Two months in…
It was just a short two months ago that we wrote to tell you about the new Garden of Flowers Montessori Preschool in Kabul, and already, the Garden of Flowers is truly thriving, with15 children and their loving and dedicated teachers.
Each week the classroom has become more beautiful, the children more settled and concentrated, and the teachers more confident and passionate. They continue to make new things for the classroom, and they recently received a generous donation of additional Montessori materials which has been a great infusion.
We would like to share with you the powerful impact that we are already seeing in the lives of these children in just these first 8 weeks. You can see a selection of Garden of Flowers videos at this page on our website. And below are some stories about the children, written by Fatima, the head teacher.
To understand the context of some of the stories, in Afghanistan there is no school on Friday. Hence the famous and lovely saying by the Persian poet Saadi, which we are seeing come true:
“If a teacher’s lessons become the whispers of love, the child who runs away from lessons would want to come to school even on Friday.” (Saadi)
Laila
“Laila is a 5 years old girl. She loves GoF very much! Every day early morning she comes alone to GoF. Then her sister or her mother comes to GoF and asks: “Is Laila at GoF?” because early morning everyone at their house was asleep. So she is not waiting for them, and she comes alone at GoF 😀 . Actually every night Laila says to her family, “I am going to sleep soon, to wake up early morning to go to GoF so I should go early at GoF.” When Laila arrives at GoF, with the help of Khala Najeeba [the cook] , she takes her bathrobe and goes to the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face and her feet, and then she brushes her hair.”
Mukhtar on his first day, when his mother brought him.
Mukhtar after one month.
Mukhtar
“Mohammad Mukhtar is about 6 years old. His mother is a baker and his father was killed by the Taliban. Mukhtar’s mother said that her son had trouble eating. But now at the GoF he learned how to eat with spoon and fork just like other children! He eats his food normally, and when he chews his morsel of food, his mouth’s movement is now normal! M-Mukhyara’s mother is very happy !”
Sudees
“Sudees ( سدیس ) is a 5 years old boy. His mother told that last week his family had done his circumcision. After that , Sudees said, “Now I should go to GoF!” His family said, “No, now you can’t go because you are sick so you can’t go for about one week to the GoF.” He started to crying very much! His family told him, “Don’t worry you will become healthy soon.” He quickly said, “I am crying because you told me that for one week I can’t go to GoF!” Sudees said, “Mommy, please after two days I will go to GoF!” His family laughed very much! And told to Sudees, “What is it at GoF?” He told them: ‘Everything is at GoF which I need !’ “
Fakhrudeen
“Fakhrudeen ( فخرالدین) is 6 year old boy. His family is wondering 🤔 about his changes. He was a very mischievous boy. He had opposition with other kids! He wished to have all toys just for himself so he played and ate alone; actually he didn’t like other children !
But since he become GoF’s student, so completely he changed!! Now he loves other kids too and he becomes kind. He divides his toy with other kids at his house. His family says, “Which kind of magic do you have at GoF ?” We told them that is our Montessori magic which can change children !
And also Fakhrudeen says to us, “Dear teachers, why you are not coming on Friday?” I told him because on Friday we must wash our clothes and do our work at home.
He said ok. 😁 “
The Garden of Flowers is more than just a classroom; it is like a second home. Each morning the children arrive and wash up, brush their teeth, and have a snack. Lunch is hearty, and afternoon snacks of fruit or rice pudding are tasty and healthy. The children take naps under warm quilts in the afternoon if they wish. And with snow beginning to fall in Kabul, the staff bought coats, hats, gloves and socks for the children.
The outpouring of support for this new project has been affirming and reassuring. From generous donations of support funds, to targeted donations for specific needs such as shipping a big box of donated Montessori materials or paying for a local carpenter to make the essential Pink Tower and the Brown Stair Montessori materials, people around the world are noting the powerful impact of this experience on these children during this most formative time in their lives.
The Garden of Flowers is an oasis of peace and joy in Kabul, contributing to a hopeful future.
