Orphan Centers

Currently, IOC operates schools in Jalalabad and Herat which provide a center to serve the needs of children who have lost one or both parents. IOC hopes to open more schools and centers in other cities.

Each center provides education, meals, hygiene assistance, clothing, vocational training, recreational activities and guidance primarily for orphaned children ages 5 to 13 years old. Children can attend classes in the morning or the afternoon. The children who attend the schools which IOC operates live with their extended family. IOC endeavors to support the family so that the children may attend school rather than needing to work (this program currently operates in Jalalabad, and will be instituted in Herat as financial commitments from donors are received).


Mir Mohammad Youssof Vocational School

The Mir Mohammad Youssof Vocational School is located off the main Kabul-Jalalabad highway behind the Darmalemeen High School in a residential area of the city. The Mir Mohammad Youssof Vocational School currently has 190 children. The number of children will be expanded as additional facilities are completed and additional commitments for annual support are received from donors. Both boys and girls attend classes, however, classes are staggered so girls may attend classes together.

IOC initially rented a house for the school in 1993 but was unable to operate during the Taliban years. IOC returned to reopen the school in the rented house in Jalalabad after the Taliban regieme ended.


In 2005 with the help of the family of Mir Mohammad Youssof, IOC was provided some government owned land and constructed the first phase of the school with eight rooms and bathrooms for both boys and girls. With the assistance of Relief International, one of the rooms has been set up as a medical clinic.

Currently the shops are in the open, the kitchen is a temporary structure, there is no dining room and the guard house is a tent. The next project is construction of the kitchen and dining room. Additional facilities for shops for vocational training and the guard house will be constructed as financial resources from donors are received.

Orphan Center Management and Operations

Each orphan center management is organized under three operational areas: the Administrative Section, the Education Section and the Medical Section.

• The Administrative Section

- Directly oversees training and support operations for the children. This Section provides oversight for the monthly stipend paid to families to provide for food, clothing and basic living expenses for each child.

• The Education Section

- Ensures that the children in IOC’s program are enrolled in school, and provided with a basic education and vocational skills. The Director of Education organizes and provides oversight for the orphan centers, curriculum, teachers and educational supply needs.

• The Medical Section

- Monitors the health and welfare of the orphans. The Medical Section organizes and provides basic health screenings and services for IOC children. The Administrator enlists volunteer physicians and nurses to support this effort.


Orphan Center Operational Costs

Each Orphan Center currently operates at a cost of approximately $2,500 per month. These costs will fluctuate according to the number of children, supplies, food availability and local service or utility costs.


For reference, here are some current average salaries of IOC operational administrative personnel and staff in Afghanistan:

  • Center Administrative Director - $120/month
  • Center Vice Administrative Director - $100/month
  • Education Director - $70/month
  • Teachers - $70/month

The Board of Directors and Advisory Board are all volunteers, and receive no stipend or payment for their time.

Orphan Center Activities

Educational

- Children at IOC orphan centers receive elementary education: reading, writing, arithmetic and English. IOC hopes to expand this curriculum in the future.

Vocational

- Each center also provides vocational training. Courses at the Mir Mohammad Youssof Vocational School in Jalalabad include shoemaking and repair, carpentry, radio/cassette player repair and bicycle repair for boys; sewing and embroidery for girls; and use of computer programs for both boys and girls. IOC vocational training is appropriate for the skills needed for many jobs available in Afghanistan. Over ten percent of IOC children stay past 13 years of age to continue their vocational education, which is encouraged.

Recreational

- IOC children also have time to play! Recreational activities include popular sports such as soccer and volleyball and free play to encourage creative minds.

Orphan Center Needs

There are so many needs in Afghanistan, and at existing and future IOC orphan centers. Most of these needs can be addressed more cost-effectively and efficiently at each orphan center, through financial donations to IOC.

The needs at orphan centers include: tools used in the vocational courses, basic school supplies (pens, pencils, erasers, chalk), technical supplies (such as computers and educational software), clothing, hygiene supplies, recreational equipment and toys. For specific information regarding donations in these or other categories, please contact IOC directly. We will discuss the type of donation you wish to make, and the logistics regarding its delivery to IOC orphan centers in Afghanistan.


Questions? Donations?

Please contact us with any questions or donations you may have, by using the Contact Us feature on this website, sending us an email at info@orphanproject.org, or by calling the IOC at 949-305-1787. You may leave a message, and an IOC volunteer will return your call or email.