Founded in 2019, Schools at Peace was originally a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming education in rural, conflict-affected areas. We firmly believed that education is essential for fostering long-term peace and stability, particularly in neglected regions where access to quality education and infrastructure was severely limited.

From the start, our focus was on rural Zazai, a district in Paktia Province, Afghanistan, where educational resources were scarce, and schools struggled to meet the basic needs of students. At Schools at Peace, we worked closely with local schools to understand their unique challenges. We prioritized listening to educators, students, and community members, ensuring that our support was both relevant and impactful. Instead of providing one-time resources and moving on, we made a commitment to deeply support and develop one school in the region before moving on to others. This approach included building physical infrastructure, supplying classroom materials, and enhancing curriculums to promote not only academic learning but also inner peace and emotional well-being through culturally relevant and permissible arts. We only expanded to new schools and regions once our current projects were fully developed and sustainable.

Between 2019 and 2025, we achieved several milestones in Zazai: we supplied over 500 books in the languages requested by schools, constructed a new classroom, installed solar panels in two schools for sustainable energy, and equipped three schools with computers and printers. Additionally, we funded a variety of classroom materials tailored to specific requests from local educators, allowing them to better meet the needs of their students.

In September 2025, Schools at Peace transitioned from a formal nonprofit organization to an informal giving circle. This shift reflects our evolving approach to supporting education in Zazai and beyond, and it allows us to adapt to new realities while maintaining a deep commitment to the communities we serve. The giving circle is a group of individuals who come together to pool resources and fund grassroots initiatives, ensuring that local schools receive the support they need to thrive.

As an informal giving circle, we continue to engage directly with the people of Zazai, collaborating with local schools and community leaders to identify the most urgent needs. Although we no longer operate under the formalities of a nonprofit, our mission remains unchanged: to foster peace, stability, and opportunity through education in rural Afghanistan.

We invite you to join us in supporting the children of Zazai by contributing to our ongoing efforts. Together, through collective giving and community-driven projects, we can continue to build up schools and create lasting change in one of the most underserved regions of the world.