Posted on 01/01/2010 9:57:58 AM PST by SandRat
By Lance Cpl. Dwight Henderson
Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – After being closed because of damages from early fighting in the Garmsir District, the Kharko village school was re-opened, Dec. 27, thanks to the efforts of Marines from the Civil Affairs Group, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment.
Residents of Kharko were able to return to school after 45 days of repairing caved-in roofs and blown-out doorways.
"Before the Taliban there was a school," said Habib Omar, the head of the school. "The Taliban came and it was damaged, and we just opened it again."
Inside the rooms kids of all ages lined the floor of the school for the first time in five years. Previously, before the Marines entered the area, the teachers had to hold classes in mosques because the school was unusable.
"The most important thing here, is the Marines came to Garmsir, they pushed back the bad people and now the people feel more secure, they are happy," said Habib, a native of Kharko.
With the Marines of the Police Mentoring Team, 2/2, holding security, a brief ceremony took place to commemorate the opening of the school where the assistant district governor of Garmsir, Ayoub Omar, handed over a key to symbolize the opening of the school.
"If we open all the small schools, maybe we can encourage all the people to open all the big schools," said Ayoub.
After the ceremony Ayoub, Habib, other teachers, and the Marines sat down on blankets in the front of the school to enjoy chi tea and discuss all that had been done for the school.
As part of the opening, the Marines brought backpacks filled with basic school supplies such as pens, pencils and notebooks. Chalkboards and dry-erase boards were also donated to the school along with soccer balls for the kids to play with on a freshly leveled field behind the school.
"When we come here and we can physically see a change, it means a great deal to us," said Maj. Matt Ciancarelli, the Civil Affairs Group officer for 2/2. "I want to thank everybody for allowing the Marines to come in and help build your school."
This project was originally initiated by the CAG Marines of 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment and for the Marines of 2/2 to finish the project showed commitment to their efforts to improve the lives of the locals. One of the teachers said he was encouraged to see the project finish even after the Marines of 2/8 left.
The presence of Ayoub prompted some of the attendees to give him a letter consisting of other projects they would like to see the government complete in the area.
"For them to turn to the government and not to us is really encouraging," said Cinancarelli, from Raleigh, N.C. "They are seeing that the face of the government is helping them."
The work on the school itself may be done, but work to improve the security of the school is not. As word of the Marines efforts and the local Afghan government spreads, the Marines find themselves with more projects to do.
"The more presence we have, the more people are willing to work with us," said Ciancarelli. "It's spreading, you do one good thing in a village and it spills over into the next one."
The school opening has given the people of Kharko a place to send their children where they can receive the education that will allow for the continuing progress of Afghanistan.
"If they can continue to educate people they will be looking at a bright future," said Ciancarelli.
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