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School supplies light up Afghan student's eyes

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Tammie Moore
  • U.S. Air Forces Central
QALAT, Afghanistan --  "Mister, mister pen. I need pen," echoes repeatedly from the mouths of young Afghan boys and girls eagerly reaching out their hands whenever they see American service members.

When members of the Zabul Provincial Reconstruction Team walked onto a local boy's school campus recently, the students received more than just pens thanks to the efforts of an American principal and his students.

The school supplies were a gift from Westfield Community School students in Algonquin, Ill. The supply donation drive was an idea generated by Principal Korry Belin after he heard about the Afghan student's need for basic school supplies.

"I just wanted to help in some way," Mr. Belin said. "I asked that each student bring in one school item to help start a school in Afghanistan, and they did. It was the nicest thing to see these little children and the smiles they had [knowing they were helping]."

Army Maj. Trever Nehls, Zabul PRT civil affairs leader and Mr. Belin's cousin, began to stockpile the school supplies as they arrived until he could coordinate a delivery date with all of the key school officials.

"There have been text books distributed to the schools in Zabul province through the Kabul minister of education," said Major Nehls, a reservist deployed from 451st Civil Affairs Battalion, Pasadena, Texas. "However, [there was still a need for] pens, pencils, notebooks and basic school supplies to run a school."

Since the PRT works closely with school officials to increase the province's educational capacity, the team is able to see when needs arise within the schools.

"Education an important part of our reconstruction efforts here," said Staff Sgt. Joe Montano, who provides security when the PRT travels to the school. "When we can give the students a truck load of school supplies - things they can't always buy here - that is a big thing. It shows the students here the people in America are thinking of them, support them and want them to be successful."

Government, school officials and PRT members gathered to present the supplies in a classroom very different than what students in the Algonquin elementary school are used to. The classroom had no desks or chairs; instead students sat on a matted floor. The chalkboard, cracked with age, also sat on the floor - there are no computers or electrical equipment in the room as power is not always available.

While speaking to the students, Gulab Shah, the deputy governor of Zabul province, said, "The PRT has been trying to help students. Our friends are here, we don't have much equipment, but they are glad to help us. They are building a dormitory not only for you but for students from other provinces. What the PRT brings to you is good - they are showing their love and affection. We are very grateful to the PRT, and we should appreciate their efforts."

When the headmaster grabbed a box of crayons to hand out, the students eagerly accepted them.

"When I see a smile on an Afghan child's face as the results of our efforts, whether it is something as small as an eraser, a pen or a pencil, it is a positive story," Major Nehls said. "It is something that we find very encouraging as members of the PRT."

Staff Sgt. Don Elias, Zabul PRT force protection non-commissioned officer in charge, volunteered to deploy to Afghanistan to help with efforts like this.

"I wanted to really make a difference in people's lives and I feel as if I am making a difference here in Afghanistan," said the sergeant deployed from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. "It gives me a sense of self-satisfaction that I am apart of something bigger than myself. It gives me a great sense of fulfillment to support this mission."

The generosity people back home is something members of the PRT and the Afghan students are grateful for.

"I would like to thank those in Algonquin, Ill., who support our efforts over here through gifts and packages," he said. "We are making considerable progress as a result of these kind gifts, simply because they light up the eyes of an Afghan child."