Staff

The Garden of Flowers is run by five incredibly committed Afghans. As hard as they work, they are very grateful that they get to spend their days with joyful, lively, small children. They are a fantastic team: they laugh together (a LOT!), support each other, and work together beautifully.

Fatima (Head Teacher, Team Manager)

Fatima is the head teacher at the Garden of Flowers, as well as manage. Fatima has been with us since 2002, with the start of the House of Flowers Orphanages. She began as an assistant who did everything from wash clothes by hand to read stories to children.

Over the next 18 years at the House of Flowers, Fatima was the consistent one, while several head teachers came and went. Fatima was almost like a mother for the children, being a stable presence in their lives. She often came spent the holidays with the children. She became increasingly dedicated to Montessori, with a dream of writing a book about her experiences to share with others in Afghanistan who work at orphanages.

Fatima has excitedly embraced her role at head teacher and manager at the Garden of Flowers, eagerly soaking up new Montessori lessons and observing the children with joy, seeing how they have grown and benefitted. She leads the staff with affection and respect and is incredibly optimistic and calm, no matter what is happening. She has a lively sense of humor and clever comebacks, and she and the team seem to always be laughing about something!

Fatima lives with her elderly mother on the other side of Kabul. She has a two hour commute each way, taking multiple shared taxis across the city, and yet when she gets home she continues to communicate with us about her day and about the children. She inspires us with her complete dedication. Fatima never married. She lives her life in dedication to the children of Afghanistan.

Nik Mohammad (Assistant Teacher, household manager, security)

Nik Mohammad joined us at the same time as Fatima – at the very beginning, in 2002 at the House of Flowers. At that time, his son was recovering from a landmine injury, and yet each day, Nik Mohammad rode his bike 45 minutes across Kabul to the House of Flowers to spend his days, and often nights as well, as a guard, cleaner, shopper, and escort for the children. They called him “Kaka” Nik Mohammad – Uncle– and adored him for his gentle demeanor.

With the start of the Garden of Flowers, we knew that Nik Mohammad would have to be a part of it. And this time in an added capacity – as an assistant teacher. He joined the Montessori training sessions and learned how to give lessons and how to observe children. With the Garden of Flowers well underway, Nik Mohammad helps make new Montessori materials, gives lessons, and reads stories to the children, as well as doing the shopping and household repairs. He stays overnight most nights as well, to provide security.

Nik Mohammad is now a grandfather himself, and yet his enthusiasm for the children and the work is strong. He loves exploring the Montessori materials himself as well, building and creating and exploring. One can’t help but wonder, what if he had been in a Montessori environment as a child??

Razia (Assistant Teacher)

When Razia was nine years old, she and her sisters Nadia and Shukria became the first children of the House of Flowers Orphanage in 2002. Their mother had just died, and their father struggled to make a living. They were found by MEPO staff, living in the corner of an abandoned, bombed-out house. Razia was doing her best to care for her younger sisters in a cold and desolate situation. MEPO offered them a place in the brand new House of Flowers.

Once they had moved into the warmth of the House, Razia flourished. She craved to learn (she had only attended part of one year of school by age 9), and within 3 months she was reading and writing and devouring all the learning she could get. Razia and her sisters spent the next 10 years at the House of Flowers, growing up in the Montessori environment with Fatima as their teacher/mother. Razia was everyone’s big sister with her calm and stoic and kind nature.

The girls eventually went to live with their father who had been in and out of their lives over their childhood. Now they were old enough to take care of him, with his multiple health and mental issues. Razia made it into university and received a degree in education. She then began assisting at the House of Flowers, working with the small children and doing lots of art projects with them.

When the Garden of Flowers was formed, Razia was sure to be part of the team. She naturally understood the Montessori concepts of freedom and choice, having grown up with them. Despite struggles at home with her father, she was committed to learning the details of Montessori for younger children. She put her artistic skills to work in making beautiful Montessori materials. Once the Garden opened and she began giving lessons, it was clear from the videos that she is a natural guide. She has a quiet and gentle style of interaction with the children, and the children adore her. She is an astute observer of the children and knows them very well.

Despite the challenges she has faced in her own life and the continued difficulties with her father, Razia is hard-working and committed. It is obvious how much she loves the children; she is affectionate and loving with them, and her soft laugh can often be heard in the classroom.

Razia is proud of the Garden of Flowers and feels a sense of belonging in this tight-knit team. She has much to offer, and is growing tremendously herself.

Khala Najeeba (Cook and Caretaker)

Fatima and Razia have remarked on how many of the children who come to the Garden of Flowers are pale at first, quiet, and sort of slow. But soon, the children have color in their cheeks and even seem ‘smarter’ and livelier. And this is largely due to the delicious and healthy meals cooked by Khala Najeeba.

Najeeba makes lunch each day for the children and staff. She also makes tea and breakfast in the morning, and snacks in the afternoon from hearty soup to rice pudding to give the children a boost of energy before they head home for the evening.

She is also a welcoming presence in the morning, arriving early to help the children wash up, as they brush their teeth and wash their face. Some of the children take their baths at the Garden of Flowers due to poor facilities at their home, and she helps them with this as well.

Hedayatullah (Cleaner, Security)

Hedayatullah is Nik Mohammad’s young counterpart. He also used to work at the House of Flowers, and was grateful to be offered a job at the Garden of Flowers. He and Nik Mohammad take care of the security of the GoF, manning the gate during the day and sleeping at the school at night.

Hedeyat also assists with household cleaning and maintenance, and shopping for food and supplies. He even helps out in the classroom sometimes, and the children love making little booklets for him and reading their words to him that they just learned how to write. He is another caring, smiling presence at the Garden of Flowers.