From the streets to the classroom: Transforming young lives in Afghanistan
Text by Abdullah Zahid
“In just six months, we’ve seen progress that would normally take three to four years,” said Safia,* a teacher at one of two transitional centres in Kunduz, north-east Afghanistan. “If each child brings change to their home, imagine what that could mean for our communities and our country.”
What began as a learning initiative for out-of-school children is now reshaping futures in the heart of Kunduz city. Children who once sold snacks, collected recyclables or begged for spare change now walk a different path – one that leads through classroom doors.
The two transitional centres are giving 500 children a second chance at education. Established by the Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED), with support from the European Union and the US Agency for International Development, the centre is helping children who were once street vendors, beggars and returnees from across the border. The centres – one for boys, one for girls – offer more than just learning: they provide a sense of hope, safety and structure.
“Most of the children attending the centre used to be engaged in child labour,” said Safia, who teaches at the girls’ centre. “We had students who made and sold bolani [stuffed bread], sold juice by the roadside or made flower garlands at home. Now, they are learning entirely new things.”
Transition to formal schools
Aged between 6 and 14, the children are enrolled in a six-month bridging curriculum aligned with the Afghanistan Ministry of Education’s standards, preparing them to transition into formal schools. The centres also provide daily meals, transportation, recreational activities and psychosocial support. Awareness sessions for children and their caregivers keep families engaged and empowered throughout the process, reinforcing the long-term success of each child’s journey back to education.
For children like 12-year-old Farah,* a recent returnee from Pakistan, this shift is life changing. She explained: “My father is a labourer. I used to collect and sell milk from neighbours’ homes. Now, I dream of continuing my studies and becoming a teacher one day.”
Somaya, 11, whose father sells burgers, shared: “I used to make and sell flower garlands. Now, I come to class every day and I’m learning new things.”
Families are also seeing transformations they never thought possible. “We hold regular sessions with parents and many of them are overwhelmed with gratitude,” Safia added. “One mother once told me that despite all her efforts, she couldn’t teach her child the way we have. Her child now teaches her things she never knew.”
Working with local communities
Behind this success is strong coordination. ACTED works closely with local communities, school management shuras [community-based councils], Parent Teacher Associations and organizations like OCHA, which plays a key role in humanitarian coordination – especially in emergencies involving returnees and displaced populations.
“When there’s an influx of returnees, we receive alerts from our partners,” explained an OCHA colleague. “We assess how many vulnerable children are among them and connect families to available services and centres like those established by ACTED. These centres are more than educational – they are lifelines for children and an investment in the future of Afghanistan.”
Aid cuts threaten the centres
However, recent US funding cuts have put the programme’s future in jeopardy. Without renewed support, hundreds of children could be forced back to the streets, reversing hard-won gains.
“It was through this assistance that we convinced families to send their children to these centres,” said Shabnam,* another teacher. “If the aid stops, how will they continue their education? They’ll go back to work. And personally, it worries me too – I’m the sole breadwinner for my own family.”
Despite the challenges, the work continues. The European Union continues to support the programme, providing a much-needed lifeline to children and families caught in cycles of poverty, displacement and survival.
*Names changed to protect privacy. All photos converted to AI illustrations using AI image-generation technology.