Afghan Women Bike Project, Shahmoama’s first developmental project in Kabul

We are approaching to our aim!

AWBP's first Bike Competition between Girl's Schools in Kabul, Spring 2009

The importance of use of bicycle in Holland

A film of the reportage about the Afghan Women Bike Project in Kabul
 and the importance of bicycle in Holland, prepared by Shahmoama

The first step of the Afghan Women Bike Project began in April 2008 in Kabul with the donation of  Cord Aid.

In the beginning it was difficult to imagine that girls and women could even decide to learn riding bicycle in Afghanistan. We have persisted in our struggle, and now we feel that we are close to reaching our goals. At the moment we have trained girls groups in Aiesha-e Durani, Rabia Balkhi and Ariana girl's high schools and we will start our training in Rukhshana school in Kabul. Also a group of girls is under the training by Afghan Women Network in Kabul. We have other waiting lists of registered students in these schools as the next training groups and Jamal Company has contacted to a few other girls schools too.

Our trainer goes to these schools and trains the interested girls, and soon they will have a bike competition in Kabul.

We are very thankful from the Ministry of Education and Kabul Traffic who have expressed appreciation for our work and has arranged a large seminar on our behalf. Also it is important to mention that the Ministry of Education now accepts the Manual of Basic Traffic Rules, which is published for Afghan Women Bike Project by Shahmoama in Kabul, as part of a student’s lesson material. Because of a 3 days seminar sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Kabul Traffic, Jamal Company the representative of Shahmoama, a teacher from each school was invited to learn about this manual (600 teacher in 3 groups). One of the Deputy Ministers of the Ministry of Education and Kabul Traffic’s Director was participated in the opening ceremony of this seminar.

The first day of seminar was on 22^th October in Amani Highschool, the second day on 23^th in Rabia-Balkhi and the third day was on 25 October in Aieshe-e Durani high school. About 20 bicycle bags and 20 child seats was gifted to the help-worthy participated teachers in Amani School, 200 bicycle bags and 31 child seats to teachers in Rabia-e Balkhi Highschool and 30 child seats and 20 bicycle bags in Ariana Highschool to encourage girls and women to use bicycle and the benefits of these equipments was explained to them by Mr. Jamal in-charge of Jamal Company.  The participated teachers are responsible for introducing this manual to his/her school and teaching it to the students. 

 Also we would like to thank the directors and management of the mentioned girl's schools for cooperating us and showing their interest in Afghan Women Bike Project. We would like to appreciate does brave girls who participated in our trainings and we encourage them to use bicycle in their daily lives and get benefit from this very simple transportation equipment to become independent.

At the moment we are working on arranging a bicycle competition among girl’s schools which includes a traffic rule’s quiz program too. About 70 questions are made by Shahmoama for the traffic theory quiz and are sent to Kabul. 50 questions will be chosen for the quiz program. This evaluation that will be arranged by Shahmoama, Kabul Traffic, Ministry of Education and by the direct support of Jamal Company there, will take place soon.

The activities of Afghan Women Bike Project have been broadcasted in the media and beside Shahmoama; Jamal Company has been very appreciated and encouraged by them.

We are glade to say that we are making great progress!

We would like to ask girls and women in Afghanistan to buy form the lady-bikes and other equipments of bicycle that are prepared by Shahmoama  and support our movement towards progress.

We are thankful from Cord Aid that supported us in financing Afghan Women Bike Project and we ask them for more attendance and financing  this project's further steps.

Sample of theory exam: 70 questions
Student's answer sheet in the exam

Translation of the above letter

To: Shahmoama Foundation in Holland & its representative Mr. Jamal Ahmad Faqiri!

We the students of Aryana (girl’s highschool) would like to thank  Ms. Manizha Naderi who has tried hard to arrange the traffic seminar and bicycle training. Our bicycle team appreciates your good job and wishes you success in your other activities.
Regards,
Name and signature of the students
The manager of Aryana Highschool and the Sports personnel of this school appreciate this activity.
Zarin Karamkhail                                   Khalilullah
Director of Aryana Highschool              Sport Teacher

Translation of the above letter

Kabul Traffic
Section of Education
Date: (4-6-1387) = 26 August 2008        Ref. 578/455
To: Kabul Zone Commander;
Copy to: Shahmoama (Afghan Social Development Foundation), Holland
According to the protocol between the representative of Shahmoama in Kabul and Kabul Traffic, Shahmoama wants to prepare and print some traffic rules posters and Traffic manual and by the support of Kabul Traffic want to distribute it to schools in Kabul and help students.
Now they have published them and Kabul Traffic has received 900 copies of this manual. Attached you will receive one copy of this brochure for further studies.
I would like to add that the Directory of Kabul Traffic thanks specially for the attention of Ms. Manizha Naderi who lives in Holland and we would like to ask her to continue to her cooperation to Kabul Traffic.
Regards,
Directory of Kabul Traffic

Translation of the above letter

To Shahmoama foundation in Holland,

The management of Aiesha-e Durani High School appreciates your creativity concerning the arrangement of bicycle training and the seminar about basic traffic rules. Our personnel and students hopes you more success and is looking for your further support.
Regards,
Shafiqa Ahmadi Wardak
Director of Aiesha-eDurani High School

Shahmoama's AWBP bicycles in Kabul

Girls who are trained, like to walk around
 their schools.

First Day of seminar in Amani High School, Kabul

Jamal Faqiri during distributing the bicycle bags
 and chairs to the most help-worthy girls.

The representatives of Kabul Traffic during
explaining the traffic manual

The second day of  the seminar.

Kabul teacher studying the manual of
"Learning Basic Rules of Traffic"

Kabul schools teachers during the seminar

The representatives of Kabul Traffic during
 explaining the traffic manual

school teachers attending the seminar

an Afghan teenager during learning riding bicycle

School teachers during the seminar

Jamal Faqiri talks about Afghan Women Bike Project