سید ولی هغه پخوانې مجاهد دی چی پنځلس کاله مخکی يي د ماین په یوه چاودنه کی خپله پښه د لاسه ورکړی وه او تر اوسه د امساګانو په مرسته ګرځیده خو کلونه وروسته يي وروسته يي د مصنوعی پښی سره قدمونه واخستل او پرته د امساګانو  وګرځیده. هغه لپاره دغه مصنوعی پښه په تالقانو کی د سویډن کمیټی په ورکشاپ کی جوړه شوه . اوس هغه په ډیره خوښئ سره په خپلو دواړو پښو اوس کولای شي چی وګرځي.

د بغلان ولایت د آندراب ولسوالی اوسیدنکی سید ولی په وینا هغه د پل حصار په سیمه کی د جنګ په لمړني خط کی د ماین په یوی چاودنه کی خپله پښه دلاسه ورکړه. د هغه په وینا چی کله زخمی شوم نو ومی لیدل چی یوه پښه می غوڅه شوی وه. د دی پښی د لاسه ورکولو وروسته می د جګړی میدان پریښوده او دوه وخته ډوډئ لاسته راوړلو لپاره می غرونو ته مخه کړه او شپون شوم.

خو د یوی پښی نه درلودنه ډیره ستونزمنه وه، ما امساګاني  درلودلی خو دی د پښی په توګه کار نه ورکوه. زه دي امساګانو سره اوچتو ځایونو او غرونو ته نه شوم ختلی. ځکه چی امساګاني د پښو په شان کار نه ورکوي خو ما بله چاره نه درلودله. همدا وجه وه چی زه ښار ته بیخی نه راتلم. خو یوه ورځ  ناروغه شوم او ومی غوښتل چی ډاکټر ته ولاړ شم نو د ښار په پلو می حرکت وکړ. زه نه وم خبر چی زما دغه تګ ماته زما د ژوند ستره خوښی راپه غاړه کوي.

پلخمری ښار ته په رسیدلو سیدولی روغتون ته ولاړ او د درملنی څخه وروسته د روغتون څخه د راوتلو په حال کی په هغه د سویډن کمیتي د یو ټولنیز کارکونکې سترګي پریوتلي او په لیدلو يي هغه په تالقانو کی د سویډن کمیټی ورکشاپ ته راوسته چیری چی مصنوعی اندامونه جوړیږي.

په دی ورکشاپ کی د سویډن کمیټی کارکونکو د هغه د پښی اندازه واخسته او د یو څو ورځو په موده کی يي د هغه لپاره یوه مصنوعی پښه جوړه کړه.

د مصنوعی پښی په لیدلو سره  سیدولی د ډیری خوشالئ نه خپلی امساګاني ګوزاری کړلي خو د ګوزارولو مخکی يي خپلي امساګانی یو ځل ښکل کړلي ځکه چی دا هغه امساګاني وي چی پنځلس کاله يي هغه سره په ګرځیدلو کی مرسته کړی وه.

اوس  سیدولی مصنوعی پښی سره په ګرځیدلو ډیر زیات خوشاله دی او خوشاله به ولی نه وي چی کلونه وروسته يي پرته د امساګانو قدمونه واخستل. هغه واي چی کلونه کلونه زه د ښار څخه لیری په غرونو کی وسیدلم خو ماته هیچا دا نه وو وئیلي چی داسی یو ځاې شته چیری چی مصنوعی اندامونه جوړیږي. که چیري زه خبر واي نو ډیر مخکی به می ځانته مصنوعی پښه جوړه کړی وې.

سیدولی واي چی دا خو زما ناروغي وه چی ماته يي د امساګانو څخه خلاصون راکړ. اوس به زه په ښار کی وسیږم او د دواړو پښو سره اوس کولای شم چی ډیر کار وکړم.

سید ولی هغه پخوانې مجاهد دی چی پنځلس کاله مخکی يي د ماین په یوه چاودنه کی خپله پښه د لاسه ورکړی وه او تر اوسه د امساګانو په مرسته ګرځیده خو کلونه وروسته يي وروسته يي د مصنوعی پښی سره قدمونه واخستل او پرته د امساګانو  وګرځیده. هغه لپاره دغه مصنوعی پښه په تالقانو کی د سویډن کمیټی په ورکشاپ کی جوړه شوه . اوس هغه په ډیره خوښئ سره په خپلو دواړو پښو  کولای شي چی وګرځي.  

د بغلان ولایت د آندراب ولسوالی اوسیدنکی سید ولی په وینا هغه د پل حصار په سیمه کی د جنګ په لمړني خط کی د ماین په یوی چاودنه کی خپله پښه دلاسه ورکړه. د هغه په وینا چی کله زخمی شوم نو ومی لیدل چی یوه پښه می غوڅه شوی وه. د دی پښی د لاسه ورکولو وروسته می د جګړی میدان پریښوده او دوه وخته ډوډئ لاسته راوړلو لپاره می غرونو ته مخه کړه او شپون شوم.

خو د یوی پښی نه درلودنه ډیره ستونزمنه وه، ما امساګاني  درلودلی خو دی د پښی په توګه کار نه ورکوه. زه دي امساګانو سره اوچتو ځایونو او غرونو ته نه شوم ختلی. ځکه چی امساګاني د پښو په شان کار نه ورکوي خو ما بله چاره نه درلودله. همدا وجه وه چی زه ښار ته بیخی نه راتلم. خو یوه ورځ  ناروغه شوم او ومی غوښتل چی ډاکټر ته ولاړ شم نو د ښار په پلو می حرکت وکړ. زه نه وم خبر چی زما دغه تګ ماته زما د ژوند ستره خوښی راپه غاړه کوي.

پلخمری ښار ته په رسیدلو سیدولی روغتون ته ولاړ او د درملنی څخه وروسته د روغتون څخه د راوتلو په حال کی په هغه د سویډن کمیتي د یو ټولنیز کارکونکې سترګي پریوتلي او په لیدلو يي هغه په تالقانو کی د سویډن کمیټی ورکشاپ ته راوسته چیری چی مصنوعی اندامونه جوړیږي.

په دی ورکشاپ کی د سویډن کمیټی کارکونکو د هغه د پښی اندازه واخسته او د یو څو ورځو په موده کی يي د هغه لپاره یوه مصنوعی پښه جوړه کړه.

د مصنوعی پښی په لیدلو سره  سیدولی د ډیری خوشالئ نه خپلی امساګاني ګوزاری کړلي خو د ګوزارولو مخکی يي خپلي امساګانی یو ځل ښکل کړلي ځکه چی دا هغه امساګاني وي چی پنځلس کاله يي هغه سره په ګرځیدلو کی مرسته کړی وه.

اوس  سیدولی مصنوعی پښی سره په ګرځیدلو ډیر زیات خوشاله دی او خوشاله به ولی نه وي چی کلونه وروسته يي پرته د امساګانو قدمونه واخستل. هغه واي چی کلونه کلونه زه د ښار څخه لیری په غرونو کی وسیدلم خو ماته هیچا دا نه وو وئیلي چی داسی یو ځاې شته چیری چی مصنوعی اندامونه جوړیږي. که چیري زه خبر واي نو ډیر مخکی به می ځانته مصنوعی پښه جوړه کړی وې.

سیدولی واي چی دا خو زما ناروغي وه چی ماته يي د امساګانو څخه خلاصون راکړ. اوس به زه په ښار کی وسیږم او د دواړو پښو سره اوس کولای شم چی ډیر کار وکړم.

A resident of Andaraab district, Baghlan Mr. Said Wali while on the frontline of battlefield in Pul-e-Hesar, of Deh Salah district suffered severe injuries which resulted in losing one of his legs. It happened due to an explosion of mine. “After losing my one leg I left the battle field and turned to a shepherd,” Said Wali said.

It took fifteen years for him to get an artificial leg. It was all his unawareness or being not properly guided about rehabilitation of people with disabilities.

He said that wooden crutches became his companion. But sheepherding was difficult for him as he wasn’t able to take the flock on mountainous area.

One day Said Wali felt sick and he went to Pul-e-Khumri city for treatment where he met community based rehabilitation worker of Swedish Committee for Afghanistan. He took Said Wali to orthopedic workshop of SCA located in Taloqan where technicians made an artificial leg for him.

It was unforgettable moments to say “goodbye crutches” but he didn’t forget to kiss before throwing it away, as these crutches supported him to walk for one and a half decade.

Said Wali is happy. Now he can stand and walk on his both feet without wooden crutches. “It was all my sickness which gave me an opportunity to visit Pul-e-Khumri city where I got support from the SCA community based rehabilitation worker. That really changed my life.”

He says “I am planning to live in a city and find a good job as now I can do more work.”

Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) invites all qualified candidates to apply for the following position. SCA actively promotes and encourages Women and People with Disabilities to apply.

SCA Background

The Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) is a non-profit, non-governmental humanitarian organisation working to assist in the reconstruction of Afghanistan. SCA’s interventions inside Afghanistan began in 1982. Today SCA runs four major development programmes within Disability, Education, Health and Rural Development and is one of the largest NGOs in the country. SCA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants are considered for employment based on their skills, abilities and experience without regard to age (18-65 years), race, colour, religion, marital status, sex, physical disability, or veteran status.

Scope of work:

The MD doctor is responsible for checking OPD patients and to assist with clinic director in other clinic related activities meanwhile also to fill and compile related registers and daily tally sheets for proper documentation.

Qualifications & Requirements:

• Medical doctor
• At least two years’ experience in the relevant field.
• Must be fluent in local languages (Dari and Pashto)
• Understanding of English language is desirable
• Previous BPHS experience
• Good team work spirit
• Being an Afghan citizen.

Main Responsibilities:

• Provide direct patient care
• Provide curative service to patients according to BPHS
• Support the provision of primary health care with in the community
• Comply with IMC diagnostic and treatment protocols
• Provide appropriate patient education
• Report immediately suspected epidemic diseases
• Develop good understanding of BPHS strategy and help others staff aware about the  same
• Respect all MOPH rules and regulations pertaining to staff
• Provide direct Nursing care dressing and injection
• Will comply with MoPH and MCH protocols
• Will help the doctor in consultation
• Will comply with MoPH and EPI protocols and cross train in vaccination
• To conduct growth monitoring
• Will conduct MoPH community health education sessions
• To monitor the documents used for clinic supply and clinic re-order supplies
• To dispose of all sharp and glass waste in a safe manner according to the guidelines
• Will take any other responsibilities give by the health facility supervisor  

Application Procedures:

• Interested qualified candidates should submit a full CV (maximum four pages) with a cover letter explaining their motivation in applying for the job and highlighting their relevant skills and experience
• To apply online  please send your application / CV to vacancies@sca.org.af
• Candidates may also submit applications by letter (hard copy) submitted directly to the SCA HRM Unit in either Kabul, Ghazni, Kunduz, Wardak, Taloqan, Mazar-e-Sharif, Sar-e-Pul, Samangan, Laghman or  Jalalabad
• Academic certificates or references need not be submitted with the application. These will be requested if the candidate is called for interview.
• Only short-listed candidates will be informed for written test and interview.

Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) invites all qualified candidates to apply for the following position. SCA actively promotes and encourages Women and People with Disabilities to apply.

SCA Background

The Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) is a non-profit, non-governmental humanitarian organisation working to assist in the reconstruction of Afghanistan. SCA’s interventions inside Afghanistan began in 1982. Today SCA runs four major development programmes within Disability, Education, Health and Rural Development and is one of the largest NGOs in the country. SCA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants are considered for employment based on their skills, abilities and experience without regard to age (18-65 years), race, colour, religion, marital status, sex, physical disability, or veteran status.

Scope of work:

Under close supervision of nursing director the incumbent is responsible for regular and accurate check up of clients. Take care of IPD patients according to medical practitioner’s advice; provide health education, registration of OPD patients follow standard MoPH treatment guidelines and perform night duties do nursing related activities.

Qualifications & Requirements:

• Qualification from a medical institute
• At least three years experience in nursing
• EPHS experience will be an additional asset
• Good communication and interpersonal sill
• Must be fluent in local language especially (Pashto)
• Understanding of English language is desirable
• Good team work spirit
• Self motivated
• Being an Afghan citizen.

Main Responsibilities:

• Implementing and observing of all national guidelines and norms
• Service of dressing and injections in the operation theater.
• On time data collection of checked patients and provided medicine.
• Observing of hygiene on daily basis
• Do night duty according to the schedule
  • Follow up the input and out put of inpatients
  • Taking the patient’s vital signs according the doctor order
  • Follow up the lab exam of inpatients
  • Assist the doctor in giving first aid assistance
• Register of patients and fill daily tally sheets.
• Attending of minor surgery
• Sterilization of sets after usage.
• Attending and participating in meeting and training when invited by management office.
• Service in emergency ward during emergency cases.

Application Procedures:

• Interested qualified candidates should submit a full CV (maximum three pages) with a cover letter explaining their motivation in applying for the job and highlighting their relevant skills and experience
• To apply online  please send your application / CV to vacancies@sca.org.af
• Candidates may also submit applications by letter (hard copy) submitted directly to the SCA HRM Unit in either Kabul, Ghazni, Kunduz, Wardak, Taloqan, Mazar-e-Sharif, Sar-e-Pul, Samangan, Laghman or  Jalalabad
• Academic certificates or references need not be submitted with the application. These will be requested if the candidate is called for interview.
• Only short-listed candidates will be informed for written test and interview.

Newly graduated doctors, nurses, midwives visited the stall. Swedish Committee for Afghanistan  health programme personnel briefed them about SCA and its activities in health sector. Visiting medical personnel seeking employment with SCA also filled-out job application forms.

Earlier Minister of Public Health Dr. Suraya Dalil inaugurated the job fair. The minister paid a visit to SCA stall where head of the health programme Dr. Qudratullah Nasrat and deputy head Dr. Zabihullah Abid briefed her about SCA and its activities in health sector.The Minister of Public Health Dr. Suraya Dalil appreciated SCA for its valuable services in health sector.

According to the MoPH Afghanistan is facing a shortage of medical staff including doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians and pharmacists. The job fair will help in recruiting for 1176 vacant positions.

Read more about vacancies at SCA! http://www.swedishcommittee.org/about-sca/vacancies/vacancies-in-afghanistan-national

Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) invites all qualified candidates to apply for the following position. SCA actively promotes and encourage Women and people with Disabilities to apply.

Terms of Reference

Survey for micro finance and credit options for poor People with disability of the Rehabilitation of Afghans with Disability Program (RAD) of Swedish Committee for Afghanistan

1. Background

Swedish Committee of Afghanistan (SCA) is a Swedish membership non‐governmental development organization that has been operating in Afghanistan for almost thirty years. SCA’s vision is an independent Afghanistan in peace, where human rights are respected, rural communities are empowered and all Afghans have the right and opportunity to democratic participation in the governance of their country.

The mission of SCA is to empower poor women, children and men through combining service provision, capacity development and advocacy in the implementation of development programmes predominantly in rural areas of Afghanistan within the sectors of education, health, support to persons with disabilities and rural development. SCA’s main target group in Afghanistan is the rural population, with particular focus on women and girls and vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities. Vulnerable people’s right to quality of life and human rights are promoted in all sectors of work.

In Afghanistan, SCA runs four large programmes in the fields of Health, Education, Rural Development and Rehabilitation of People with Disability in 17 of the country’s 34 provinces.

The Disability program (RAD) has been running Community Based Rehabilitation Programs (CBR) since 1991 in Afghanistan and has addressed many issues faced by people with disabilities-physical, education, social and economic-both in the rural and urban areas. Increasing CBR as a development model is promoting main streaming and rights based approach. People with disabilities should not be separated or marginalized in specialized structures but have the right to be part of their community or go to local schools and be employed in any local work place.

However, there are limited efforts and limited resources provided to support disabled persons and their integration into the communities. Skills development and employment support are life changing options for people with disabilities as part of community based rehabilitation. However, at the moment in Afghanistan there is limited number of people with disabilities who are enrolled in vocational training courses due to limited awareness, access to training centers with adapted courses and facilities and many as well can not find employment due to similar issues in the workplace. Lending institutions also have stringent criteria that can not be met by the disabled persons to acquire soft loans to start small businesses and support their/families.

The RAD program has vast experience in providing loans to people with Disabilities – and an external survey conducted by the program (2008) found out that 30% of the beneficiaries had incomes over $100 per month. The form of loan is often tools and materials that the applicant requests to start his or her own business. Rehabilitation of Afghan with Disability gives flexible repayments dates and monitors progress as well as providing business training at the beginning. There are relatively few defaulters as the local community and neighbors give guarantees on behalf of the beneficially. However, the loans are repaid and then passed on to the new applicants; the system is not sustainable in the long run as the operating/running costs are not covered and recovered from the loans.

RAD is seeking recommendations on possible and alternative credit options for PwDs, with focus on sustainability)

2. The objectives of this survey are:

• To review the existing RAD loan activities and develop recommendations with clear alternatives to improve sustainability of credit provision for men and women with disabilities.

• To identify, based on consultations with all stakeholders and contextual application of learning from other countries within Asia, alternative and flexible options for access to finance for poor men and women with disabilities.

• Conduct a sample sized assessment to verify social-economic changes of men and women with disabilities resulting from loans acquired.

1. 3.     The Scope of the survey.

The survey will give attention to RAD’s work in Afghanistan in the provinces of; Ghazni, Wadark, Logar, Ningarhar, Laghman, Kunar,
Balkh, Samangan, Jowzjan, Taloqan, Kunduz, Faizabad and Baglan.

The Survey will take place principally in Kabul at SCA’s Kabul Management Office (KMO), but will also include consultation with the Ministry of Labor and other disability actors in SCA’s project offices in Afghanistan (Mazar/Taloqan and Jalalabad/Ghazni). The consultant will devise his/her own detailed methodology, which will form the inception report. However, the methodology will broadly consist of inputs from RAD and a desk study of relevant documents.

Consultation with staff members, partner organizations, community stakeholders, organizations managing credit programs, MFIs as well as other donor organizations will be used to collect information to and recommendations on the loans/credit options.

Consultations with staff, stakeholders, MFIs and other donor agencies will include analysis of loans system and approaches, limitations, and also challenges of/with implementing the current loans/credit approaches. Methods might include semi‐structured interviews, focus group discussions and etc. as the consultant shall deem it fitting.

Selection of project offices to be visited and staff members and stakeholders to be consulted will be carried out in close consultation with RAD.

On completion of the field work, the consultant will conduct a workshop presentation in Kabul to present recommendations for stake holders to follow up with MfIs and banks.

The first draft of the final report will be circulated among relevant SCA/RAD staff and key stakeholders and beneficiaries for their feedback and recommendations.

4. Methodology and Profile of Consultant

Profile required of the consultant:

The Survey will be carried out by an external national or international consultant who will be responsible for conducting all aspects of the survey and delivering the stated outputs. The consultant with have the following experience and skills:

• Significant demonstrable experience in conducting micro credit and loans surveys for development NGOs;
• Have experience and full understanding of micro credit, group savings  preferably in the Islamic context;
• Have knowledge and competence regarding work in any of the following fields: gender equality, rights‐based approaches, civil society, education, rural development and disability
• Understanding and having practiced a range of consultative and participatory data collection methods;
• Experience of working in conflict or post‐conflict environments is highly desirable.
• Experience of working in Afghanistan or a similar Islamic context is desirable;
• Highly proficient in written and spoken English. Proficiency in Dari, and or Pashto an asset.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to communicate detailed concepts clearly and concisely both in writing and verbally is desired.
• Minimum qualification of BSc/BA in  a relevant academic field or 5 years proven study of micro financing in the Islamic context

5. Outputs

Inception report ‐ submitted not later than 5 days after the start of the assignment.

This shall include:

• Detailed methodology, including an explanation of the overall approach, as well as the chosen methods of consultation.
• Updated time plan and work schedule (including plans for field visits);

• Principles for selecting organizations, banks and MFIs to interview.

• Workshop presentation of preliminary findings and recommendations for the review of disability stakeholders at Kabul on finishing the field work.

• Draft final survey report with executive summary in English (to a maximum 30 pages excluding annexes) addressing all the objectives given in the ToR. This report will be circulated among relevant stakeholders, SCA staff, and accepted by stakeholders before the final report with recommendations can be finalized.

• Final survey report incorporating or responding to collected feedback from stakeholders and SCA to be delivered no later than six days after receiving feedback.

SCA’s RAD program shall provide the consultant with assistance in arranging meetings and survey events, as well as the organizing of travel to and within the field and the provision of accommodation in the field in SCA’s guest houses.

6. Scheduling:

The survey will preferably start as soon as possible, but no later than May 1, 2013 and will be carried out according to the following schedule:

• Preparation / desk study/Inception Report 5 days
• Interviews /consultations in Kabul 6  days
• Field trips to project offices (incl. travel) 10 days
• Presentation of feedback and recommendations (Kabul) 1 day
• Analysis and report writing 6 days

Total 28 days

Overall management of the survey will be the responsibility of SCA’s Rehabilitation of Afghans with Disability Program (RAD), while a panel consisting of the Programme Implementation Director, RAD head and RAD Advisory will select the consultant, review and approve the survey report and specifically RAD will follow up the approved recommendations.

7. APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Interested consultants are invited to apply with an offer which includes the following:

• CV of the consultant, showing relevant experience and background for the assignment;
• An indicative work plan with proposed dates;
• A description of the methodology to be applied;
• Financial offer including the consultant’s daily fee, travel costs to Afghanistan and any other costs associated with the survey. Accommodation, food as well as travel within Afghanistan will be arranged and paid for by SCA.

The full documentation required shall not exceed three pages less the CV.

The assignment is subject to a tender procedure according to SCA’s standard procurement regulations. SCA reserves the right not to accept any of the tenders submitted. In addition SCA reserves the right to take references on the proposed candidate.

Tenders shall remain valid for a period of 60 days.

The tender, including all required information, is to be submitted to SCA at the following e‐mail address: evaluations@sca.org.af , the final date and time for submission of offers is 16.00 Afghan time (12.30 CET), May 31, 2013. For further information, contact: peter.kiyonga@sca.org.af

SCA had organized ten days training programme for its 25 school teachers and 4 consultants from Balkh, Samangan, Takhar, Kunduz, Baghlan, Wardak, Bamyan, Ghazni, Kunar and Nangarhar provinces.

These teachers couldn’t attend trainings in Pakistan and India back in February and March were provided with in-house advanced training. Expert trainers of teachers’ development center Pakistan provided them training on participatory active learning methods.

Showing her gratification on training, a teacher from Baghlan province, Ms. Raisa said “first of all I thought that the most boring subject is math, but after attending this training, now I can understand that I was wrong.” Another teacher Ms. Alia from Nangarhar province said “she learned many things in these few days that I haven’t learn in many years.”

Ms. Mughal, a teacher from Bamyan province stated that “I was afraid of math in a way I was thought by teachers, but with applying new methods in my class, I don’t want to see horror of math on my students faces.”

The training was mainly focused on how to enhance and develop language and numeracy skills in children through activities and games in a child friendly environment.

Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) invites all qualified candidates to apply for the following position. SCA actively promotes and encourage Women and people with Disabilities to apply.

Terms of Reference

Introduction: 

The Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) is an international NGO working in Afghanistan for almost 30 years primarily in the fields of education, health, disability and rural development. SCA’s activities are carried out in 17 Provinces in the eastern and northern parts of the country. In the field of education, SCA works with the Government at the Central, Provincial, District and at local levels to achieve the following strategic objectives:

• Increased access to education with an emphasis on females.
• Improved quality of education.

• Capacity building of the relevant stakeholders including teachers, heads, communities and Government functionaries.

Currently, SCA is supporting 53 Model Schools (MS), 344 Community Based schools (CBS), 70 nomadic Community Based Schools and 70 Girls Annexes (GA), where access to quality education is provided to 122,745 children (56% girls) through 4,154 teachers and 537 School Management Committees.

All the institutions supported by SCA are managed by community representatives and stakeholders. While the Model Schools are managed by ‘Community Education Councils’ (CECs), the CBS and Girls Annexes are managed by ‘School Management Committees’ (SMCs). These Councils and Committees are responsible for a wide range of managerial and operational aspects of the MSs, CBSs and GAs. CECs and SMCs have played a vital role in supporting the schools and in proudly protecting and defending the provision of education.

SCA acknowledges the fact that the civil society organizations have played a key role in the successful implementation of its manifold activities. Reaching and engaging with the marginalized population in Afghanistan was possible only because of the active involvement and ownership by the communities.

One segment of the education system which is frequently discussed by the Government and the civil society, but is not very active professionally, is the Teachers Association (TA). Teachers are professionals in their own right and are highly regarded as ‘the learned people’ by members of the society, especially in the rural areas, who consider them as their spokespersons and their representatives.

Among this respected group of people, it is possible to identify individuals who can lead, and have the capacity and the ability to shoulder significant responsibilities for the benefit of their fraternity. Currently, appropriate platforms are not available to such people to have discussions about education, about schools and about development issues as well as about their own profession. It cannot be denied that this group of people can influence and guide members of the society educationally and socially, but do not get the opportunity to work for the collective good .

SCA strongly feels that this strength needs to be nurtured and promoted through the initiation of platforms, so that their collective wisdom can help to transform the society in which they live.

SCA has so far established 14 Teachers Associations (TAs) in its six project areas. A base line study was conducted in 2012. The three important findings of the study are, as follows:

• “Setting up and guiding the functioning of the TAs has been a very successful SCA initiative. This is a very structured programme registered with DED. DED representatives are members of the TAs and participate very actively in its activites.”. 
• “Teachers Associations have provided a forum at the District level where teachers, DED representatives and civil society meet regularly and discuss their achievements, challenges, educational issues, best practices, and find solutions to their common problems. DED has already started involving members of TAs in decision-making regarding the hiring of teachers, to deliberate with MoE, etc. This was not possible before the establishment of TAs. They are also contemplating setting up of more TAs in other Districts.  
• Members of the TAs visit their counterparts in schools in other areas and exchange views on common issues, especially relating to teaching and teachers. It is evident from the study that teachers are using this platform to advocate the rights of the teachers; their professional development; and the rights of the communities for quality education. 

The study has strongly recommended

a)      SCA/EPMU is strongly advised to develop a comprehensive and an intensive training programme for the benefit of DED representatives and TAs.

b)      Members of TAs must be trained in conducting action research, so that they are able to conduct small studies related to the process of teaching and learning, for the improvement of the quality of education.

                                       (Baseline Study on Teachers’ Associations, 2012)

Experience tells us that when teachers get engaged in research related to the process of teaching and learning, they get a better insight into various aspects of education and are able to find solutions on their own. It is important that they get opportunities to do so. They need to be convinced that they have the real power to bring about a change in the quality of education.

In view of the foregoing, SCA has decided to build  the capacity of a core group of teachers as action researchers, as part of the TAs on a pilot basis. SCA proposes to initiate the project with the title of ‘Teachers as Action Researchers Project” to be initiated in 2013 under the umbrella of Teachers Associations.

 Duration and the time line for the training period

• A trainer will be hired for 22 days of which 4 days will be for developing a training manual, 14 days for conducting actual training in two phases of 7 days each, and 4 days of travelling.
• June to December

Key features of training

Training programme on Action Research will be conducted in two phases:

a)      Phase one: Planning ___ 4 days for developing a training manual.

• During June /July 2013, the trainer will develop a comprehensive plan for 14 days training in two phases of seven days each.
• The plan will be developed in coordination with SCA.

b)      Phase Two: Implementation:

• The 14 days programme will  be in three parts:

• Training of members of Teachers Associations by the trainer in August 2013.
• 7 days training on methods of Action Research.
• Developing the plan and instrument for conducting field research.

• Conducting Field Research: September –October 2013
  • Overall supervision by SCA representative in coordination with the Trainer.

• Finalizing and presenting their research:  Duration 7 days ____November -December, by the trainer.
  • Trainer will finalize individual research (seven days).
  • Develop the second phase of the training plan.
  • Lead the two day seminar for sharing the out comes with the participants. (Government Officials, NGO Representatives and Donors)

Objectives

• To provide to the teachers the basic understanding and the skills required for conducting classroom based research and to help them to conduct small studies on their own to bring improvement in the quality of students’ learning. 
• Engage in professional/development dialogues in academic activities; to learn from each other; and improve the quality of teaching and learning in schools.
• Use the proposed platform of TAs for sharing their research findings through organising seminars, work-shops, thematic discussions and encouraging other members of TAs to get involved in short group studies.

• Assist the Government by providing evidence-based research findings and knowledge about ground realities, which will be helpful for policy making, policy revision and for developing programmes for the teachers.

Co-ordination:

The Trainer will work in very close coordination with the Senior Education Advisor under the overall guidance and leadership of the Head of Education Programmes and SCA Programme Implementation Department.

Expected outputs of the Action Research Training Programme:

• A compilation in the form of a book of research studies and their findings by the teachers and for the teachers. This book will be of a great value and a reference point for the teachers, researchers, universities, Government, NGOs, etc. working in the field of education.
• A core group of teachers will be developed as action researchers, who in the long run will train other members of the Teachers Associations.

Intellectual property:

All data, reports and studies prepared under the terms of the contract will be the property of the SCA and may not be used by anyone without the prior written approval of  SCA.

SCA Inputs

• SCA will provide boarding, lodging and transport during the trainer’s stay in Afghanistan.
• Payment of all expenses related to international travel to and from Afghanistan, including assistance with obtaining the relevant visa.
• Travel and health insurance on SCA’s corporate policy for international travel and during the Trainer’s stay in Afghanistan.
• Overall coordination, supervision and assistance to the Trainer.

Required profile of the Trainer

• Minimum of a Master’s degree in the field of education, research or social sciences.
• Minimum of a Master’s degree, preferably a doctorate, in the field of education and research.
• Knowledge of conducting and supervising field research.
• Minimum of five years’ experience in teaching, carrying out action research; research in different aspects of the education field (Schools, teachers training, teaching, students’ learning assessment, classroom management, etc.).
• Experience of working in institutional capacity development of the education sector in a developing and /or conflict-affected country.
• Practice in the use of participatory methods for conducting research, planning and capacity development.
• Highly proficient in written and spoken English; knowledge of Dari and /or Pashto an asset.
• Background knowledge of the historical and political situation in Afghanistan.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to communicate detailed concepts clearly and concisely both in writing and verbally.

Submission of the applications

Interested candidates should send an application to SCA containing the following:

• Full CV, including a list of studies and evaluations carried out.
• A covering letter indicating the Trainer’s background and relevant experience.
• A proposed work plan indicating dates for carrying out the evaluation.

Applications should be submitted to actionresearchtrainer@sca.org.af to reach by the latest on May 23, 2013 at 16:00 hours Afghan time (12.30 CET). Please add the words Action Research Trainer in the subject line. For further information please contact Dr. Rafat Nabi. Email rafat.nabi@sca.org.af and rafat2nabi@yahoo.com.