Mr. Hamdard visits Shimane prefecture, meets with members of Afghan Terakoya Project - supporters of education in Afghanistan

October 2-3, 2011: Mr. Basir Hamdard, Second Secretary, along with Deputy Director Wahid Zamani and Niamatulla of Shanti Volunteer Association’s (SVA’s) Kabul office, visited Shimane prefecture at the invitation of the locally organized Afghan Terakoya Project to mark ten years of support to the education of Afghan children. The organization has so far built seven schools and in the events of October 2nd and 3rd announced plans to complete one more, Ghazi Mirzaman Khan School in Kabul, together with SVA by 2012. An initiative of the people, the schools have been built with donations largely made through schools in Shimane and government offices. The group has some 100 volunteer staff.

The three were warmly received on Sunday at the airport by Director Hiromi Aramoto of the Cultural and International Division of the Shimane prefectural government department of Environment and Civic Affairs who after speaking on a various matters related to Afghanistan promised to impart the new knowledge to the people of Shimane.

Mr. Hamdard and the Afghan delegation then took part in a ceremony where Mr. Hamdard gave a speech and met with Vice President Michie Watanabe of Masou Shokai Co., Ltd and a prominent member of Afghan Terakoya Project, offering deepest gratitude, on behalf of the Government and people of Afghanistan and Ambassador Dr. Sayed M. Amin Fatimie, for the selfless support provided by her organization to the youth of Afghanistan. Mr. Hamdard presented Vice President Watanabe with a letter of appreciation from the Ambassador in recognition of these efforts and her personal role. Mr. Hamdard also had the honor of meeting with Hon. Counsellor Akiko Kamei (pictured below) and Hon. Counsellor Hisaaki Komuro, who visited Afghanistan in 2005 and is a member of the Shimane support group.

On Monday, Mr. Hamdard and the delegation visited a government office to offer gratitude for their support, and also visited two schools that have helped in fund raising: Izumo Shiritsu Hikari Chugako and Matsue Shiritsu Horo Shogakko.

(photo: Mr. Hamdard and Hon. Counsellor Komura)


(photo: Mr. Hamdard and Hon. Counsellor Kamei)


(photo: Mr. Hamdard with Vice President Watanabe)


(from left to right, Mr. Takafumi Miyake, coordinator of the SVA office in Afghanistan; Mr. Zamani, Mr. Hamdard, and Mr. Matolla. Hon. Counsellor Komuro sits on the far right)