To Ahmad from Pierre....

Hi Ahmad,
My name is Pierre. My parents have been married then divorced and are now remarried. On my mom's side I have tow sisters and on my dad's side I have 3 brothers and 1 sister.

I think you have lived a very hard life and I am very sorry. I would never have survived like you. You are very tough. I hope things get better and you enjoy your new school. It's amazing that you made rugs, what did they look like? What type of teacher do yo uwant to be? What is your favorite subject in school so far. I wish I could meet you in person.

I am 11 years old and I'm in the 5th grade. My favorite subject in school is math. I play football, baseball, and basketball. I like to eat hamburgers and candy. I like toread books, most of them with humor. I llike to hang out with old friends and with my new friends.
Your new friend.
Pierre

New Year's celebration in Afghanistan

In Afghanistan New Year is celebrated for the past five thousand years. The first day of the New Year falls on the 21st March. It is called Nauroz which means a new day. Because after a lazy and snowy winter the nature gets a new life and turns green. Afghans celebrate this day in many ways. For example, everyone cleans their home and tries to wear new clothes. But the main part of celebration is to make special dishes and a special drink. The drink is made out of different nuts and dry fruits soaked in water for several days. Even though families prepare seven different dishes to enjoy Nauroze cooking spinach is compulsory. In addition to the seven dishes, women make another dish which is called ‘Samanak’. Samanak is made of ground wheat grass. It is mixed with water and some wheat flour. Cooking of Samanak is a big event. Women and girls start cooking Samanak at night and finish early in the morning. The most interesting part of making Samanak is that women and girls sing a famous traditional ‘Samanak Song’ while cooking this dish. A well cooked Samanak looks like brown pudding which is very tasty and sweet. Likewise, on the New Year Day people go on picnic and women specially like to walk on green pastures.

In spite of all ups and downs of life Afghans are keen to keep this old tradition alive in the coming ages too.

From Blake to Shabana.......

Dear Shabana,
My name is Blake. I’m a girl and I am 12. I have a brother and a sister. They are 18 and 16. So of course I am the youngest. I live with my mom but I sometimes stay at my dad’s house. I go to middle school and I play soccer, basketball, volleyball and swim.

When I read your letter it made me sad that your have to live like that. I have never been purposely hurt which makes it even worse for me to hear about what your uncle did to you. I wish you weren’t all alone and that you still had your parents but I can’t do anything about that. But I can be a friend to you. If you ever feel sad or lonely or just need someone to talk to, write to me and I promise I will write back.

I think I should know that I really do care. I don’t think anyone should be treated like that. But don’t worry nothing bad lasts forever.

Love,
Blake

Introducing Shanon Faulk-by Marnie

This is Shanon Faulk and her daughter Annaliese. Shanon has worked with me as a trainer in programs for women for almost ten years now. Her special interest and talent is working with young women-developing their capacity for leadership. She and I have worked together closely and it was very, very hard to leave her in the US. I miss her wisdom and energy in my work here. She also has a passionate interest in different cultures and international work-and would love to come here -but for now her place is in the US taking care of her beautiful daughter and working with young American women. I have asked her to work with me on the Alluhoddin pen pal project. She has developed this request into a learning opportunity for the young women she works with in a group bi-monthly. I wanted to share with you her program. Let me know if you would like to correspond with Shanon.

Building a Common Fire: Your Global Community
Shanon Faulk

“We don’t set out to save the world; we set out to wonder how other people are doing and to reflect on how our actions affect other people’s hearts”1
-Pema Chodron

This is an opportunity to feel connected, make a difference, and to step into your role as a leader in the global community. This is an invitation to build a relationship that will provide learning, insight, inspiration and opportunity for contribution.

As a group of leaders this is your first step in building a common fire.

You will be writing to a young girl at the Allauddin Orphanage in Kabul, Afghanistan. The intention of the dialogue and relationship is:
• To provide the experience of being seen, heard and recognized
• To ask questions that create new questions
• To look for and create a common ground
• To embrace the differences with compassion
• To look to your penpal as a source of leadership and inspiration
• To recognize your own gifts and contributions as a leader

To build this relationship you are asked to commit to the following:
• Write to your pen pal two times per month, or more if your wish!
• Agree to write for one year
• Read the updates about Allauddin Orphanage on the blog at http://parsakabul.blogspot.com
• Work together as a team to create other possible ways of supporting and/or educating people about the orphanage

Please email your letters to your chosen pen pal to shanonaf@hotmail.com. Please send letters on the 1st and 15th of every month. You may also include pictures, images, poetry and song lyrics.

“Through shared talk we engage with voices different from our own and take them in, creating a diversity in our inner conversation that corresponds with the diversity in the outer world”2

Introducing Sally Schultz-by Marnie

Dear All,
I would like to introduce Sally Schultz. She is the niece of a good friend of mine, Allan Freedman , who lives near us in Kabul and is country director for NDI (National Democratic Institute). He and his staff work with the new parliamentarians training them in democracy. Sally has decided that she wants to fundraise for the orphanage. She has been working with me for the last month making plans and helping me find pen pals. She has decided to make bracelets as her donation venue. I have suggested that she put the name of an orphan from Alluhoddin on each bracelet. When she is ready with her design we will develop the next stage of the project. When I talk with adults here or in the states -so often the conversation is full of anxiety and a sense of helplessness about the situation in Afghanistan. My correspondance with Sally and the other young women who have started working with the orphans from afar is simple and refreshing...they just ask me "what can I do?" And Sally has found a way to do something she enjoys and is good at while working on this project. If you want to touch base with her let me know and I will connect you.

Qualities of a good teacher-by Anoosha

Qualities of a Good Teacher

As we all know a teacher plays the main role in the education of a new generation in a society because she transfers her knowledge and expertise to others. In my opinion the qualities of a good teacher are as follows:

A teacher at least should try to know the strengths and weaknesses of her students. She should behave politely, friendly and respectfully so that the students feel free to share their problems with their teachers. A good teacher should have a strong command on the subject which she teaches and should be keen to learn general knowledge so that she would be able to answer any questions of students. A good teacher should always give equal attention to all students so that no student feels ignored. A good teacher should make students focus of the learning process. A successful teacher should know the modern teaching techniques such as role plays, group work and peer work. As a result a good teacher can make a healthy society.

At the end I would like to say that a good teacher is like a candle which burns itself and gives light to others.

Prepared by Anoosha Wahidi
March 2007

Salaam, my dear little Afghan girls of Allahoddin,

Salaam, my dear little Afghan girls of Allahoddin,

My heart goes out to you all who have come through much loss and suffering at such a young age. I will not be able to write to each of you individually, but know that you are very much on my mind as I go about my days here in Seattle.

Reading over your letters, I am aware of the courage that shows through the sad stories of how you lost loved families before coming to Allohoddin.

It is hard to think about school, when you are sad or lonely but "learning" is a very important part of growing up. It can give you skills and open your minds to new possibilities that may not have been available until now. Hopefully the chances for education are going to increase at Allahoddin as more people become aware of what is needed.

It appears that you have some good teachers that care. And that you appreciate them. Just living with many people can be difficult but if you can practice being kind to each other, and sharing, it may help with the loneliness. See, this sounds like a grandmother talking, which I am. And a teacher, which I have been.

I wish I could visit Kabul and give you each a hug. But for now, I will write notes when it is possible. I have your pictures on my desk and will be sending loving wishes your way, each day. Ross (Marnie's mother)

To Zainab from Kirsten-Alluhoddin

Zainab,

I am so grateful to have such a wonderful friend. I would be honored to be like an older sister to you, and you will be like a younger sister to me. I will always try to stay in touch with you, do not worry. Tell me more about your friends at the orphanage. I, too, hope for you to be successful in all of your adventures in your life, and that you will have courage, love, trust, and wonderful friends around you. My favorite colors are purple, orange, pink, and green. I like being happy, I usually do it well. J I would love to hear about what you are studying in school too. What is your sister like?
We just got a few inches of snow and ice. Have you ever seen snow? It can be very pretty, but I can make it very hard to travel because the water on the roads freezes and the tires on the cars are not able to work.

Can’t wait to hear from you,

Kirsten

Stories from Allauddin Orphanage

My name is Walina and my father’s name is Mohammad Aref. I am 12 years old. I study in the 6th grade. I have been living for six years in the orphanage. One day when I was small, me and my family went to Shamalee area in the north of Kabul to visit our relatives. On the way our car was stopped by a group of armed and masked men. They shot and killed my mother and beat my father. He became unconscious but after a couple of hours when he came back to his sense, he buried my mother with the help of some local people. The armed men took our money with them. We did not have money to come back to Kabul. That is why we begged for 10 days and earned four hundred Afghanis. So with the money we returned to Kabul. Here we stayed for a couple of nights at an ordinary local inn. When we ran out of money, we did not know where to go. A man who owned a shop next to the inn showed mercy to us. He took us to his home and we lived for one year with him. Though my father was paralyzed, and the man was not very rich, so he brought me and my three brothers to the orphanage. One of my brothers is mute. I am happy here but still I feel lonely sometimes. I wish to have a friend with whom I could share my problems. And I also wish to become a doctor in the future.

Stories from Allauddin Orphanage

My name is Sheela and I study at 3rd grade. I am 12 years old. I have only one brother who is 10. My father died of stomach ulcer and shortly after him my mother also died of cancer. Then we used to live with my uncle. He was a very good man when my parents were alive. But to our surprise he became so cruel after my parents death. He used to beat my brother. His wife was more cruel than him. Because they could not feed us, my uncle brought me to the orphanage and kept my brother to work on him. Here at the orphanage, I can’t learn anything because I always think about my brother. But I am happy here because I have two best friends who are Nasreen and Hazrat Bibi. I love to study to become a doctor one day.

Stories from Allauddin Orphanage

Firs of all I want to say my Salam to the people who are helping us. My name is Fariba. I am 13 years old and I study in the 6th grade. I have very bad memories from my life. I was so small when my father died in civil war and my uncle also left us. I was living with my mother and four brothers. We did not have anything to live on. Therefore, my mother used to beg with one of my brothers. One day when my cousin came, we were so happy not knowing that he was a selfish man. He wanted to marry me. But I was so small and my mother cried a lot and then she thought of brining me and my brothers to the orphanage. In fact she took us here and she started to live alone. Since she was a young woman my uncle forced her to marry again. When she did, she was sad because her husband used to beat her and shortly after that she was divorced by her husband. Now she lives with my aunt and she is spending a very bad time but we can’t do anything about herself. I am happy at the orphanage. I wish to be a doctor in the future.

Stories from Allauddin Orphanage

My name is Tahera and I am 7 years old. I study in the 3rd grade. I have four sisters and two brothers. My father is alive. But my mother is dead. I was so small I do not remember how my mother died. My sister told me that my father beat my mother and killed her. After death of my mother, my father took us to our grandfather and he married again. But after sometime he killed his second wife too. My grandfather was a good man but he did not have his own house therefore he brought me and my brothers to the orphanage. He made my older sisters marry. I am happy here and I want to be a doctor in the future.

stories from Allauddin Orphanage

My name is Haleema. I am 12 years old. I study at class 2 because I have never been to school before that is why when I came to the orphanage they admitted me to the 2nd grade. When I was in Nuristan my mother became sick and died. Shortly after my mother’s death my father was also killed in an air bombardment. After his death me and my brother were left alone so we began to live with my uncle. At that time my brother was not more than two years old. My uncle was so cruel because he used to beat my little brother. One day my other uncle came from Kabul to visit us to Nuristan. When he saw that we were not treated well so he asked me and my brother to come with him to Kabul. But my first uncle refused to give my brother to him so he took me here to Kabul and after living for sometime with him, he told me that my first uncle has killed my brother. I was so sad and my uncle brought me here to the Allauddin orphanage. I am happy here because I attend school and I want to be a teacher in the future.

To Zainab from Kirsten

Hello Zainab,
My name is Kirsten and I am 14 years old. I am in the ninth grade and in High School. I live near Philadelphia, which is in Pennsylvania, in the United States. I am so sorry that your parents died. One of my best friends is from Africa, and both of his parents were killed in a civil war and I understand how difficult it is. My parents got divorced and I don’t see my dad anymore and it’s very hard for me. I am so sorry that your uncle did not treat you well. That is terrible. But I am very glad that you enjoy the orphanage. I’m sure you have a lot of friends. You sound very smart. Congratulations on getting the first position in your class!!! That is great! I want to become a doctor one day too and hopefully be able to travel to help kids like you. We are the kids who are going to grow and be the next generation. I feel lonely too sometimes. It’s a terrible feeling. We all need to stick together so that no one can feel lonely because it is one of the most awful feelings in the world. What do you like to do for fun? What do you do with your friends? What are your friends like? What is your sister like? I have an older brother but he his much older. He is 27 and he lives with my dad. I cannot wait to hear from you!!!
Take care
Kirsten J

My name is Sayed Mansur Shah. My father’s name is Sayed Haider Shah. I study in the 5th grade and I am 13 years old. I got the 4th position in the class. I have been at the orphanage for the past 5 years. I was not more than five years old when my mother died. I lived with my father and brother who had his own family. But my problem was that my right hand does not work and it is paralyzed. At that time we were in Pakistan. But when we came to Kabul, after two years, one day my father was cutting wood and he suddenly fell down as a result he also became paralyzed. When this accident happened, my brother was angry and he told us that I can’t feed you both because I also have a family so he brought me to Allauddin Orphanage. Here I attend English and cultural classes. I want to be a doctor in the future.

My name is Mahboob Shah son of Shukruddin. I study at 4th grade. I have been at the orphanage for the past two and a half years. My father died at the time of civil war and my mother died of an illness. I lived with my grandmother. I have a sister who is married and I do not know where she is now. After living sometime with my grandmother, Taleban came and my grandmother was not able to feed me. She took me to Tahia Maskan Orphanage. There a teacher brought me to Allauddin Orphanage after sometime. Here at the orphanage I attend the cultural, painting and English classes. I want to be a pilot in the future.

This is a boy who does not talk much. I came to know from his teacher that his name is Gul Hassan and his father’s name is Mohammad. When I asked him of his age, he told me that he was two years old. Of course I do not believe that because he is at the 4th grade and he seems 11 or 12 years old. His friends told me that he is very intelligent in his studies and he got the 3rd position in the class. When I asked him of his lessons if they were easy for him, he shook his head as ‘yes’. He did not speak when I asked him of his parents. He did not answer but his head was shivering which seemed that he was thinking of something but could not remember it. The teachers told me that he was brought to the orphanage by a policeman who found him on the street and knew nothing about this boy. But on holidays this boy goes to the policeman’s home for a break and then comes back to the orphanage.

My name is Mahmood Shah. My father’s name is Shukrudin. I am 13 years old and I am in class seven. I got the 8th position in the class. I was two years old when my parents died. Then I lived with my grandmother and uncle. One day it was raining and the heavy storm damaged the house of my grandmother. Because they were so poor with a mud house my grandmother told me that I can’t feed you now and you should got to the orphanage which is a very good place. They brought me here to Allauddin Orphanage. I am very happy here because it is a very good place. I attend the painting and music classes at the school and I want to be a doctor in the future.

My name is Ahmad. My father’s name is Amir Gul. I have never been to school. But I studied religious subjects. I do not have any brother or sister. When I was one year old, my mother died and my father married again. One day my father took me out of the house but my uncle who did not have any family took me with himself. After sometime my uncle gave me to my aunt who lived in Pakistan. I was left there. When my uncle was returning to Kabul, he died in a car accident. My aunt had two young sons. My cousins and I used to make carpets. One day my cousins went to Iran and I was left alone with my aunt. My aunt got angry with me that why I also did not go to Iran. She told me that I can’t feed you and she drove me out of the house. In the middle of disappointment one of our neighbor’s boys told me that he will take me to his home in Kabul if his father accepts me. We will live there like brothers. But when I went to their home, his father became angry and did not accept me. I was left on the street. Then I spent two nights at a local ordinary guesthouse. When I run out of money, I used to spend my time at a shrine. After that I went to police and he took me to Tahia Maskan Orphanage. After spending a night there one of the teachers brought me here to Allauddin Orphanage. I am happy here because I will be going to school in a couple of weeks and I wish to be a teacher in the future.

A wonderful experience with the orphans

A wonderful experience with the orphans

I have been to Allauddin Orphanage two times. First I went to the orphanage with PARSA staff and the second time my sister Uranus was also with me. We enjoyed being there. I interviewed five girls and five boys at the orphanage. And we are trying to find pen pals for them. I was so sad when I saw their sad and unhappy faces. The whole orphanage looked like a prison to me. The children looked stressed and demoralized. They do not have anything for playing except for a couple of swings at the yard of the orphanage and a couple of balls. It seemed that the children were bored but I also noticed that the girls were bold and intelligent than boys. The girls were more talking about their problems than boys did. I should say that all children were respectful and well- mannered. A couple of things which made me happy was that they all loved to study to learn and to know about the world. Thing which interested me that one of the girls was acting in a film. She seemed happy and joyful. I was also pleased to see them at attend different classes after school such as music, painting, cultural and English as well as computer. But the sadness was that they did not have clean and proper clothes. They had beds but their mattresses were not comfortable and tidy.

Let’s help these young unhappy faces to enjoy the beauty of life.

By Anoosha Wahidi
Kabul, Afghanistan
March 2007

Dark nights of Kabul

Dark nights of Kabul

Since civil war in Kabul almost all power sources began to fail. Electricity system has suffered the most. As we all know electricity is the main source of civilization in the world. But here in Kabul most parts do not have access to natural power. Only some people use generators and that is why Kabul is called generator city because after evening the whole city smells of diesel and smoke. People do not have any electricity during day as a result they can’t use electric equipment such as computers, TVs, heaters, ovens and etc. In Kabul city we get five hours night electricity every other day in winter. But still most parts are deprived from electricity benefits as a result the life becomes boring for people.

Electricity has a big value for the Afghan children. Whenever, electricity comes to the houses all children immediately shouts happily in the streets “Electricity! Electricity!”. This means that electricity is now the main part of the modern life and it gives hope and pleasure to the people. The children of Afghanistan wish that their nights turn light with the support and assistance of their friends in other parts of the world. Afghan children need to read their lessons in the light of bulbs at night. Our message to the children who have regular access to electricity is to value this asset and be careful in its proper use.

Bye until my next letter_Anoosha