The Anaar Multimedia Centers provide Afghan citizens in Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Jalalabad and Kandahar with training and access to the Internet to improve citizen access to information and to enhance their engagement in civil society through new media and web-based platforms.  Each Anaar Center is located at a leading civil society organization and provides training to Afghans in courses ranging from training in computers to new media tools.  Established in the fall of 2011 as part of the USAID-funded Afghanistan Media Development and Empowerment Project (AMDEP), the centers empower communities by increasing connectivity, building civil society networks, enhancing access to information and education, and enabling citizens’ creative self-expression.  One female and one male employee – trained by Internews, an international media organization – staff each center, providing formal training, troubleshooting technical issues, and mentoring users.