IOM has handed over to officials the Funduqestan Girls High School
in Sia Gerd district, Parwan province, the last of the 502 schools
and health facilities IOM has either built or refurbished
throughout Afghanistan.

The IOM Schools and Clinics Construction Project, funded by the
US Agency for International Development (USAID), started in May
2004 and has contributed to the government of Afghanistan's
nation-building efforts by addressing the healthcare and education
needs of approximately seven million Afghan citizens through the
construction and refurbishment of 328 schools and 174 health
facilities in 23 provinces of the country. The project has also
constructed girls' schools and maternity wards where none
previously existed.

"Out of the 502 project sites IOM has completed, it is really
fitting that the last school is a girls' school as the Ministry of
Education is very interested in the progress on girls' education
and I am sure they will be pleased to know more than 1,000 girls
are attending this school," said Dean Homleid, USAID Head of the
Building Facilities Group, who attended the handover ceremony.

School Principal Abdul A. Rahim said, "The girls used to study
out in the open, sitting on the gravel, and it was really hard. A
lot of people who understand the importance of girls' education in
the area appreciate the work done and they are starting to send
more girls to school."

"The future of this country will depend on girls' education,"
Rahim added emphatically.

For further information, please contact:

Bogdan Danila

IOM Kabul

Tel: + 93 (0) 700 224 863

E-mail: "mailto:bdanila@iom.int">bdanila@iom.int

Katsui Kaya

Tel +93 (0) 700 185 961

E-mail: "mailto:kkaya@iom.int">kkaya@iom.int