See what our staff in Afghanistan say,
past & present
Sayed Rafi Latifi
I remember the time (2007) when Fr Jerome came to my class and started teaching English Pronunciation. My relationship with JRS started back then. I am proud I started as a JRS student and that now I am part of this big family. JRS has helped me to improve and learn a lot. Before, I worked in government departments and private companies, but working with JRS is really different. I learnt how to love, respect, listen and accompany IDPs, returnees, and especially marginalized people. During these 13 years, I realized and saw how wonderfully JRS is helping the most needy people and how their lives have changed significantly. Once again, I would like to say that I am very happy being part of JRS family.
Bashria Jan Sarwari
I completed my Bachelor in English and Literature and joined JRS as an English teacher in 2015. I was interested in continuing my education abroad and this opportunity was given me by JRS. I did my Master in Social Work at St Joseph’s College from 2017-2019. The MSW program entirely changed me and my perspective toward life. Before joining JRS, I was a passive member of my family. After joining JRS, I became very effective. I started supporting my sister (doing her MD) and my brother (grade 10) with my knowledge and earnings. Now, everyone in the family is counting on me and calls me ‘our small master girl’. They listen to my ideas and respect my decisions. Being a girl, I am shining and giving light to all who are around me.
Sayed Khalid Sadaat
I congratulate JRS Afghanistan on its 15th anniversary. As a JRS family member in Afghanistan, I would like to thank everyone for their support during these 15 years. JRS is not a job or an organization, which is working for people; it’s a thought, a concept that will teach you humanity.
JRS has helped many youth during these 15 years to achieve their dreams. I am one of those whose life JRS has changed. I have achieved many things by the support of JRS in my life and, as JRS,
I will help others to achieve their dreams and to create a peaceful environment for the people.
Farhad Sharifi
Since 2013, I have been working with JRS in Herat, Afghanistan. In this journey of 7 years so far, JRS has helped me to realize much of my potential, to use my time in service to others and to develop the capacity to think and act along with my community toward collective change, especially in education and leadership. The work in JRS is meaningful to me as I feel like we are a family of dedicated individuals who are reaching out to refugees, IDPs and those at the margins. This makes me happy because I can relate personally to them and witness the change we have made and are making to our lives.
Bilal Abdulrahimzai
On the occasion of the 15th anniversary of JRS, I want to congratulate and thank the organization for all its work and service to us. Since I joined JRS as a teacher, I have seen lots of changes in my personal and professional life. With the help of JRS, I received many opportunities such as trainings sessions that build my capacity. Now I am not only a teacher but also a youth and social worker. In my personal life, I have become more responsible toward my family. I used to think only about myself but now I always want to help my people who are in need, and it’s all because of JRS who makes my better person and more human.
Farahnaz Ebadi
Since 2016, I have been working with JRS as a computer teacher in different schools. Before, I used to teach in other places, but the experiences I had here were completely new to me because I just used to work to earn money. When I came to JRS, my goal changed and I recognized that teaching was not just about making money, but a way to serve to our society, to transfer knowledge to others, and to help them to achieve their goals.
Thanks to the trainings I received in JRS, I could overcome my problems and I am
also able to help others to find a better way to solve their problems.
Mursal Ahankhail
There is no place I would rather be. Happy JRS-AFG 15th Anniversary!
I’m proud of working with JRS for nearly 2 years. During this time I have been very happy because I have been able to gain a lot of experience in terms of work and knowledge as well as progress in life. I learned from participating in useful seminars such as psychology and peace. It's really important in my life and that of my family. And it was worth it, because it had a big impact on my character, and now I can convey all that to my students.
Nabila “Jalali”
JRS is one of the most effective and useful educational organizations in Afghanistan. JRS has brought lots of changes in people’s lives, especially in the lives of those who could not afford to learn and study. JRS has done much for its teachers through trainings in peace and other topics.
Mohammad Salim
I got to know about JRS values and services in Afghanistan when I start learning English with one of the Jesuits, and later got the opportunity to join JRS as an office assistant. JRS supported me during my university studies and later supported me to do my Master in Social Work in India, specializing in community development.
Ahmad Hamid Wahidy
Individual as a whole and community as a part, this is what JRS means to me. Allow me to thank the JRS family for 15 years of peaceful and meaningful presence in Afghanistan. JRS works with individuals planting seeds of plurality to help others. I started by attending an English course, and now I am a university professor. JRS helped my dream come true. Subsequently, I will help many others in this path. I now serve hundreds of students whose communities will benefit and this goes on. I call JRS a special model of empowerment in Afghanistan, which makes each individual feel a whole and the community as a unit.
Mahdi Rasekh
JRS, to me, is a class where I can learn and improve daily. Here I learn whatever I couldn’t learn in school or in university: being color blind; cooperating with and supporting others; a sense of humility and respect; flexibility, honesty, and serving and empowering others. All these things I have learnt in this fabulous NGO. Since I have been working as project director, I have developed strong linkages with dozens of people in different communities, which will lead to more achievements in my future career.
Fahim Arbab Khail
JRS means a family to me, where I worked and got their support to continue my education, career, and social interaction. My life’s journey completely changed after joining JRS in 2015. During these 6 years, I completed my BA degree, while working with JRS, and so I could also support my family since my father had retired. My younger brother was studying in a private college and my elder brother and me were responsible to meet all the needs of the 13 members of my family. I am thankful to JRS for their financial support which meant I could then complete my Masters degree in India. I am really grateful to JRS for helping me to reach my goals and make my dreams come true.
Asadullah Qanbari
I was Public High School Principal for 12 years and I have been working as high school educator since then. At university, I studied English Language and Literature at Herat University. I have known JRS Since 2009, when for the first time I started working as JRS English Trainer in Chekhcharan in Ghor Province.
Basir
On JRS’ 15th anniversary, I would like to congratulate all my colleagues and friends who have dedicated their life to serve needy people across the world. I am thankful to JRS for its continuous support to Afghan students, especially in Bamiyan, where I was teaching English. To me, JRS means a journey of commitment, hard work, and dedication to create a better future. Working with JRS helped me to improve my knowledge and experiences in teaching and learning. Through teaching English, I could get an opportunity to pursue my PhD in India. I am grateful to JRS for providing educational opportunities and I hope you continue this journey.
Edris Sharify
In 2006, I was studying English at Herat University when the Head of Department came with a foreigner to our class. We thought he was from a donor organization or wanted to discuss studies abroad with us. I found he was Mr Jerome, who taught us for 6 semesters along with other JRS professors. It was a great initiative and support to our faculty those years.
Jalaluddin Yaqubi
JRS is an organization that never thinks about religion, race and tribe, but that focuses on humanity and development. Besides earning an income from this organization to support my family, I learned many things of moral, spiritual and professional nature in seminars about psychology, teaching methods, peace training, and more. All the trainings were important but the most significant, which brought changes to my views, was peace training.To tell you the truth, the most important education nowadays for our country is peace, and it is through peace educational programs that we can bring about some changes. Without peace and acceptance of each other, we can’t pave the way for other subjects. Also, the students can directly convey our message to their families. In fact it can be a master key for brightness for the future to motivate them to learn other subjects as well.
Khalida, teacher
JRS is a real school for me. JRS is a place where I found what I was looking for. It was my big dream to join a NGO, to work with English native speakers, to build my dream website, and so on. JRS met more than my expectations. JRS made me to discover humanity by accepting differences. JRS is my favorite school forever.
Mirza Hussain
I did my Bachelor in Geology at Bamiyan University. My journey with JRS started in August 2013, when I graduated from university and served as a JRS teacher for nearly two years. While teaching English, Computer and Geology at school in Shaikhmeran, I was also teaching my students how to live and how to communicate with others. This brought a big change in my attitude towards the local community and I began to understand how to live a meaningful life. JRS for me means transformation, because I could change a lot more than my expectations. When I was doing my Masters in Delhi University in Geology, I could learn a lot of skills I did not have before. Moreover, I now feel I am a complete person and can solve problems more easily and can have a better life. JRS has given me hope in life and showed me how to be successful. I am now JRS Project Director for Daikundi province and am happy being part of JRS family.
Mohammad Hadi Bahonar
For me, JRS is an inspirational organization which accompanies, serves, and advocates for everyone equally, especially those who have been suffering hardship, hunger, injustice, and violence, without prejudice or segregation. The impact of JRS on me has been to give people a hand without consideration of their language, religion, region, or race. It taught me that helping people doesn’t mean only giving money to poor people or distributing goods for displaced people, but it can also be educating their children, feeling their situation, and making women aware about their rights and supporting them to know their responsibilities in their homes and their roles in society. Illiteracy is the main problem of my country. Fortunately JRS focuses on this issue, and portrays our responsibility to support people to pave their own way by education. Thanks to JRS for supporting and serving our people.
Saeeda Sarwary
JRS is the only international organization that changed my life from different angles. JRS helped me to finish my BA and to support my family economically. JRS gave me the chance to help other youth, too. I received training such as peace workshops, which helped me not only to recognize patterns of peace, but also to learn about people who devoted their lives to bringing peace to their country. I especially remember one video from South Africa where a mother forgave her the killer of her daughter and he later became her partner in working for non-violence. My students also enjoyed the peace lessons, a lot, and they and their families are using what they learn in their daily life.
Samiullah Rasuly
I would like to congratulate JRS on its 15th anniversary, I am really thankful to JRS for its support to the people of Afghanistan, As a teacher of JRS, I am grateful for the opportunity to work for my people and also to receive support to continue my education. JRS has helped many students to achieve success at university and to make their future.
Long live the JRS team!
Zakir Hussain Rezaie
I joined JRS in 2017 and I have been teaching in different places and dealing with people from diverse backgrounds. Becoming one of the JRS family helped me a lot economically and also as a teacher. I would like to thank Fr Santiago and Br Noel who were the founders of JRS in Afghanistan and also Dr Stan Fernandes and Dr Silvia Kaeppeli, who did a lot for our people.
Wazhma Saidy
As we know, learning enhances your quality of life. Learning provides you with an escape when you need it, knowledge when you seek it, and a great pastime. Learning has a positive impact on our mental wellbeing. Often, it is about setting and achieving goals. JRS helped me to discover my abilities and to put them in practice in my daily routine. JRS helped me to improve my teaching methods and to write the best lesson plan, to increase my self-confidence, and to develop my social skills. Besides, I learnt from JRS that we should take care of our students because education is not enough. They need to know how to behave with others in society. JRS trainings taught me how can we identify our students’ problems and how to work with them to solve them.