Better ways for students to study and build a life in Afghanistan
This article guides young Afghans who want to study or who have started their studies in Afghanistan. It offers practical advice to make their studies most effective and achieve greater success in their lives. It also offers sobering questions to determine whether studying at university is even the best for you. This article wants to help each young person getting the best of their time, efforts and parents’ money. And overall to form leaders and experts with the right skills to build Afghanistan. As many young people are not registered on LinkedIn the author charges you parents, relatives, teachers and professors to print/ share this article with all young people in your circle of influence and responsibility!
Young people, Do not waste your life!
While I am writing you, young people, I am dying. The body ages; death is part of life. Once I was young like you. I thought I would have all times in the world. But your young age will pass fast. Soon you will be married and have children of your own. And you will have a lot of responsibilities. Much of your life in Afghanistan is about earning money for the people that you are responsible for you. So, the better you prepare yourself for the harsh realities of life and build skills that earn you a living, the better for your, your family, your relatives, and ultimately your country Afghanistan.
Young people, Determine what you want/ need to achieve in life and develop a plan of actions!
Afghanistan is a developing country. The needs are many. Just in this coming winter hundreds of thousands of families need to decide whether they should eat or heat their home. They do not have money for both!
While you are browsing social media and dream about having the same imagined life of people in other countries (which stories are often not real and deceiving), fact is, you are living in a developing country and will have to work very hard to earn a living, provide for your loved ones, and build your country.
No, you cannot just wait and hope. There are many other unemployed Afghan graduate students who have walked before you. They just went to school and hoped that after graduation “someone” would just give them a “job”. Many of those graduates have been unemployed for years. Still waiting, but without realistic hope.
Will you repeat their mistake? Will just naively follow their path of failure? Hopefully, you will do things very differently.
To start, you need a plan!
Reflect on the following questions:
·?????? What do you want to achieve in life? How much money do you need to earn?
·?????? Which roles offer that money?
·?????? Do you want to “look for a job” in a highly competitive market that offers very few open jobs?
·?????? Or, should you start a business?
·?????? What skillsets do you need to build?
·?????? How do you build those skillsets?
·?????? Does the traditional university give you the needed help and skillsets to earn your living?
·?????? Or should you explore other ways of learning (such as free online education)?
·?????? Is it better to go to university or to immediately work and study after hours?
·?????? How many resources (money, time, support) do you have for getting the necessary skills?
(Seek an experienced parent, older brother/ sister, uncle or neighbor to work with you through these questions. Ask your current or former teachers to provide you with helpful information and advice).
Research and create your personal plan
You are unique and have different talents, skills and resources. Your plan will be different to those of your friends. You should develop your own personal plan!
Spend much time to develop your plan. It will determine much your success and fulfillment in life!
Structure your plan as follow:
1)???? What do you want to achieve in life?
a.????? Professionally
b.????? Financially
c.????? Personally
d.????? Socially
2)???? How to you want to it? Action plan for next...
a.????? 1 year?
b.????? 2 years?
c.????? 3 years?
d.????? 4 years?
e.????? 5 years?
Be specific and detailed what YOU will do!
3)???? Determine your necessary support/ resources
·?????? Time
·?????? Money
·?????? Support from family and others
Your food, clothes, school supply, room, etc. is not for free. List the expenses!
Your time for studying is not for free! You could earn money working a day job.
Check your attitude!
When I was a teenager, I felt entitled that my mother and relatives would provide for me everything I needed. Often my attitude was ungrateful, being unhappy when I saw other children having more than I. But this was wrong.
Everything costs money. Nothing is for free in life. Parents must work to support you. Be grateful!
Exercise: Go and watch street-children!
Do you want to live like them?! The only difference between them and you, is that your parents are providing for you. Until, you earn your own money, you cannot claim to be any better than a street-child. In fact, the street-children work to feed themselves, while you are living on the expense of your parents.
Never forget this. Plan and work hard to earn a living!
Analyze and determine whether you really want to go to traditional university!
Yes, you need to build skills. But you need to build relevant skills that you can use to earn a good living for you and your family. Theoretical knowledge will not help you earn money. You would just become another unemployed educated Afghan.
Read this article with your family or people that you trust for advice: How to practically improve Academics & Education in Afghanistan | LinkedIn
?Could you just work with a family member that does business?
Read these articles with your family or people that you trust for advice...
Leverage the abundant free sources on the Internet
You do not need to formally go to university to become an expert. You do not need to get a degree to become successful. Many self-made millionaires do not have a university degree. They become successful by getting the information they need from the Internet to support their daily work, achieve their goals, and earn money.
The information on the Internet is often better in quality than those of average universities. Many top universities offer free degree programs or certificates on the Internet. Some resources are for pay, but still very affordable.
The future is not defined by general, theoretical knowledge, but by specific, practical skills that tangible action!
A university degree does not guarantee a job. And certainly not in Afghanistan. Many unemployed Afghans have Bachelor and Master degrees... The key to success is to acquire practical skills that are in demand and that help to immediately create value and earn money. The best Afghans may be to join short certificate programs that enable to earn money within 3 to 6 months. For example: Code and configure Robotic Process Automation bots.
An Afghan 18-year-old success story in Afghanistan
I met Achmad (name changed for confidentiality) in Kabul. Achmad comes from a family of farmers in a poor Province in Afghanistan. Achmad used the Internet whenever available for studying. He taught himself (!) English and later earned money as a sixteen year (!) old teaching others English. He also worked as volunteer and intern in several projects and businesses.
At the age of 18 (!), Achmad speaks perfect (!) English and has ownership shares in two companies. His communication and leadership skills (that he practiced volunteering his time in companies) are excellent. Achmad saved enough own money to move to Kabul and go to university. He pays for all his living without relying on his parents.
He does not study just for the degree, but to get specific skills and knowledge that he has pre-identified (!) for his future, continued success.
I believe that Achmad will be the owner/ shareholder of a multi-million-dollar company within the next three years before (!) graduating from university with a bachelor degree in business.
Question to current graduates: If Achmad can achieve such, why can’t you?!
Suggestion for high school students: Follow Achmad’s example!
Take action!
If you a high school or university students. Follow above action steps. Time is short. Use it wisely. Focus on results. Work hard. Achieve success to support yourself, your parents and your country!
If you are an adult, share this content with every young person in your sphere of influence and help create the next generation of Afghanistan!
Disclaimer:
This article does not reflect the viewpoint of any company or any government organization, nor any current or former employer/ client/ partner associated with the author. The author acknowledges there are often different viewpoints that have their merit and that it is important to discuss constructively to develop better solutions that make the world a better place.
About the author
Alex Steinberg is an industry expert and business advisor who has helped develop and transform 30+ multinational companies and has guided governments to build their countries across key industry sectors.
Alex has designed education & training curricula, trained, and educated over 300,000 people on five continents.
Alex is currently in Afghanistan to help build the country focusing on key initiatives that positively impact the lives of millions of Afghans including Food & Agriculture, Telecommunications, Energy & Water, Mining, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Education, and other.
Alex’s life mission is to help and positively impact 700 million people using his business & technology expertise, methodologies of working with world-leading consulting firms, as well as insights into 230+ projects across all business functions, process, and value chains.
You can reach out to Alex Steinberg by connecting with him through LinkedIn, WhatsApp +966 531824178, or email at [email protected]
National Senior Officer - Agriculture and Food Security
3 小时前a very persuasive and relevant article. Thanks