PARSA Discovering the Afghan Spirit

December 2006 Newsletter

Dear Friends of PARSA:
As we pause to review this year of change I find myself amazed at the foundation we have built and what we have accomplished. Last week, PARSA directors and staff helped me sponsor a luncheon with four members of the House Democracy Assistance Commission http://hdac.house.gov/ Rep. Lois Capps, Rep. David Price, Rep. David Drier, and Rep. Earl Pomeroy joined 27 women from the Parliament for lunch in my house. Yasin, Palwasha, Aisha, and Gulam helped me host this group and the two worlds that I have been working in this past year joined finally. As most of you know, I have been working with my colleague, an Afghan American, Mahbouba Seraj, with the parliamentarians through UNIFEM for the last nine months as well as supporting PARSA as the acting executive director. Mahbouba and I decided not to renew our contract with UNIFEM. We will be working with a small number of parliamentarians in a very hands on approach, mentoring them as they work on very specific development projects. Our first two projects will be helping a parliamentarian from Ghor province, Ruquia Nayel, find emergency services for one of her districts that is experiencing drought. We are also going to be working with the head of the human rights commission, Saima Khugyani, as she addresses the issue of trafficking of women in her province of Nanagahar. Mahbouba and I are very excited to finally integrate our work with PARSA and our work with the Afghan Women parliamentarians. This is my first week of being able to focus on PARSA completely and I am so proud of our directors and staff. I have been basking in their humor, competence and appreciation and I feel excited about the year 2007.

Red Crescent Staff (RCS), Jim, RCS, Wasse and Yasin

Naheed, Palwasha, Marnie, Zarguna and Dawn

News:
PARSA is the beneficiary of two buildings donated by Mrs. Firestone., member of the US/Afghan council. I have had the privilege of corresponding with Mrs. Firestone over the last 6 months. She is savvy about Afghanistan, committed to Afghan women and children and she has been an uplifting inspiration to me. We will be moving into the buildings in February, inshallah (God willing). This allows us to expand programs, as well as for most of our staff to be housed together. We cant wait. The pictures on the first page are of the staff at the Marastoon site. Moving Pictures Magazine (www.movingpicturesmagazine.com) has adopted PARSA, awarding us a $40,000 ongoing advertisement in the magazine. Any of PARSAs supporters wishing to subscribe for the Moving Pictures Magazine will benefit of a reduced rate of $10 instead of $23 per annum. PARSA will receive $3 for each subscription ordered by PARSAs supporters. Dawn Erickson, who has shared management of PARSA with me this year, is almost finished with our new financial system. We have projected expenses for year 2006 and included information in this news letter. We all are so grateful for Dawns work. We have started a new line of Afghan style home furnishings in our gift shop and our orders exceed our expectations-all from Kabul which allows us to employ Afghan artisans to produce.

Aisha and Nazifa at work PARSA toshak, pillows and curtains We had a fundraiser in Seattle, and raised $3,600, for our Vulnerable Childrens program. Thank you, Jean Opplinger, Theresa Molyneux, Bonnie Berry, Guru Sewak, Ross Hartung, Jack Shryne, Tracie Biddle and my husband, Norm Gustavson. A special thanks to Betty Tisdale, HALO foundation, for her ongoing support of this program. It costs us $1,400 for the start up of this program (we are writing grants for the full program) and HALO covers $1,000 a month of these costs.

Well, it is my ambitious goal to fund the basic programs for organization by the end of this year. As a result of our excellent directors, Yasin Farid, Palwasha Madomi, Zarguna Hashimi and Naheed Sharify and Dawn Ericksons work we have excellent reports on our programs and a financial system that handles the challenges of doing work in Afghanistan. We so appreciate our PARSA donors. Your donations have allowed us to survive difficulties of working here that simply would not happen in the US (such as non-payment on contracts through the UN). This next year we hope to focus on our programs to produce innovation and excellence in our work. We are also going to push to have functional and well funded offices in the Hazarajat. We have our work cut out for us. Yasin and I visited the ministry responsible for orphans yesterday and spoke with the deputy minister. We need their endorsement to continue our work in Allahoddin. In the discussion with him, he assured us that the national orphanages were well staffed and had adequate facilities and supplies. I had to hold Yasin back he was so angry as he and his staff have encountered tragic neglect in Allahoddin Orphanage. The deputy minister also invited us to apply for a capacity building grant to train the ministry, and orphanage staff which is a welcome invitation to us and an opportunity to really make an impact. On my recent survey trip in the Hazarajat, I encountered two little girls and a sick donkey. The girls were beating the donkey trying to get her to go up the mountain with a heavy load of flour. I stopped to inquire and ended up getting involved as I argued with them about the uselessness of beating a sick donkey. The girls were two of six girls and a widow from the war with the Taliban. They occupy a small hut, high up the mountainside, (squatters) where water and food are almost impossible to come by. As usual, I was greeted by sweet smiles and invitation to tea, after my ordeal of trading donkeys and my breathless climb up the mountain to meet the mother of these orphans. The circumstances that these families live under are unimaginable. I am exhausted by the effort of surviving here and I live better than almost all Afghans. I do not know how the people manage to get through the days as the poverty and hardship are so soul draining. A couple hours later, I had a list of six families headed by widows, I had distributed my per diem from my trip to the families, negotiated for a community school in the home of one of the village leaders, and promised to be back in the spring to get a school and some embroidery work going. I also spoke with the local Wali (leader) about the situation in his valley. He told me that he has tried to help-he even offered to marry a local handicapped woman but she wouldnt have him. I asked for some land for a Widows Garden and he accepted. I usually resist such urges to help like this because I can get spread too thin and risk not being able to follow through but I was so inspired by these people, I decided to follow Mary Ms lead and push to open small programs in the Hazarajat. (underserved because of traditional prejudice against the Hazara people). Dawn and Jim had a similar experience in Panjab. Your partnership and continued support gives us the confidence to do this. Thank you.

Marnie Gustavson PARSA Executive Director

P.S. Van Auburn continues to update website at www.afghainstan-parsa.org and I have started updating our blog! THANK YOU, VAN!

Afghan Parliamentarians and U.S. House Democracy Assistance Commission

November 27, 2006 This week, our organization, PARSA hosted a lunch for the Afghan women parliamentarians to meet US congressmen from the House Democracy Assistance Commission. Rep. David Dreier (R-CA), Rep. David Price (DNC), Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA), Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-ND) attended an informal affair in my home which is furnished Afghan style with floor pillows. Sitting on the floor, eating lunch made the meeting unexpectedly intimate. The ensuing discussion was affirming to both sides. We expected 12 women to attend and 27 came. The Afghan MPs spoke to the US representatives about the challenges facing the Afghans as they see it. Security is their number one concern. As they expressed it to Rep. Lois Capps, development money spent is going to be of no use if we cannot secure Afghanistan.

MP Shukria Barakzai, Kabul and PARSA artisan, Aisha Dawn with Rep. Lois Capps, CA

They had a short hour with the US representatives, who are in country for only 48 hours but MP Rahila Alumshahe closed the meeting by saying Please tell the American people that the Afghan people cannot express enough gratitude for the sacrifice of Americas sons and daughters in our poor country as we attempt to make peace. I was deeply moved by her sentiment, as I know Americans never hear this in the media. And after being immersed in the Afghan political scene for almost two years, I was struck by the graciousness and compassion expressed by our four US representatives-I find myself proud of both of our peoples. Marnie MP Najila Dekhen, Herat, with Marnie

Thanks to the following PARSA donors:

Linda Allen, All State Giving Campaign, Basima Anani, Van Auburn, Bonnie Barry, Rita Jean & Fred Butterworth, David Carroll & Mary Enright, Walter Chapman & Elena Argomaniz, Patricia Colarossi Tucks Memorial, Joan Campagna, Mary Deford, Margaret Greene, Helen Heidenreich, Danny Hilario, Anne, Howe, Family Services, Marc & Alene Fisher, Charles F. Holmes, Kabul Restaurant Seattle, Marsha Kalina, Sat Shakati & Andrea Khalsa, Kandace Killarzoac, Dorothy Menousek, Microsoft Giving Campaign, New Hudson Foundation, Nicole Nannery, Henry & Janet Perry, Leila Poullada, S. Peter Poullada & Nancy Sheppard, Gerald Pruziner, Robert & Donna Raforth, Paul & Sheroo Rusby, Ruth Samuel, Debra Solomon, William and Jan Steifel, Betty Tisdale HALO, Dr. Kevin & Dr. Barbara Tye and special thanks to those who participated in the Seattle fundraiser! November pictures by Marnie Gustavson and Dawn Erickson Editing and Newsletter Layout by Marnie Gustavson and Dawn Erickson

PARSA Bedroom Furnishings

Dawns Updates: Vulnerable Children Program

The Allahoddin orphanage vulnerable childrens program continues to be a source of wonder and sadness. The children are a delight to talk to and already, I have made a few friends that try to see me whenever I come. It is when walking by what is supposed to be a window, and I see a ripped piece of plastic that lets the cold air wind whip into the dormitories that I wonder how the children will possibly stay warm this winter.

The Window

Waiting for a Bath mitt and Hand cream

PARSA funds for the vulnerable children bought bath mitts, hand cream and fingernail clippers. The distribution day was a happy one for the boys.

PARSA Staff Saleha and Zarghoha Filling Bath Mitts

Orphans with Hand cream

PARSAs new yoga instructor Molly started classes at the orphanage in October. The classes give the children a chance to exercise and relax indoors. Since it is snowing in Kabul now, the opportunity is much appreciated. The boys take turns being in the classes which are always full! Molly Howitt, works with Turquoise Mountain, she is an Elementary School Teacher who specializes in Yoga for Kids. Molly Teaching Yoga

Yoga at Allahoddin

Girls Saying Hello

Reminders PayPal, PARSA Address and Your Address

Van Auburn has set up the PARSA Website at www.afghanistan-parsa.org under the donation section so we can receive donations through PayPal, as some of you have requested. Also, note our new address in the U.S. is: PARSA 3246 39th Avenue SW Seattle, WA 98116

Moving Pictures Magazine plans to put out a PARSA advertising campaign in one of their upcoming issues. If you are interested in receiving a complimentary copy of the magazine, please Email your hard mail address to derickson_afa@yahoo.com

Paghman Literacy & Early Childhood Development

Director of PARSA Literacy Programs Naheed Sharify for women in Paghman has worked for PARSA for six years. She taught in secret schools for women and girls for Mary during the Taliban years when the Taliban forbid the education of females. Funded by Catholic Relief Services, the donor has acknowledged this program as being one of the best programs that they fund. The literacy program serves people in 20 Paghman villages. The women and girls in the programs are of all ages. An early childhood development program lets children come to school with their mothers. For many of the women who did not have a chance to go to school during the Taliban years, the opportunity to attend small classes in their community allows them to go to school through sixth grade. Over 700 girls, women and children participate in this PARSA project!

Walking to School in a Burqa

Second Grade Reading

Learning to Play Together

Going to School with Mom Paghman Early Childhood Classes

Panjao Project
In November, James Springer and I took the road from Bamiyan to Panjao to see PARSAs project. As we neared Panjao and crossed one small well-built bridge, we were impressed with the progress made on the road until we came to the next crossing. To get from Bamiyan to Panjao the road is the river in approximately 10 places making the way impossible in the winter months for all but the hardiest of vehicles. On the way, as there are few trees we saw the families gather small shrubs for winter fires and collecting dung for patties that they piled on their roofs. As there is no electricity, no grocery stores, or even travelers passing through, for many of the farmers that live in this region, the only goal for the four or five months of winter is to have enough warmth and food for their families survival. Road to Panjao Tahir and Zora run the PARSA projects in Panjao and this year Zora taught over 200 women to knit items for winter with donated wool. The women made sweaters, socks, mittens and other clothing that were distributed to poor people in Panjao to help keep them warm.

Tahir and Zora

Childs Sweater And Mittens

Wishing you and your families, warmth, friendship and love for the holidays!

Dawn Erickson , K abul , Afghanistan

Sunrise in Lalsarjangel, notes from Marnies trip to the provinces on survey:

Sunrise in Lalsarjangel, in Ghor provincehome of one of the oldest civilizations in the world. Home to the Ghorids thousands of years ago. Last week I visited to evaluate a civil rights training program. Lal is one of the largest districts in Afghanistan with 600 surrounding villages and maybe 250,000 people spread out through the mountains. It is also primarily of the Hazara sect, a minority that has traditionally been persecuted at various junctions in Afghanistans history. The people of Lal have experienced a severe draught this year and face starvation this winter. Emergency efforts have by passed this place because no one can agree which province it belongs to for such services-Bamiyan or Herat. Recently, the leaders of Hazara tribe approached the governor and other officials about the lack of services in their region. They remarked that they are paying the price for being a peaceful people as the warring tribes are getting the international attention and development projects. Should we start fighting? Should we commit suicide bombings to get attention from the international community? They inquired. The reality of life for these people is hard to grasp for people in Kabul, or Washington DC, or Frankfurt or London. It is difficult to mobilize responses to the myriad of emergencies that Afghanistan faces. But in Lal I found a little girl that reminded me of myself when I was a child with an extravagant and fanciful hairdo. I caught a glimpse of her in the street driving by and stopped the car to see if she would let me take her picture. It seems that I initiated a grooming ritual that embarrassed her acutely. I enjoyed being with her and her family however as I love these simple human family experiences that penetrate the rhetoric and redundant phrases used to describe Afghanistan and its people today. I love seeing myself and my family in these people. The pending starvation is not for me now one of many projects but has the face of a small refugee family.

I met with Ruquia Nayel, Afghan woman parliamentarian, a Hazara from this Lal today to see if what we could do together to get this district back on the emergency map. She knew the names of this family. As I start to talk to people about the problem I find that it is not that people are indifferentit is just in the face of the enormous job of reconstruction in Afghanistan one loses sight of the faces of the people and reminders that they are like us. PARSA hopes to open an office here in 2007.

LalSarjangal.Ghor Province

Ruquia Nayel, parliamentarian for Ghor province