Inspiration
Studying in Pune, this Afghan student crowdsources books to send to Kandahar schools.
Matiullah Wesa, 22, from Kandahar, has opened 31 schools and several libraries in his province through a voluntary organization he founded in 2009. His efforts have provided access to 30,000 students to education. He pulled of this feat with the power of social media where he has a sizeable
It is amazing what a hunger for education can make you do. While it inspired some to even study under street lamps, for some it was the fuel for rebelling against unjust society forces. Here is another shining example the great milestones one can achieve with a true hunger for education. This is the story of Afghan student Matiullah Wesa.
Wesa, 22, from Kandahar, to his credit has opened a breathtaking 31 schools and several libraries in his province through a voluntary organization he founded in 2009. His enterprising nature has ensured that close to 30,000 students have access to education.
Currently studying political science through an Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarship at Nowrosjee Wadia College in Pune, Wesa is overwhelmed with compassion as he narrates the state of his home country and its children. "There are areas like Marjah in Helmand where the schools and libraries have to be run discreetly because of Taliban influence and the areas are very sensitive," he said.
His efforts have injected so much enthusiasm in young boys and girls that they travel upto 20km on their bicycles just to borrow books on many subjects which they can then return at leisure.
Wesa has pulled off this herculean task leveraging the power of social media. He has run successful social media campaigns while studying in Pune. He boasts of a sizeable following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, where he regularly shares pictures, videos of Afghan children, speaking about their urge to go to school.
The response to his campaigns can be best judged by the fact that his last campaign helped gather 25,000 books in a mere 6 months through donations. He has sent them to many schools and the rest to the 7 libraries that he set up.
"The cities are better, but the rural areas are in a bad shape, with most children not having access to any study material or classrooms. But they are eager to learn," Wesa said on his decision to open libraries in rural areas. "To me the 25-30 people who visit them are a far better response than a 100 visiting them in the city," he added.
His first brush with the Taliban was when he was barely 8, when the school built by his father in Maruf district of Kandahar was burned down to the ground along with his house in 2002. This compelled Wesa's entire family of 11 siblings and his parents to flee their hometown to a safer Spin Boldak.
So determined was Wesa to not deprive students of education that he found himself in Maruf once again. "All my friends were deprived of education, but I was determined not to let them suffer. I turned up again at Maruf with a mission and realized I was the first one to come back after all those years," Wesa said of his teenage days when he formed the Pen Path Civil Society (PPCS).
Determinedly, Wesa went from village to village, recording interviews of children and tribal leaders, which he broadcasted on social media and with the national media, revealing that the Afghan people are eager to educate children, even girls, contrary to the image projected to the outer world.
Before the media picked up the stories and the echoed the general sentiment towards education, corruption was rampant, and the funds allocated for opening schools were being misappropriated. But the videos spread quickly, and the government bowed to public pressure to prove aid and land to open schools.
The first library was opened in Wesa's house itself in Spin Boldak from where his sisters were homeschooled. It now houses over 4,000 books. The first library outside the house was in sensitive Marjah in Helmand.
"Tribal leaders and other people know I am doing a good job, hence everyone is coming forward to help. Through word-of- mouth, I received a large donation once of wheelchairs, school desks and chairs and hospital beds from Afghan students studying in Europe," he said.
Wesa now hopes to open at least one library in every district of Afghanistan. His latest campaign started just a month ago and boasts of having received 10,000 books already.
Image Courtesy: http://allthingsd.com