WHY AND HOW APT WAS ESTABLISHED
Afghans for Progressive Thinking (APT) was established in 2010 by a 21-year-old Afghan boy who had a vision of a peaceful Afghanistan and founded this non-profit organization with the belief that youth as today’s leaders of Afghanistan can change the current situation in the country and build a just and inclusive society for all. APT is the first organization that held a Skype without borders debate tournament among students from Afghanistan, Malaysia, United States, India and Kashmir. In addion, APT has also sponsored Afghan students and professors to a end the World University and Asian Debang Championships. At the same me, we have organized 18 leadership development programs and trained over 360 students on the sarvent leadership. Meanwhile, we also took 72 people on APT’s exposure trip to India. APT started with just one staff and working only in the Kabul province; however, over the past 10 years it has expanded its operations to 7 provinces of Afghanistan, and currently employs over 35 part-me and full-me staff.
THEORIES OF THE CHANGE AND APT’S APPROACH
We use two theories of change to achieve the vision of a peaceful Afghanistan:
CRITICAL THINKING THEORY AND
CONTACT THEORY
THE AREAS APT HAS WORKED IN THE PAST 10 YEARS
Capacity Building through debate and leadership development programs
Research and Advocacy through publications, conferences, and media shows
Networking through exposure trips within Afghanistan and abroad, and APT Alumni Community events
OUR ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE PAST 10 YEARS
#1 Advocacy for the resolution 2250 on youth, peace and security together with United Network of Young Peacebuilders (UNOY), which was adopted by the United Nations Security Council in 2015.
#3 We have trained over 30,000 youth and university students in debate and critical thinking, and we have organized over 70 provincial and 6 national debate tournaments.
#5 APT’s work has expanded from 1 province to 7 provinces of Afghanistan in the past 10 years.
#2 APT initiated the annual Afghan Youth Representative to the United Nations Program and sent the first and second Afghan Youth Representatives who had the chance to brief the Security Council of the United Nations.
#4 APT established an elementary school (Mehrabanon School) in 2018 in Mazar-e-Sharif for internally displaced kids. in our school, we have 60 kids (40 females and 20 males). The number of students is expected to increase in the upcoming years.
#6 APT has sent youth representatives as “ambassadors” to programs in the continents of Asia, Europe, Africa, and America on behalf of the Afghan youth.
#7 APT’s staff has increased from 1 staff in 2010 to 35 part-time and full-time staff. Additionally, over 500 people registered themselves as members of APT in the country and abroad.
#9 APT has been turned into a professional youth-focused organization with the leadership of Afghan youth.
#8 APT has signed memorandums of understanding with 20 universities in 7 provinces of Afghanistan.
#10 APT organized National Youth Jirga, which brought together youth from across the country to discuss the Afghan Peace Process and Post War Afghanistan.