Photo: Sunbul writing on blackboard inside her classroom in Herat Province. © UN-Habitat

Chahar Dara High School was among the buildings in Herat Province severely damaged by the 2023 earthquake.

That’s where 9-year-old Sunbul (name changed) studies, a third grader who dreams of becoming a teacher.

After the disaster, going to school became a source of fear for Sunbul, yet she continued to attend. “There were cracks everywhere, in the walls, the roof, the hallways,” she recalled. “It made me feel unsafe, and I could not focus on my lessons.”

Herat’s notoriously harsh “120-day winds” worsened the situation, leaving the students exposed. “The windows were broken,” she said. “On windy days, dust filled the classroom, and I could hardly breathe.”

The situation changed when STFA’s joint project started a school rehabilitation intervention. It repaired seven earthquake-damaged schools and constructed new ones. Together, these facilities will provide safer learning spaces for more than 16,000 boys and girls every year.

The project prioritized earthquake- and climate-resilient construction. It used local labour and materials, creating temporary jobs for affected families. It improved classroom ventilation and rebuilt unusable toilets and handwashing facilities to protect student health. The school rooftops were renovated using isogam (a moisture insulator) to prevent leaks.

“When I first entered the new classroom, it was pure delight,” Sunbul said. “The walls were freshly painted, the fan was running, the lights worked, and the blackboard looked perfect. It finally felt like a real classroom.”

“Building disaster-resilient schools is a crucial step towards advancing the inclusive recovery process in earthquake-affected areas,” commented Stephanie Loose, Country Programme Manager for UN-Habitat in Afghanistan. “Afghan girls are being excluded from many parts of public life. Through rebuilding schools and improving their living conditions, we stand with them and support their rights in every possible way.”