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Abstract

I began tutoring two Afghan high school students through Pax Populi as a service-learning component of HONR 39900: Virtual Abroad Central Asia. This semester, I will be assisting Purdue students with developing successful tutoring partnerships with Afghan refugees through Pax Populi. The non-profit Pax Populi seeks to empower Afghans through virtual, one-on-one English tutoring. Originally, the program matched young people living in cities across Afghanistan with volunteer tutors, but in light of the Taliban’s rise to power, the organization is now working to provide virtual English lessons to newly arriving Afghan refugees. Many of the refugees speak little English. They will benefit from the help of volunteers to improve their speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills, so they can more easily find work and adjust to life in the United States. Since 2015, Purdue students have been involved in this tutoring project through a partnership between Dr. Liz Brite of the Purdue Honors College and Dr. Robert McNulty, director of Pax Populi. This year, Purdue students are having the opportunity to continue this work through a service-learning experience in HONR 39900: Beyond Afghanistan. This article seeks to inform others about the work Pax Populi has done to serve those in Afghanistan as well as Afghan refugees coming to the United States. This article also emphasizes the benefits volunteers gain from the program, including lasting friendships and a more complex understanding of the world.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5703/1288284317395

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