Khaliqdad School

Work on the school is virtually completed. The classrooms will be decorated when the plaster has dried and will then be furnished once sufficient funds have been raised. Afghan schools are currently on a winter break until March and then the new rooms will be put to use.

Karte Ayrana Park

ASET has completed the primary structure of the two room service and administration building at the Aryana Park and on December 30^th the park was inaugurated by the Deputy Governor of Balkh Province. Aryana Park is a special initiative by the Ministry of Social Affairs to reach children in an area where there are no facilities or safe areas for them to play.

Kindergarten News

At the end of October the Afghan Minister of Health had requested all Schools, Kindergartens and even Universities be closed due to the fear of a Swine Flu outbreak. This resulted in the closure of the ASET kindergarten for three weeks. Our planned Montessori Seminar just happened to be within these weeks and a German Kindergarten teacher and two of her local workmates travelled up to Mazar from the far south-west of Afghanistan to provide the training. Alongside the ASET teachers, seven other Afghan teachers from two Kindergartens and five foreigners were able to attend and be trained in ‘Early Childhood Development’ and Montessori materials.

Lucy’s Trip to Afghanistan

After only a short trip to Afghanistan in the autumn of 2009 there is so much I could share with you. As a photographer I struggled to put my camera down as there were simply so many sights that I wanted to capture on film. Things like driving through stunning mountain regions at sunrise on the way to Kabul. Venturing to the burka shop and watching as our burka clad Afghan friend made sure we didn’t get overcharged because we were foreigners. Even standing at the end of our dusty road at dawn, outside the butchers, watching the morning slaughter.

Images are powerful things; often they can portray a scene when paragraphs of words simply cannot convey it to the same degree. It was so encouraging to visit various ASET projects after having seen photographs taken before the work began, & be able to witness firsthand the improvements and developments that had taken place.  However I think the thing that struck me the most was the day to day living, the living that is not portrayed by the western media, the living that reminds you that there are real people, living a real life.  For me I saw it in the smiling eyes of the local bread man, or the yawn of a baby tightly wrapped in cloth, comforted by the safety of his mothers hold. I saw it in the children who proudly flew their kites, even if it was just a carrier bag with a length of string attached to the handle. Every Afghan has a story to be told, and I wonder what that story would look like if they could tell the world themselves.

I hope to return to Afghanistan to continue supporting various projects with both photographic and film coverage, as well as exploring ways to enable Afghans to tell their own story through media tools.

Quilt Distribution

This project saw 1000 quilts distributed between 200 people; the weather was so cold and wet that many people wouldn’t have been able to walk to the office and so for those that did the quilts will be a real blessing during the winter months. There was an old man who said he was 110 yrs old who heaved five quilts up on his back and staggered off.

The distribution is carefully monitored and people are required to produce a ticket, there was one old lady; close to 100 yrs who didn’t have a ticket and was obviously very poor.  In the end it was made sure that she received a quilt, a blanket, plus some sweets, and a few pennies.

From the Trustees

The Trustees signed off the Annual Report and Accounts for 2008-9 at the AGM on 5th December. The year has been a most successful one, with more funds going to the needy in Afghanistan than ever before. I would like to thank all those who have worked so hard to make such progress, and keep things running smoothly, both in the UK and in the field.

It was good to have Dan, our International Director, back with us for the first Christmas in eight years. The trustees appreciate all the valiant work he’s done, and wish him a well earned rest.

At the AGM, Glenda and Jeff Green were voted to join the Trustees. They are a very special couple, and have been long term supporters of ASET, and will bring a number of gifts and skills to the charity. Mike and Beth Browne will be stepping down on 18th March 2010, and Jeff Green will take over as Chairman. We wish him every success in his new post.
We thank all those who continue to give so generously, at this difficult financial time.