Who we are?

Nurturing Children’s Intellectual Development

Gahwara is a collective of writers, translators, poets, illustrators, and designers from both inside and outside of Afghanistan. They specialize in creating and translating storybooks and educational materials for children around the globe.

These cultural advocates have not only immersed themselves in various languages and cultures from across the world but also boast extensive experience in the realm of education. As parents themselves, they deeply appreciate the significance of children’s literature.

The writers and translators associated with Gahwara are proficient in languages such as English, Japanese, Danish, French, Russian, and Turkish. Their ongoing mission is to translate and make available the finest works by European, American, and Asian authors in Persian, Pashto, Uzbek, and Turkmen, ensuring that children have access to a diverse array of literary treasures.

Activities

Gahwara Academy

Outside of Afghanistan, when children attend kindergarten or school, they begin to learn new terms in the local language, creating a disconnect when they return home as they struggle to relate their experiences to their parents. This challenge is faced even by parents who have not completed their education in Afghanistan. As a result, in Afghan families living abroad, a generation grows up unable to engage in in-depth conversations with their parents in their native language beyond basic topics like food and greetings. This lack of communication leaves these children to navigate their emotions and experiences on their own, unable to share their joys or sorrows with their parents. The ongoing waves of migration have scattered families across the globe, with some having siblings in different countries. As a result, their children speak multiple languages, requiring parents to act as translators during family gatherings to facilitate communication with extended family members. The richness and complexity of these relationships highlight the challenges and barriers faced by families living far from their homeland.

Considering various considerations, Gahwara has opted to establish an online school utilizing Google Classroom to offer instruction in Persian, Pashto, and Uzbek languages across five classes.

  • It has been ensured that our instructors possess proficiency in a language other than Persian that is known to your children.
  • Following enrollment, an online assessment will be conducted with your child to determine the appropriate class placement.
  • Each classroom is structured to accommodate 15 students, with each lesson spanning a duration of 45 minutes.
  • Study materials will be dispatched monthly to your child, with homework assignments regularly assigned weekly.
  • Should your child require guidance, they have the option to reach out to their instructor via email throughout the week to seek assistance.

Book Production

Since its establishment, Gahwara has been dedicated to creating top-notch educational content. Our range of products spans PDF books, printed books, digital books, audiobooks, and picture books, all conveniently available for download on our official website (gahwara.org).

The primary goal of this group is to create top-notch books with exceptional content. Gahwara aims to cultivate in children universal human values like responsibility, peace, forgiveness, tolerance, loyalty, honesty, friendliness, and equality through captivating and entertaining stories that help instill these principles in their young minds.

Gahwara’s agents are confident in their ability to spark a heightened interest in learning among children through captivating and child-friendly stories. They envision that this increased passion will gradually cultivate a love for reading various books and encourage children to begin practicing reading in their native language at a young age.

These books not only benefit families who have lived abroad for extended periods and are gradually losing their connection to their native language but also help forge a global bond among children by retelling and reimagining myths from diverse cultures. Gahwara aims to enrich the world of children by infusing color and beauty into their stories. The group provides its products in a variety of formats to cater to families worldwide.

Writers and Translators

In the realm of writing and translation, seasoned professionals work closely with aspiring interns. These professionals have a wealth of experience in creating their works and translating stories, possessing a deep understanding of the intricacies of storytelling and translation. Enthusiastic interns are passionate about writing, translation, and literature, seeking guidance from seasoned experts to hone their skills. Professionals in this field are dedicated to mentoring and guiding the next generation of talent.

Illustration

Our illustrators are divided into two groups: A. Professionals and B. Interns.

Professionals:

Professionals in the field of children’s illustration are individuals with years of experience who possess a deep understanding of children’s psychology and emotions. They are well-versed in children’s literature and skillfully enhance storytelling with their illustrations. Notable illustrators in this category include Rostam Ramadan, Gholamreza Habibi, and Amina Mousavi.

Emerging Illustrators (interns):

Emerging illustrators are individuals who possess a keen passion and talent for creating images but are at the beginning stages of their journey. While they have some familiarity with the art of illustration, they benefit from guidance and mentorship from experienced professionals to effectively blend visual elements with storytelling. Notable emerging illustrators in this category include Faezeh Temrani, Monireh Mirzadeh, and Mahsa Mohseni.

Printed books

Since its inception, Gahwara’s books have captivated audiences in Afghanistan with their engaging stories available in Farsi, Uzbak, and Pashto. These tales, enriched with captivating illustrations and child-friendly designs, have raised the bar for children’s literature in the region. Noteworthy for their meticulous text editing and commitment to fostering a positive reading environment for children, Gohar’s books have distributed around 135,000 copies across schools, public and private libraries, nurseries, and kindergartens from 2017 to the present day.

PDF Books

Gahwara’s entire collection of books is conveniently accessible in PDF format on our website, allowing enthusiasts to freely download and enjoy each one. For those who prefer a physical copy, the option to order a printed book is also available on our website, with a worldwide delivery service to ensure that Gahwara’s books reach customers’ doorsteps wherever they may be.

Audiobooks

These books have been narrated by a talented storyteller and are now accessible free of charge on the SoundCloud platform.

https://soundcloud.com/gahwara

Picture Books-Videos

Recently, Gahwara has provided children with access to numerous story videos free of charge on the YouTube platform. These videos creatively blend images from Gahwara’s storybooks with narrated text by a storyteller, accompanied by subtle camera movements and soothing background music, creating an enchanting experience for young viewers.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWO3P0rnNaME-OjBsup6mew

Gahwara and Kabul Books

Printing abroad

The Gahwara books are delivered to various countries across Europe, America, Canada, Australia, and other regions with functional banking systems through the assistance of Kabul Books. Customers can receive these books at their doorstep by paying the book price and necessary postage fees.

Printing Gahwara books in foreign languages

In 2022, the books “Kaka Morad” and “Kaka Morad and the Magic Box” were released in Japan, capturing the interest of both publishers and Japanese children. Published by Fotabasha, these two books swiftly reached their twelfth edition within just four months and continued to be among the top-selling books on Amazon Japan for an extended period. Subsequently, a Vietnamese publisher also chose to publish these books, introducing them to Vietnamese children through various events and sessions.

Gahwara books abroad

Gahwara, a non-profit institution registered in Afghanistan (2017) and a small business has officially established its presence in Canada (2022). On August 25, 2023, it marked a significant milestone by inaugurating its branch of adult books under the name “Kabul Books”. This momentous occasion was accompanied by the launch of its inaugural publication at the Oak Ridge Library in Richmond Hill, which received an overwhelming response from Afghanistan cultural figures in Toronto.

The Kabul Books, a publishing organization, has been established to disseminate the literary works of Afghanistan intellectuals to a global audience. Our mission is to provide research and academic products to readers who speak Farsi Dari and Pashto, catering to the demand for high-quality literature in these languages.

We offer a diverse range of publications, including research monographs, poetry collections, novels, and compilations of scholarly articles, in both printed and digital formats. Our customer base spans across Canada, Australia, the United States, and all European countries, serving the needs of scholars, researchers, and book lovers alike.

Furthermore, the Kabul Books is proud to be responsible for publishing and distributing the works of renowned Afghanistan literary figures abroad, including Gahwara Inc.

The Gahwara and Kabul Books are currently focused on their operations in Canada and, over the past two years, have been able to produce dozens of informative books and provide quality educational content to their Dari, Pashto and Uzbek speaking audiences in Canada. The Gahwara’s dedication to promoting literary excellence and cultural exchange has earned it a reputation as a respected publisher in the region. With official ISBNs issued by the Canadian government, both The Gahwara and Kabul Books are now available on the market, offering readers a unique and enriching experience.

Underground Schools of Gahwara

As the Taliban government came into power and education opportunities for girls became limited, Gahwara adapted its approach to continue providing educational support. Offering both virtual and in-person classes, the organization now runs clandestine educational sessions in different regions across Afghanistan, all overseen and managed by dedicated female educators. Due to security reasons, we are currently unable to disclose additional specifics on this topic.

Gahwara’s school in Islamabad

One of Gahwara’s notable accomplishments in late 2023 was the establishment of Gahwara School in Islamabad, Pakistan. In the aftermath of Kabul’s fall, a substantial influx of Afghanistani refugees resettled in Pakistan. Among these refugees are former government officials, civil society activists, NGO workers from Afghanistan, and their families, many of whom struggle with limited financial resources and face obstacles in enrolling their children in Pakistani schools. In response to this need, Gahwara founded a school specifically for refugee children, attracting significant attention and media coverage. The curriculum at this school includes subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, literature, and language, with Gahwara’s books used for language reading lessons.

Book reading Programs

In the distribution of Gahwara’s printed books to children, a ritual of book-reading ceremonies adds depth to the experience. In these gatherings, a storyteller captivates the young audience by reading aloud, as each child eagerly turns the pages and delves into the narrative. The storyteller’s skillful use of voice modulation and tone creates an immersive storytelling experience, making the storyline accessible and engaging for the children. Through these communal readings, children bond over shared emotions and immerse themselves in the magic of the story.

Following the regime change in Kabul, several managers from the Gahwara Organization (GO) established it as Gahwara Inc. in Canada and began operations in both countries. This website highlights the activities of the Gahwara Organization in Afghanistan and Gahwara Inc.’s presence in Canada.

For inquiries, please use the following contact numbers:
Afghanistan: +93766964814

Canada: +16476192166
or send email: info@gahwara.org