Afghan Women's Fund
Report: August/September 2007
 

Dear Friends,

I have been in Afghanistan in the months of August and September. Those of you who supported me over the years financially or emotionally will be interested to hear about my work.

In Kabul: The Lalandar women Shora, which is supported by Trust in Education, is doing well. Women learn to read and write and some are learning sewing, tailoring, and are eager to stand up on their feet. 

Mir Bacha Kot: The new clinic that we built is doing very well. It is open 24 hours now; we have given them some medical supplies. The girl's school has clean water now because we repaired their existing well and put a new generator on the well. We bought them five more computers and a generator since the interest in computer learning is so high that they come at 6 o'clock in the morning and stay after school to learn. We have 62 students right now and many have signed up but we have to find funds and more computers to take more students.

Guldara: We have started a women's shora and opened literacy classes for more than 50 women along with vocational training. Bought 10 machines and school supplies, hired teachers and rented a space for their gathering.

Wardak: Women's shora in Onkhai is doing very well. I gave school supplies to more than 80 women who are attending the literacy classes and for the first time these women can read and operate machines. I have bought material for making crafts for them; they have made many to sell in the market and made money for the month of Ramadan and Eid. The orphans in this district are given exercise equipment to have something different to look forward to.

Laghman: For the first time in Laghman's history we have formed a women's shora{Councils}; women were all excited about learning how to read and write and their shoras. They will be learning sewing, embroidery, and other crafts in the shoras. We provide them school supplies, sewing machines and noodle-making machines, fabrics and other supplies and equipment to learn crafts. Laghman girls' school is doing very well with their computer classes that we provide for them. Right now, they have four computers and use a generator to operate them. 

Logar: Our orphan sponsorship is still on; I met with some orphans and I could see the changes in their lives. They all go to school and they have proper clothing and are looking forward to their future. The school building in Allingar has been going on and the first story was finished. The school will be completed in December. While I visited the girls in the tent, they were telling me as soon as the building is completed some of their relatives will attend school also. Their families will not allow them to come to school if there is no building due to several reasons {security, religious reasons, heat, cold, etc.}.

Herat: My biggest achievement was in Herat for the past several years. I love to go there and work with people. I have formed several women's shoras in the past year and almost all of them are doing well. Some are more successful than others are.

Zenda jan shora is doing extremely well. Most of the women in this shora are self sufficient now; they have completed our literacy classes, learned baking cakes and cookies, making jam and tomatoes paste, making different kinds of pickled vegetables and sewing and tailoring, and silk making. We bought beautiful silk scarves made by them, and I am hoping to find markets for them here in the states.

There are four women's shoras in Zenda jan district. We have helped the Qala Naw shora with supplies and equipment for baking, cooking, catering, and canning. I have personally written them some recipes for some goods {I used to have three restaurant and taught them how to make different foods}. We have provided supplies and equipment for the Gozara women's shora and gave five groups micro loans to start their own business. After a few days, one group has already sold more than $80 worth of crafts to us.

In Injeel we have formed one more women's shora to add to the two that we formed in spring. In addition, we provided them with teachers, trainers, supplies, fabrics and equipment. One of the shora was doing so well in Injeel that after the first group of graduation {50 women} they have another class coming. They are already making money after four months in the vocational program. They asked me for more sewing machines and more equipment. I have given them fabric and supplies to make crafts to sell in the holiday market. Also helped them to start cafeteria in the schools that we built last year. The Khwahari girls' school which we built last year, has computer classes and they were able to write a welcome sign for me. I also provided them with printers.

A few of the girls had some health problems that they couldn't take care of for years because of financial difficulty - three with cleft lips and one no teeth and a few with minor health problems. My dear friend Bill Brill helped generously to pay for the treatment. We hired a surgeon and he did help them. You can see before and after pictures of those girls on our website. In Karokh the literacy classes are doing very well and women asked us to help with a women's shora, so we did and the women learn crafts now.

We are still supporting the Herat Hospital Burn Ward, the women's section. We are paying salaries for the doctors, nurses and cleaners. Overall, it was a good trip and successful. The forming of women shoras gives responsibility to the women and minimizes my work a little. The shoras give them self-confidence, dignity and also social life, as they gather in one place, talk, chat, gossip and do something positive and learn from each other.

As you all know, that I have committed my life to this cause, your support will keep me going and we will work together to change the lives of those who have not much. Thank you for your ongoing support. Thank you for being part of this team. Without you, I will not be able to do my work and without your support, hundreds of women would have not known there is a better life and better future. Your Tax deductible donation will continue to support our work in Afghanistan.

Thank You,
Fahima Vorgetts   (fahimawaw@yahoo.com)
Director, Afghan Women’s Fund