Texas ADT empowers men, women with livestock training in Ghazni

GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Children and adults from Kilan Deh village in Jaghori District here ran out to greet Soldiers from the Texas Agribusiness Development Team once they unloaded off the CH-47 Chinook helicopter Aug. 29.

The team flew out to this particular village for the first time to observe a livestock husbandry education program that was contracted out to an Afghan company.

The western Ghazni Province Livestock Husbandry Education Program trains 150 women and 150 men in basic livestock and hygiene skills throughout Nawur, Malistan and Jaghori districts.

“Each district can train up to 100 people, and 50 percent have to be women,” said U.S. Army 1st Lt. Matt Machacek, a rangeland specialist from Shiner, Texas. “The program has been going on for about a year now.”

Locals are encouraged to attend by receiving two sheep to start their own livestock operations, but they have to take the class.

Consequently, the class has become so popular that Dr. Tuba Safi, a female instructor with the company selected by the ADT, told the team that more people are attending her classes, despite the fact that they will only receive certificates instead of sheep, as was done in the past. Originally, the classes were designed for 25 people over a 40-hour period.

While the Texas ADT watched a class in session, the students, all females, asked for similar training during the winter since there wasn’t much to do in those months. With the Afghans craving more education, the team is looking into more options to present to Ghazni Province.

“Now people know the value of knowledge,” Safi said, explaining how popular the classes have become. “It’s the key for opening the door to a bright future.”

On this particular day, women were in class learning how tuberculosis can be transferred from animals to humans and how it can be transferred between animals when they share eating and drinking locations.

U.S. Army Maj. Stephanie Normand, an integrated pest management officer from Austin, Texas, thanked the female students for attending the livestock training.

“It takes more than just two sheep to change your lives; this is the first step in empowering you, your families and your entire community and getting Afghanistan back to being the country you are all very proud of,” Normand said.  

Machacek, after witnessing a class in session, told Safi that he was impressed with the training in Kilan Deh village.

“I was glad we could come see you today. I appreciate your work,” he said. “We teach basic livestock husbandry training, but also with the course we incorporate hygiene training for all the students. Safi does a great job teaching the females about some of their basic rights. This class is really more than just livestock lessons.”