Change was in the air, ten months ago, when we watched American B52 aircraft crossing the Afghan skies.

Explosions and smoke from bombed Taliban targets here on the outskirts of Kabul heralded the start of that administration's retreat.

It was the end of years of civil war, that killed many, dominated state expenditure and caused refugees to flee the country in their millions.

It was the beginning of a new period in Afghanistan's turbulent history, as we can see from the changes evident here in the capital, Kabul. No longer does the gun rule the streets here - the international peacekeepers have seen to that.

And for women, it's truly a new era. With some of them feeling free to hang up the blue burqa, and dress more freely. And women have thrown off more than just clothing restrictions. They're free to attend schools and universities, and to work again - activities prevented under the taliban. In this programme we'll look at these changes, and others, through the eyes of a Kabul resident.

Sohrab is 18 years old. He's going to university shortly, to study economics.

He has high hopes for his country's future, after witnessing the changes since last year.

Sohrab says; "The main thing is the education: that they made the girls to school and the university, and the girls came here, and this is all the progress here which has
been made by Hamid Karzai and the support of the Afghan people in this past 12
months."

Now president, Hamid Karzai was elected by Afghan political and tribal leaders at a traditional council called a Loya Jirga, convened with support from nations worldwide.

It was the first time for many years that representatives of so many of Afghanistan's ethnic and politcal groups had met under one roof.

Sohrab remembers everyone's anticipation, "Oh this tent, this big tent was the ballroom. and there were smaller tents where the people were living. When they were coming as a representative of provinces inside Afghanistan they were living in those rooms and that big tent was the ballroom. The people were participating there for more than 20 days, they were here and no one can get out of there. So they wanted to make a
government based on the people of afghanistan. So they choose Hamid Karzai as the president of Afghanistan and that is why the people of Afghanistan they support from him, and that is the main significant and positive effect of them. The people. "

Across Afghanistan, from the cities to dusty villages at the end of an unpaved road: there was a new administration, and one willing to give representation to more of its citizens than the taliban ever offered.

Some of the immediate beneficaries were women, invited to play a role again in public life, even to stand election to parliament.

Mazia Baasel, Delegate to Loya Jirga stated; "I have dedicated myself to be a member of parliament. If God grants me the wish to be a member of parliament, to ring great changes in the constitution of Afghanistan, especially regarding the laws of Islam, especially the freedom of women"

And what it has produced is; thousands of girlswho crowd the streets at going-home
time every day around the schools in the centre of Kabul. It is an enormous change.

The Taliban banned school for most girls beyond the age of nine. These girls, most without even a burqa, are excited to spend the day in freedom, and the company of friends.

Karmal Hadi, Teacher, Dhe Kaipak Secondary School (Kabul) explains; "During the Taliban, school was available only to a limited number of students, and only to boys. Now that opportunity is open to all girls too. They have come with a lot of enthusiasm to begin their studies."

The rush to learn has swamped this school.

It copes with nearly 3000 pupils, by teaching classes in three shifts every day.

The school has few resources, but it's making a start on reducing the illiteracy among girls that resulted from the Taliban's education system.

Women made up the vast majority of teachers before the Taliban came along and forced them to stop.

They're now delighted to be back in work, and after lean years for schooling - through war and neglect - there is a sense of better times to come.

Karmal Hadi adds; "Now that the schools are re-opened, I see a brilliant future for our students. My hope is that if a student works hard and is given the opportunity, he or she
will have a bright future."

That goes too for higher education: Kabul's university and polytechnic were run down through years of neglect and unequal opportunities.

Sohrab says, "So this is Polytechnic university, and this was built by Russians. The students learning here were all engineers. At the Taliban time just the boys were here and now we can see that the female education is ongoing and they made a co-education for better progressing of Afghanistan."

Opening higher education to all means Afghanistan's professional classes will grow fast once students begin to graduate. Healthcare is one area where improvements can only be rapid.

Currently one in four children dies in early childhood. Before the Taliban, 40 percent of the nation's doctors were women.

When they were banned from working, healthcare suffered greatly.

Dr Abdul Bashir Sakhizada, Karteh Seh Hospital, Kabul comments, "Under the Taliban we had many problems to treat patients, especially female patients and also the children. Because the Taliban refused to let us see female patients. Our main patients are the family and children"

Empowering the professions is one way of putting Afghanistan back in touch with the outside world. Only a few months ago it was so isolated here that you couldn't make a phone call from Afghanisan to another country.

In the next segment, we'll look at the increase in the range of commercial activity here: what Afghans can now buy in the shops, and look at efforts by foreigners to help
Afghanistan demilitarise and rebuild its shattered infrastructure."

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