Tuesday 9 October 2012

9th October


Sitting at Kabul airport awaiting flight home. Last night we had a splendid evening at the Embassy. We were very generously entertained and it was a wonderful way to end the trip. Sat out late on the balcony, having a farewell drink with  Umesh and Martin, our fantastic Global Cricket School coaches. They have been really impressed by some of the teachers who came from schools where we had built pitches and had little knowledge of cricket or how to teach it to their very eager pupils. In just a few days, driven by determination and enthusiasm, they have achieved  enough to attain coaching level 1. They will take back kit to their schools and play a part in the future of cricket.

Got up early to see Phillip Hodson off on his way to Pakistan. His enthusiasm for all we are trying to do has been remarkable and encouraging and it was great to show the outgoing President of the MCC, what can be achieved in Afghanistan.
 

Final moments in Kabul were spent interviewing the Minister of Education, Mr Farooq Wardak. It was a splendid interview and he was wonderful. Very passionate about his work and very positive about girls education.  Now  over 9 million children are in school, 4 million of whom are girls. More girls enrolled in schools in the tough Southern and Eastern Provinces than ever before and far more than expected this year and 512 schools have been re opened. He expects to have access to education for all children by 2014. He gave us hope and was delightful.

We asked him to fill in the equation on girls education.  
His read   Girls + education = DEVELOPMENT       
A great way to end. 

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