes muddled. Our initial classes were delayed because of Nevruz. Then we had scheduling issues with the time change in Turkey: There's a one-and-a-half-hour time difference between the two countries, and this year Turkey delayed its time change by a day, whereas Afghanistan doesn't change. At the ACCC there are 60 students who each have a 50-minute slot on one of the 20 computers there, from Saturday to Thursday, so that entails complex coordinating of teachers worldwide. However, since we started lessons in March, we've only missed two classes: one because of the violent demonstrations in Kandahar protesting the Koran burning in the US, and most recently we missed another because of heightened security in the city after members of the Taliban and other prisoners escaped from jail.”

Afghanistan is a real place

We are all familiar -- perhaps too familiar -- with seeing Afghanistan on the news but as a result of the AIWR's English program, Pamela is now emotionally invested in both the country and its people. “When we've missed lessons due to unrest in Kandahar, I've been worried about my student,” she points out. “However, when I next speak to her and ask how things are there, she simply replies, ‘Fine, things are back to normal.' Her idea of what is ‘normal' and mine are very, very different.”

So has Pamela learned anything about what life is like in Kandahar for her student? “A little, but if I ask direct questions I get blanket statements about life being difficult because of the insecurity in the country, or she tells me about more specific problems, such as coping with a sporadic electricity supply on a daily basis. Through our lessons I am gradually getting a very general idea of what life is like there.”

One major thing Pamela has realized is just how restricted her student's movements are, as she explains: “As girls aren't allowed in Internet cafes and computers are prohibitively expensive in Afghanistan, the only time the ACCC students have Internet access is when they are at the center. I also once tried to talk about going shopping -- something we take for granted in the West -- but it turned out that she only went shopping once last month because she can't go alone.”

Every teacher's dream: motivated students

The girls and women in AIWR's program and the others at the ACCC have a lot of catching up to do and, despite all the odds stacked against them, are highly motivated, as Pamela explains: “School buildings were destroyed and education was disrupted during the war with the ex-USSR, many teachers had to leave the country and the Taliban then prohibited education for girls and women. Even though since 2001 girls and women have the right to an education, there's a shortage of female teachers in Afghanistan, and female students at the ACCC and their families also face the ever-present, very real threat of reprisals from the Taliban; some have received death threats nailed to their doors at night.”

Pamela's student is no different: In addition to her English classes, she's also got a scholarship, like many others enrolled at the center, for an online degree course with an international university. Other women there are also benefiting from the AIWR's mentoring program for professionals.

What Pamela and the other volunteer teachers are doing is greatly appreciated, as feedback from the Afghan women and girls shows: “It is very helpful for the Afghan students -- especially in the current situation it is very necessary, and we are in great need of the classes. Kindly please continue and never stop these classes.”

“My teacher brings me into another life; she brings hope to my life and changes my life completely.”

“It is the first organization in Kandahar province in which we can study abroad from our own city -- and we can learn about different cultures as well as improve our English skills.”

“Learning English is like water, food and breath -- vital for me.”

“I will always be thankful to all of you for helping in such a proper way and I don't know how to thank you for all you have done for all Afghan girls.”

 “My classes give me confidence and courage…”

“The classes give me courage to speak English … and to seek out information about everything. It is a wonderful opportunity to attend such great classes with such nice people.”

Volunteering from home

Even though like many Pamela would like to volunteer for and contribute to a number of causes, time and commitments make it impractical. So why did Pamela volunteer for the AIWR's English program? “First it's about women's rights and, after reading their mission statements, I realized that they are a professional organization with a noble cause,” she underlines.

“Being able to speak English is a hurdle for professional women in underdeveloped countries, and I have the skills and experience to help them achieve that. It's a minimum three-month commitment, which is doable, and, above all, I can help make a difference from home. It's also a chance for both my student and me to broaden our horizons. On a personal level, the feel good factor is high, and it's a good introduction to online teaching. I would definitely recommend this to other teachers.”

So can anyone apply? Firstly, due to safety and cultural considerations for the Afghan women and girls in the program, they can only work with female volunteers. Volunteers must have a near-native fluency in English with TESOL certification or teaching experience. They also need to have a reliable computer with high-speed Internet, Skype (which you can download free) and a headset and be able to commit to two lessons a week for a minimum of three months.

You can find out more about the AIWR and the ACCC, by visiting www.aiwr.org and www.theafghanschool.org.