BOZEMAN — The war in Iran is now in its sixth week – currently in a two-week ceasefire. The war’s impacts: not just on prices, but also on education.
“It is a gift to go to school,” said Alice Thomas, executive director of the Central Asia Institute or CAI.
CAI is a Bozeman-based non-profit helping create access to education for women and girls in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, as well as supporting more than 400 women entrepreneurs.
“They’re happy; they find meaning in life,” said Thomas.
WATCH: How the war in Iran is impacting the Central Asia Institute's operations
CAI has been operating for 30 years, supporting more than 200 schools and 40,000 students.
“There is an enormous amount of demand for this work,” said Thomas. “They see it as, you know, their way out of poverty and towards a way of better life.”
Thomas says the institute’s work is no easy feat. The communities CAI serves are in remote, mountainous areas, where it can cost anywhere from $20,000 to $400,000+ to build and/or renovate schools of different sizes.
“This is what is really beginning to concern us: is whether we can do the work we were hoping we could do this year,” Thomas said.
That’s why the war in Iran is especially concerning for CAI.
“We plan out our programs in the beginning of the year, based on our budget, and now it’s probably going to really impact our operations budget-wise,” said Thomas.
“We have a bunch of school renovations planned for this summer int Tajikistan; I don’t know whether we’ll be able to do those schools this summer,” she added.
Thomas says their budgets also include salaries for local staff and teachers.
“The inflation soars and no longer is that salary really meeting their needs,” said Thomas.
In the U.S., the annual inflation rate rose to 3.3% in March, up from 2.4% in February, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Gas prices are sitting at an average of $4.13, up from $3.57 last month, according to AAA.
Another war impact, Thomas said, is not being able to travel to the Middle East. Thomas says they were supposed to be in Pakistan next week.
“I think it’s the most challenging thing we do,” said Thomas. “The importance of bringing those stories and that firsthand experience back for our donors… is just crucial to make those impacts those people are having very real.”
Beyond the impacts on CAI, Thomas says there is concern about how the war will affect local communities they serve.
“It’s a very volatile part of the world,” said Thomas. “We have very close ties with the local communities and what we’ve heard from our local partners and community members is just the sense of insecurity.”
Throughout all of the challenges, Thomas says CAI is grateful for its donors and supporters.
“In a part of a world that is very volatile, it has meant the world to the communities we serve,” said Thomas.
If you’re interested in donating to CAI, visit this link.
