Report to Betty Tisdale and Helping and Loving Orphans (HALO)

May 6, 2008


To: Board of Directors of HALO, Betty Tisdale, HALO Founder
Fr: Marnie Gustavson, Executive Director, PARSA

Re: Update on HALO’s contribution to PARSA


HALO has been contributing to PARSA for over four years. During my tenure as executive director, HALO has been contributing $1,000 a month toward our work with orphan children in Afghanistan. This steady support from HALO has allowed us to develop a groundbreaking program for orphans in the national orphanages. The money supports four Afghan staff members who work in our “Well being clinic” specifically on the “Healthy Afghan Child Program”. HALO has seen us through very difficult years as PARSA challenged the Ministry responsible for the welfare of the children. PARSA initiated an investigation into the practices of the Ministry staff, and the orphanage staff and their aberrant and neglectful care of the children.

This spring, based on the foundational contribution of HALO over the years, PARSA was awarded a contribution by the country of Iceland to pilot the first complete “Healthy Afghan Child Program” in Ghor province, with the orphan children and orphanage staff. Ministry staff is hoping that this program will be replicated around the country throughout the 32 national orphanages. Staff supported and developed throughout the last four years is now traveling to Ghor every two weeks to train the orphanage staff there.

At the same time, PARSA staff is working in Tai Maskan, and Alluhoddin orphanages in Kabul. Overall, PARSA is directly working with 900 children and over 100 Ministry staff. HALO’s steady contribution over the years is what has made this possible.

This year, during Betty Tisdale’s trip to Afghanistan, she identified a project that she committed HALO’s support for, called the “Center for Creative Abilities” (CCA). CCA is a vocational training center for specifically for disabled people and orphan children designed as a program that develops economic paths for marginalized people helping them to become economically independent. In the case of the children that PARSA works with institutionalized in national orphanages, there is no training available to them to develop them into income earners as adults. The tragic outcome of this is that orphans end up “institutionalized” or habitually dependent and are vulnerable to exploitation by adults in the criminal elements, or to Taliban influence as they mature and as they are sent out of the orphanage. Distant relatives will marry off girls who do not learn any job skill for a healthy sum, or by corrupt orphanage staff.

CCA is developing “earning paths” that can be taught to teenagers that will insure their ability to continue their education if they choose, as well as their economic independence. Additionally, PARSA is developing programs that can be transferred to the orphanage teaching staff, such a Camilla Barry’s science learning center. These types of programs will enrich the education of the children and support them in job skills trainings.

HALO has funded the renovation of the original “Depot” at Afghan Red Crescent Society for $12,000. This building will house training rooms for vocational skills training such as furniture painting, cosmetics making, products made of recycled materials such as the fuel bricks made of twigs and discarded paper. Additionally, there will be a science laboratory, and kitchen for orphans, as well as a library. PARSA plans on pioneering over 10 products that are from waste materials found in Afghanistan’s towns and cities.

Afghanistan’s challenge with its orphans is complex as most issues in Afghanistan. Yasin Farid, national director and I are in Ghor province working with our Healthy Afghan Child Program as I am writing this report. Yasin is starting to assess the problems that the children are facing. The cultural strength of Afghan families is that it is required that extended families assume responsibility of children with no parents. Unfortunately, the economic situation here makes this a heartbreaking situation as additional children added to a family means economic hardship.

Yasin was working with the teachers and children, demonstrating an hour and half “Life Skills” program and he noticed that a very dirty, forlorn child was observing him. He asked him if he was an orphan in the orphanage and he said, “No, my brother and I are orphans from Badghis province.” Yasin asked him why he wasn’t in the orphanage and the child said,” A man brought us here to work for him. In exchange for a place to sleep and food, we work for him and he sends us to beg. He takes all of our money so we can stay with him.”

There are over one million orphans in Afghanistan. 9000 have the opportunity to be educated in the orphanages. The problem is overwhelming but HALO has provided us with long-term support that has allowed us to grow and develop solutions for these problems that we are now implementing in partnership with the Afghan Ministry accountable. This is the kind of support that will make a difference to the future of Afghanistan. On behalf of PARSA I thank all of HALO’s donors and especially Betty Tisdale for her vision and commitment to these children.