Angelina Jolie, who was moved by families in Afghanistan who were reluctant to send their daughters to mixed schools, has now opened a school for girls in the country.
- March 17, 2010
AceShowbiz - Angelina Jolie has opened a school for girls in Afghanistan after donating $75,000 towards education facilities for female students. The Hollywood actress visited the Tangi region in the war-torn country in October 2008, and was moved by the stories of displaced families who were reluctant to send their daughters to mixed schools for cultural reasons.
Jolie, who works as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations (U.N), donated a sum of cash to help build a girls school in the region and the institution finally opened its doors on Monday, March 15 - 18 months after the star's visit. The building features eight classrooms, four administration buildings and can accommodate up to 800 students.
Speaking at the opening ceremony 14-year-old Laila, whose family returned to Afghanistan from neighboring Pakistan in 2008, praised Jolie and the U.N. for pouring money into education. She said, "I always had hopes and dreams of going to school. The hope to become a qualified teacher has revived in me." Her father, Ustad, adds, "This is what we needed here and I believe there is a need for every community if we want to build the future of our country - to build schools and get education."
