Community Council

A community council is a self-sustaining, service-oriented project that addresses a combination of community specific needs. The plan of the ARYA/YCDP council consists of three branches. The first would be an education branch which would offer literacy classes without charge as well as educational training classes such as computer training for a fee.

The second branch would combine vocational education with the production of goods that could be sold. The types of training offered and goods produced and sold would depend on the needs of that particular community.

The third branch would be a medical clinic offering fee based medical care for the community. Stocking of the clinic with supplies and pharmaceuticals would be achieved at least in part, if not all, through grants to Medicos Sans Frontierres (Doctors Without Borders) and Pharmacists without borders. All of the fees for each branch would go towards sustaining that branch and perhaps, depending upon the success of each program, could go toward reducing costs of the medical care and could also fund some non-self-sustainable projects such as the blanket project.

The council would be quite flexible and would start on a small scale with the education branch first and the other branches added as each one became self-sustaining. To start we would need to supply funding to rent office space and classroom space and to pay initial salary(ies) of the individual(s) in charge of this branch. We would also need funds to purchase computers and supplies. We anticipate that within 3-6 months the education branch will achieve self-sufficiency and the next projects could be designed and implemented based on the specific needs of that community.

The first council would be opened in Mazar-I-Shariff where there is a good population base. As soon as the education branch became sustainable we would open a second council in Kapisa province. The people of this province specifically requested this type of service when YCDP did its original surveys of the area.

The benefits derived from such councils is multifold. Not only would it provide education and training, but of itself creates jobs for that area or province. The Council also provides much needed goods and creates cash flow throughout various levels of the economy. The need for health care throughout the country is at a critical point and any progress made in this area is an important change. The ultimate benefit of a council is the multi-layered help and support the people of the outlying areas desperately need because they do not receive such help from non-government agencies as do people in the larger cities.

If you would like to contribute funds to help us with the Community Council project, please click here(button) and indicate your project preference.