Sitara School, copyright CAI

Over 150 million children in the world (age 5-14) are deprived of education due to poverty, slavery, sexual discrimination, racial discrimination, racism and religious intolerance. The cost of educating each child in the developing world is about $1 per month per child. Several global studies show that educating a girl to at least 5th grade education level, is the most significant factor in impoverished societies to decrease infant mortality rates, decrease/stabilize population growth and significantly improve the basic life quality over a generation.

“The best way to fight poverty and extremism is to educate and empower women and girls”

Message: It has come to our attention that certain facts in Greg Mortenson’s books along with the integrity of his non-profit organization are coming into question.  Questions over Greg Mortenson’s stories were aired on Sunday April 17, at CBS 60 minutes. CAI are addressing these issues on their website. Please visit www.ikat.org for the latest updates.

In light of the recent news on Central Asia Institute, the members of Empower Through Education are suspending our fundraising efforts until further notice.

Our group of women is working under the name of Empower through Education (ETE). Our mission is to raise money in support of the Central Asia Institute (CAI).  Their philosophy, “Peace and Hope Begin With Education: One Child At A Time” is an inspiration to us. CAI is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit with the mission to promote and support community based education, especially for girls, in remote regions of Northern Pakistan and Afghanistan.

As of today , CAI has built 170 schools in the remote areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan which provide (or have provided) education to over 68 000 students.  The philosophy to empower the local people through their own initiative is at the heart of all CAI programs.  Our initial goal was to raise $50,000, which is the cost for CAI to build a school and support it 3-5 years. We reached this goal in 6 months and have decided to extend our goal to $100,000. For more information about Central Asia Institute, please call them at 406-585-7841 or visit www.ikat.org.

“If you educate a boy, you educate an individual – if you educate a girl, you educate a community”.    An old African Proverb