The Takhar Education Initiative is an Afghan Connection (AC) initiative to support education for children, and in particular girls. AC works in traditional rural communities where historically education for girls has been almost non-existent. So, in order to make this project viable, it has been developed in a culturally sensitive manner. The education of girls is a new concept and the key objective has been to create schooling environments that will give parents confidence to send their daughters to school. How has the Afghan Connection done this in Worsaj? The Afghan Connection builds separate schools for older girls with surrounding walls for privacy – in this way more parents are happy to let the girls go to school and complete their education. AC also funds teacher training and while this is open to both men and women, there is a strong take up by women. This is important in Afghanistan, as fathers are reluctant to let their daughters be educated by men once they reach puberty.