The grade 12 International Business students at A.Y. Jackson Secondary School held their first ever Afghanistan CultureFest and it was a sell-out.

The event was planned in response to a plea by one student in the class to help a small elementary school in Jaji, Afghanistan. That one request soon turned into a mission as the students responded with hard work, planning, and gusto.

Malika Suraia is a small school located in Jaji, Afghanistan. It was built in 2005 in a tiny village in the province of Paktia which lies along the border of Pakistan. Despite a culture of war and poverty the students are still eager to learn. The A.Y. students’ goal was to help support them and give them the education they deserve.

Nabil Zazay, 17, approached his classmates with the request to help Malika Suraia Elementary School. His father, Wakil, helped raise the initial funds to build the school. The students were always willing to help but when they heard Wakil Zazay’s story the students went from being interested to being motivated and the idea of a fund-raising dinner went from the drawing board to an action plan.The funds raised will help several students continue their educational dreams.