Living in Kabul: Wali Akhtari at AUAF

Wali Mohammad Akhtari, 22, has not let modest origins stop him from pursuing his education. The only son of a working class family in the northern province of Jawzjan, his father worked hard and sacrificed to make sure that Wali has the kind of education he never had access to.

AUAF has become a surrogate home for Wali as he pursues his studies. He attends class, works, plays and lives at AUAF. Wali is the vanguard - one of the first - AUAF students whose daily life is so deeply permeated by AUAF’s facilities and policies.

In the 2006-2007 academic year, studying at AUAF meant access to classrooms, professors, and support facilities such as a library. Less than two years later, student clubs, work study and internship programs, and dormitories are flourishing.

An AUAF Abode

Wali is one of the first students to live in the off-campus AUAF dormitory, which opened in early 2008. The dormitory is located on a leafy avenue in the south of Kabul. The dormitory is a member of the building boom that has overtaken Kabul in recent years, featuring huge houses seemingly meant for families of 35 or more. It has three stories with more than ten rooms and a spacious basement. Located in Karte-Char, it is a ten minute drive from campus by car.

Mr. John Howe, interim Student Affairs Coordinator, says: "Dorms can enhance learning. Students can have access to each other easily at any time. Through group study, for example, they can help themselves."

 "It’s great," says Wali. "It’s not a dorm. It’s more like our own home because it has more facilities than any other dorm in Afghanistan. For example, we have ‘house parents,’ our house is very nice and big, very tight security, transportation, television, 24-hour electricity, and sports equipment."

Nearly every room has an en suite bathroom. Each student has a personal commode and bed. Each room contains two or three students. "I have one roommate and I chose him because we get along well. We have compatible personalities."

Waking Hours

Wali graduated from Ibne-yamin High School in Jawzjan province, and received his English Certificate from Modern High Educational Center. Prior to coming to AUAF, he was teaching English to more than 150 students over the course of about two years.

Speaking of his studies, he says, "AUAF has provided more facilities for students than any other university in Afghanistan: scholarships and financial assistance for students, a modern library, internet, dorm facilities, and talented and experienced professors who have good teaching methods. These are the main reasons that caused me to choose AUAF for my education."

He now works in the AUAF library as an intern. "He’s an extremely good worker," says Director of the Library, Ms. Ann Marsh. "He’s responsible, dependable, loyal, and I can trust and rely on him."

Not There Yet

As one of the small but rapidly increasing number of students who study, live, work, and play at AUAF, Wali can comfortably offer suggestions to AUAF aimed at benefiting his successors. If Wali was in charge, for instance, his first concern would be scholarships. "I would bring more scholarships for the students in financial need." As a student outside of Kabul himself, he is also concerned about representation. "I would try to have more students from all over Afghanistan in AUAF, not just from Kabul."