“We did our very best to improve their employability, during their transition from formal education to working life Our focus was to better match the qualifications of young job-seekers with jobs on the employment market, and more important, to improve their employability during their transition from formal education to working life.“, informed Mohib one of the master trainers.

“In all, 160 applicants participated in a pre-test, we finally selected 120 (35 female and 85 male) and all of them successfully graduated from this programme.”

The training course focused on four main components, personal business skills for office and business; Information Technology for practical office work and communication; English language for business communication; CV Development and Job-search Skills, Team & self-motivation competences & Job-Interview Skills. All components were facilitated in an interrelated approach.

The curriculum was designed by ANAFAE’s quality team based on the well known “Expert Programme” of the German VHS and implemented by ANAFAE’s master trainers, with an intensive student-centered participatory methodology, to strengthen their self learning capacities.

In his speech at the graduation ceremony in Mazar-e-Sharif the German Consular Dr. Ole Diehl underlined the friendship between both countries “We now start the 2nd century of Afghan-German friendship, we believe in the future of Afghanistan. The cooperation will continue. But Afghanistan has to improve the conditions”.

He pointed out that education programmes of DVV International and ANAFAE support the future of the country and the future of the young generations. The development of the country heavily depends on the qualification of the young generation, also in times of high unemployment. Of course, business and also the government as a big employer has to bring changes and give a chance to those who really qualify for a job, instead of giving more chances to those who have better relations.

Mr. Naseer Qasimi, the Chief Executive of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries of the Balkh province deeply thanked ANAFAE and DVV International for the hard cooperation and promised internships for 40 graduated learners in the private sectors. Ten internships were provided by ANAFAE.

Mr. Sayed Tahir Roshan Zada, President of the Union of Craftsmen President in Balkh and Member of the Chamber, a well known businessman with around 250 productive companies in his speech called for: “let’s start a strong campaign to set and run small business to cover these qualified young graduates to pave the ground for micro businesses with strong cooperation of German Government and close relationships of German private sectors and businesses”.

Habibullah Bahawar one of the learners expressed his thanks for all involved to make such a successful and beneficial programme possible.

Yalda Bari another learner appreciated: “The teaching and learning materials were very interesting and the methods so student-centered, taking our interests and needs into account. For the first time, I got confidence to present my results, worked out by myself. I have never experience such talented and supportive trainers”.

Sonata Sahibzada and Hely: “Before joining this programme, we were not able to present our university assignments in front of classmates but after participation in this course we feel so confident and motivated”.

The representative of the Governor for Economic Development, from the provincial Departments for Economy and from Education, from individual well known companies attended the graduation ceremony and appreciated the new pilot education programme of ANAFAE and DVV International in their speeches.

DVV Perspectives for Afghanistan

DVV International supports education and training of young adults in Afghanistan since 2002. Together with the Afghan National Association for Adult Education (ANAFAE), which was created in cooperation with DVV International, 22 education centres, mostly in the Northern provinces have been established. They offer a wide range of education opportunities especially to youth and young adults, which constitute over two thirds of the Afghan society.

The education programmes help a rising number of young people in Afghanistan to further their prospects to find employment and generate income. Thus, the programmes are a gate to developing perspectives for a decent life in Afghanistan at times where thousands of Afghans leave their home country on a dangerous route to Europe in search for a better life elsewhere.

Creating supplements to school and university

The education centres of DVV International and ANAFAE support students in grades 9–12 to

successfully complete school through complementary instruction especially in the natural

sciences. This opens pathways to higher education. University students can improve their knowledge and obtain additional qualifications.

Promoting employability among youth

The education programmes of DVV International and ANAFAE provide better chances for young people in transition from school to working life. They gain new skills and competences for the Afghanistan of tomorrow and increase their employability in various fields, like IT, web design, mobile phone repair, English, as well as in finance, business and secretarial skills. Cooperation with the chamber of commerce and internships contribute to the success of the programmes. With new competences, young people make important contributions to economic growth and social change.