Voice of Women Organization in Afghanistan (VWO)

Canadian Voice of Women is linking up with this organization whose coordinator in Herat, Afghanistan is Suraya Pakzad. Marjo Stroud is presently in Herat and we will be posting news and information about their incredible work for Afghan women.

Marjo sends us this brief update less than one week after her arrival in Herat, June 4, 2004. We will be posting updates on their progress at this site. (It saves sending separate e-mails, but as they now have their internet cafe set up, you could message with the organization yourself).

Accomplished since opening the sub-office in Heart since January this year:

January - May Journalism training for women (Photography, print
and video)
April Establishment of Internet Café for women (13 computers)
May Employment of 3 young women interns through EO/CA Internship scheme
May Improvement of conditions at the Heart Women's prison
June Six month remedial education and job preparation program for women

All this in addition to the regular running of the many VWO programs in Kabul.

Bad News

  1. New car stolen one day after purchase. After scraping and saving for over a year to buy a used vehicle for VWO and finally purchasing a 1997 SUV for $11,000 last Sunday (May 30), it was stolen from the street outside the VWO office on Wednesday night (June 2). This was before Suraya even had a chance to hire a driver and actually use the vehicle (of course women aren't allowed to drive in Herat). Suraya holds out no hope that the police will retrieve the vehicle as they are either too corrupt or ineffective and there is no car insurance in Afghanistan.

  2. More unsettling is the fact that Suraya received an anonymous phone call on Monday in which a man told her that she should not be supporting adulterers (this was a reference to her recent effort to improve conditions for women prisoners, many who are serving time for alleged adultery). He went on to say that she should give her help to the widows of Jihades who are more deserving. Suraya told the man that it is her business, not his whomever VWO decides to help.

Good News

  1. Karsai announced just a couple of days ago that he was removing adultery as a crime from the Afghan legal code.

  2. Suraya continues with her coordinating duties (not to mention the care of her 4 month old baby). I try to reassure her that somehow, everything will work out, but I must keep in mind that this is a woman who has lost all of her possessions to bombing and looting at least 3 or 4 times in her life and I wonder how she is able to regain hope each time.

  3. The Internet Café looks great!

  4. Suraya and Marjo are heading off to the women's prison tomorrow morning in a borrowed truck to distribute fans (it's incredibly hot), water coolers, cooking utensils, cleaning supplies, clothing, kotex, toys, television and protein supplements.

Help Needed

Can we think of any great fundraising initiative that would help AWO raise the money for another vehicle?

Contact

Marjo Stroud marjostroud@hotmail.com

 

Our Mission / Our History / Announcements / Activities: Circles /
The Peaceweb / Coming Events / Joining Us / Our Branches / Volunteering

Site Design by KeyLine Graphix