The Story of House of Flowers
The House of Flowers orphanage was founded in September 2002 when MEPO first came to Kabul, Afghanistan. Our goal was to establish a safe place for orphan children to live. But it was to be more than just a home: the House of Flowers was designed to also be a rich center of learning and inner growth following the philosophy and structure of a Montessori school and environment. We wanted to provide the kind of environment that would allow children’s spirits to grow and recover from the traumas they had experienced in their few years of life, and make them stronger for the challenges that lie ahead, living in a place like Afghanistan. Working closely with our excellent Afghan NGO counterpart, HEWAD, we established the necessary government protocols and in December 2002 the house was open to children.
The teachers and staff were trained in pedagogical and behavioral aspects of Montessori methodologies and psychology. All worked hard to establish an environment of joy, respect and freedom with a sense of self-responsibility and contribution to the whole. The children were encouraged to explore, to ask questions, to cooperate rather than compete and to talk rather than fight.
In stark contrast to the aggressive and physical environment that the children came from, in the House of Flowers problems are resolved with peer mediation, time-out, and open and clear discussions with the children.
The children have responded dramatically to the peaceful means of problem-solving as well as the open method of education used in the House of Flowers, and have matured from their initial weak, aggressive and frightened states into confident, joyful and insightful children. They have shown us the true and clear potential that lies within all human beings when the spirit is allowed to grow naturally.
