When I lived in Afghanistan, I went to a village southeast of Kabul to supervise a workshop in basic journalism skills for new reporters. We arrived early that morning to learn that a small school had been attacked overnight.

So our workshop focus became covering this news story. The heart-rending sight really affected me: dozens of sad little girls, some weeping, looking at the burned desks and cracked chalkboards where they’d been excitedly learning the day before.

The principal was undaunted and he got land in a more secure spot. This was the begin of my relationship with the school.

My family donated money for the first construction work on the school, and then the principal got money from other donors to finish it. Then I raised money to build a library, furnish it, and fill it with books.

To do this, I bought Afghan-made goods and sold them in the U.S., usually as part of an event where I was the speaker.

Throughout these 10 years, I worked with a local colleague who is from the district. I met with the local elders to make sure they understood that this was a personal effort, “from our village to your village.”

We had a good relationship and that’s what made this project successful.

The first class of girls graduated from 12th grade in December of 2011.