Herat Area Earthquake Creates More Displaced People in Desperate NeedI've heard stories of women who mistook the sounds of the earthquake for bombs--the only thing they understood. They ran for what they thought was the safety of their adobe homes. Many died and were severely injured as their homes crumbled. An already large internally displaced population has now grown much larger, with little hope of recovering any time soon.
According to Relief Web: "Between 7 and 15 October, a series of 6.3 magnitude earthquakes hit Herat Province in western Afghanistan resulting in wide-scale destruction. These earthquakes and aftershocks have left thousands of already-vulnerable populations living in underserved (white areas) in urgent need of humanitarian and health assistance. To date, nearly 43,400 people across six districts are directly impacted, with almost 23% being children under the age of five. Significant damage was reported in six districts: Injil, Kushk/Rabat-eSangai, Zindajan, Gulran, Herat and Kohsan. The reported casualties include at least 1,482 deaths and more than 2,100 injuries. As of October 19, aftershocks are continuing, leaving communities in a state of fear and unease." Thanks to the quick and efficient efforts of our team on the ground, we were able to rush critical supplies to many of the newly displaced families. Soon after the first of the earthquakes, the aftershocks were equally destructive, 1,400 men, women, and children received shoes and coats. To stave off the cold, families received 600 blankets. Bees, Chickens, and Cows
What can a small farm do for the most vulnerable in Afghanistan? It's providing milk and eggs and honey for displaced children in our kindergarten. The benefits are so much more than the improved nutrition children are now receiving. One little girl in our kindergarten attended classes irregularly. Once our teachers began serving glasses of milk, she has not missed a day. This little girl's mind and body are now being nourished. Surplus eggs and milk are distributed in the displacement camps.
The small farm is a donation from a very generous Afghan woman who has loaned us the ground for free. A family is given a home on the property and paid a small salary to manage the farm, which also includes alfalfa for feeding the livestock and a small garden. Beehives were recently added--the bees provide a bit of sweetness to the lives of people who more often than not live very bitter lives. Our livestock now include 3 cows and 3 calves, over 200 chickens, and five beehives. UNDAUNTED WOMEN
One of the truly amazing outcomes of the past almost 20 years has been the emergence of Afghan and Iraqi women as leaders and change makers in their countries. This has been particularly pronounced in Afghanistan, where a mere two decades ago they were not allowed outside of their homes unchaperoned, denied education, and not allowed to speak their minds freely.
Afghan women have some distance to go before they have gained full equality, but they are shaping that future through courageously stepping forward and demanding to be heard. They are changing their communities in profoundly courageous ways. These are stories that need to be heard. Karadah Project will bring you these stories of both Afghan and Iraqi women of courage and commitment through a series of interviews. We think you will look at Afghanistan and Iraq differently through the eyes of these amazing women. Our first interview is with Fatema Jafari. She was an elected member of the Herat Provincial Council and an unrelenting advocate for women's rights. Fatema spent a year writing a book on issues surrounding Afghan women and voting while a fellow at the National Endowment for Democracy in Washington D.C. and Yale University in 2016. She is now preparing for studies at Bradford University in the UK on a Rotary International Fellowship. Fatema came to all of this through experiences that will inspire you. 
In Support of the Afghan PeopleThe #Afghan people are sitting in the mouth of hell... It's easy to forget sitting here in the U.S. We must do better— they deserve better. #afghanistan
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Our Policy Restricts Us From Showing the Faces of Women
This policy is to protect the privacy and security of the women we serve. It is necessary, but unfortunate. If you were to look into the eyes of these women, who have been gifted a hard life filled with unimaginable hardships, you would see women of strength, resilience, courage, and unbelievable stamina. You would see them smiling in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. They are hopeful in a place that gives them little reason for hope. They are oppressed beyond anything we might be able to withstand, but they are unbroken. I'm humbled that I get to associate with them, if only from a distance.
These women are unrelenting in their pursuit of better economic skills. They are learning to be carpet weavers, tailors, bag makers, beauticians. They will, in most cases, take the skills they learn and the tools they are given in our programs and provide for their families. They will use their increased income to better the lives of their children. Research is conclusive in showing that if women are given economic tools and skills their children will be better educated and their family's economic well-being will improve. To reduce poverty, women are hands down the very best return on investment. A KINDERGARTEN OF HOPEWhat if a kindergarten for kids who had only known poverty, violence, and war is where hope is born. What if, in a faraway corner of the world, kids learned how to be leaders? What if we changed the world, one kindergarten class at a time.
When Moms Read...
The last 30 years of reading research confirms a simple truth—regardless of sex, race, nationality, or socioeconomic background—students who read the most, read the best, achieve the most, and stay in school the longest. Conversely, those who don’t read much, cannot get better at it.
Displaced women are at a particular disadvantage in Afghanistan. So, we created a literacy class for displaced moms at our kindergarten for displaced kids. Not only will it benefit their children who are learning to read, but will increase these women's economic capacity. In Spite Of It All, A Kindergarten For Displaced Afghan Children
Displaced Children Face Unique Challenges--Education Should Not Be One
Most of us know about refugees, those who are crossing international borders, but what of those displaced within their own countries? The internally displaced, hidden from the eyes of the world, face the same kinds of dangers and uncertainties as refugees, but too often without the attention that brings international resources. Conservative estimates put the number of refugees at about 25 million, while those suffering within their own country borders number about 40 million. Displaced children are particularly vulnerable as they may be closer to the violence that displaced them. They are less likely to have documents needed to register for school. Poverty may require work over school. Once out of school, it becomes increasingly difficult to return. A child who is out of school for more than a year is unlikely to return and girls are 2.5 times more likely to drop out of school than boys. Such gender differences in education are striking. In urban areas in Afghanistan, as an example, only 1 percent of internally displaced (IDP) women were found to be literate, compared to 20 percent of IDP men. Education is the great equalizer. Imagine the impact of educating a generation of displaced children. Our kindergarten is focused on teaching that next generation of displaced children and facilitating their entry into the public schools. Together we can make miracles happen in lives that have known only violence, poverty, and disruption. 
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© 2017 Karadah Project International.
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