The first moments of a child’s life are critical to the rest of their development. The first 1000 days constitute the most important developmental phase of childhood and have a critical impact on a child’s physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development and abilities to develop language and learning skills.  

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We believe that all children have the right to reach their full human potential, regardless of the circumstances in which they are born. Through our centers, we provide children in rural villages with a safe and nurturing environment where they can grow and flourish. 

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In order to support early childhood development, Afghanistan Libre established in 2004 its first early childhood development centers in the remote and conservative rural areas of Panjshir and Paghman. In Afghanistan there are no public services available for early childhood education or care.

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These centers serve as both a nurturing environment for young children to grow and learn, and provide women with childcare so that they may work. Strategically located near primary schools and highschools, many female teachers benefit from these services. As it is common for families to not permit their daughters to be educated by men, this project also permits more high school aged girls to stay in school past puberty and responds to the severe shortage of qualified female education in rural parts of the country.