NEWSLETTER SUMMER 2014 Vol. 70 CANADIAN WOMEN FOR WOMEN IN AFGHANISTAN AT A GLANCE

Background Over fifteen years ago, the Taliban ruled Afghanistan with a closed mind and an iron fist. Women and girls lived a harsh reality marked by extreme poverty and oppression. They were chattel, seldom seen and never heard in a society dominated by men, and largely invisible to the outside world. Today, women are taking back their rightful place and Canadians stand with them. In 1996 Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan (CW4WAfghan) was formed, bringing together the efforts of Canadians who are passionate about improving the lives of Afghan women and girls. CW4WAfghan is a not-for-profit organization with 13 volunteer chapters across Canada, as well as a non-religious, non-political, federally registered charity.

Members Afghan and Canadian members believe that the path to true peace in Afghanistan lies through education. To that end, they work to advance education and educational opportunities for Afghan women and their families, and to educate Canadians about human rights in Afghanistan. Please join our membership at www.CW4WAfghan.ca SUPPORT.

Mission Canadians taking action, in partnership with Afghan women, towards improving conditions of human rights, ending women’s oppression, and providing opportunities for Afghan women to live their lives with dignity, certainty and purpose. Values CW4WAfghan members believe that individuals, as global citizens, working in solidarity and with integrity of purpose and action, can affect positive change in the world through education and the promotion of social justice and human rights.

Goal To ensure effective long-term sustainable education programs for Afghan women and their families and to engage Canadians as global citizens. Structure • Canadian Board of Directors with cross-Canada representation • Project Management Team overseeing project and program design and performance , and project management committees • Afghanistan Country Office with 17 Afghan staff in Kabul

www.CW4WAfghan.ca

ThisCW4WAfghan Newsletter Summer 2014provides our members and supporters with updates on our Chapter fundraising and public engagement activities in Canada. Visit our website www.CW4WAfghan.ca • SIGN UP • DONATE • CONTACT US Table of Contents

WHAT’S NEW...... 4 KABUL...... 7 ATLANTIC...... 8 CALGARY...... 9 IN FOND MEMORY, LINDA LOREE 1946-2014...... 10 KINGSTON C4WA...... 11 OAKVILLE CSAW...... 12 MANITOBA...... 14 A TRIBUTE TO CANADIAN TROOPS...... 15 OTTAWA...... 16 PETERBOROUGH...... 17 SASKATCHEWAN...... 17 VANCOUVER...... 18 VICTORIA...... 18 CONTACT US...... 19

Looking for information on the results of our work in Afghanistan? Please see our Impact Report 2013 available on our web site www.CW4WAfghan.ca “PROGRAMS.” For information on our audited financial statements, see our Annual Report 2013

Newsletter Summer 2014 | CW4WAfghan pg 3 what’s new:

LANTERN FUND GOAL

$2 Million

$500,000 funds raised to April 2014

• Lantern Fund has topped $500,000! Co- chairs Irene MacDonald and Deborah Alexander have been busy month-after-month over this past year arranging meetings with potential funders, philanthropists, community CW4WAfghan Members l-r: Deborah Alexander, Co-chair leaders, foundations, and key individuals many of Lantern Fund; Susan Hartley, Board Member; Carm Bailey, whom are contributing their time to assist with Atlantic Member; Irene MacDonald, Board and Co-chair our fundraising strategies and goals. Our aim is Lantern Fund (launching of Lantern Fund Oct 2012) to raise $2 million for teacher training to 2018. Thank you to all our donors!

The first six months of this 2014 including our first-ever fundraiser in Reports 2013 and visit our website calendar year have been filled with Afghanistan! www.CW4WAfghan.ca. a wide range of fundraising and awareness raising activities and Together, we successfully continue • Our new website will be events, thanks to our dedicated to sustain our excellent education launched June 2014. Thanks to volunteer chapter network and programs in Afghanistan. Allyson, Shane and Left Right members. This newsletter highlights Minds (Vancouver) for their some of the very entertaining, fun and • To learn more about our programs, work in bringing our members this successful events all across Canada-- see our Impact and Annual much improved online resource.

Students at Fatema Tul Zahra school, one of two CW4WAfghan funded community schools helping a total of 600 children (50% female) who cannot attend public school. The standard approved curriculum is applied in both schools, as well as additional vocational classes. CW4WAfghan donors have been funding the majority of the costs for the students since 2006, including books, stationery, uniforms and lunches.

pg 4 CW4WAfghan | Newsletter Summer 2014 what’s new Cont’d. • Vancouver Chapter hosted a very enjoyable • Congratulations to CSAW Oakville member evening with journalist Mellissa Fung, as well as a Barbara Wood, who received the Mark DeWolfe film screening with Afghan Film Maker Malek Shafi’i. Social Action Award from the Unitarian Congregation in Mississauga. • Kingston Chapter hosted a sold-out crowd at their chapter’s 11th annual fund-raising event, raising • Calgary Chapter ‘Breaking Bread Dinner’ co-chairs, $20,000, for a total of over $173,000 since 2003! In Celia Rushford and Leanne Brintnell, hosted the addition to volunteering for school presentations, 11th Annual fundraiser with over 600 guests and raising members also took part in the honouring of Canadian over $95,000--the largest fundraising event ever! troops and paid tribute to those fallen soldiers as part of the National Day of Honour in Ottawa and • Sally Armstrong, honorary Petawawa. chair of the Lantern Fund, has donated many days of her time • Congratulations to Munaf Husain, Dancing again this year in travelling and Light Pictures who was awarded the Summit giving presentations at many International Leader Award in Emerging Media 2013 fundraising events across Canada. Sally Armstrong, Honorary Chair, for the Lantern Fund video he created and donated Thank you Sally! Lantern Fund for CW4WAfghan. • Saskatchewan Chapter continues to build on • Oakville CSAW Chapter: read about their school the success of their May 2013 conference jointly events and their annual International Women’s Day held with the Saskatchewan chapter of DKG Society 11th annual Dinner Party with guest speaker CBC International. Read about the inspiring activities comedian Mary Walsh. Over 700 people filled of the GEM (Girls Everywhere Matter) Club, in the banquet hall for this fun-filled evening raising Aberdeen, SK. $15,000 for the Lantern Fund. • Victoria Chapter members were the fabulous hosts • Our thanks to Steve Speer of our fall VICTORIA 2013 SYMPOSIUM and you at Acorn Communications in can read all about that in our ANNUAL REPORT. The Calgary for his ongoing graphic, team is now preparing for their July garden party. photography and design support to CW4WAfghan. • Grande Prairie chapter members are Marlene, Visit www.fourbyfive.com to Arlene, Helen and they are planning four events for view Steve’s award-winning this year to fundraise and to promote awareness. In photography. Steve Speer, May 2014, they gave a presentation for a 35 member Acorn Communications organization in Spirit River, AB. • Ottawa Chapter team has been busy this year with a number of events, • Manitoba Chapter has hosted a screening of the including a marketplace at the Great Canadian Honour Diaries; marched in celebrating the 103rd Theatre Company (GCTC) production by Hannah IWD.; presented to the Business Professional Women Moscovitch, “This is War”; joined a panel discussion Organization; and participated in several other activities. as part of the “Fearless Women” series; and held their Most of this year will be busy in preparation for the 2014 second annual Nawroz Event (New Year) event. Because Human Rights are Universal Symposium to be held from October 2 - 4, 2014, in Winnipeg. • Edmonton Chapter recently held a very successful fundraising event in June, with generous assistance • Okanagan’s Little Women for Little Women. Teen from member Mary Gordon and her friends. Sally member Alaina and her mother, Jamie Podmorow, Armstrong was the guest speaker and gave a very travelled to New York this spring to support the powerful moving and informative presentation. The event peace driven summit, ‘We Are Family Foundation Just raised $5,000, including product and book sales at Peace Summit.’ This summit is designed to recognize their marketplace. and support the efforts of Global Teen Leaders around the world who are actively working on projects that promote a more peaceful society.

Newsletter Summer 2014 | CW4WAfghan pg 5 what’s new Cont’d. • Thank you toJemima Maycock who has been leading the Little Women for Little Women in Afghanistan team in Banff, AB for her very successful fundraising efforts. We look forward to learning more about all your activities throughout 2014 in Banff. • Atlantic Chapter recently hosted an event with journalist Mellissa Fung in Halifax. It was a very well received event and they are now planning for another event in PEI this fall. Thank you from the CW4WAfghan network to Mellissa Fung for her generous contributions to our events. His Worship, Major Nenshi presenting City of Calgary • Congratulations to Executive Director, Janice Signature Award to Janice Eisenhauer, Executive Director Eisenhauer, who received the City of Calgary Signature CW4WAfghan on June 11, 2014. Award in June acknowledging her volunteerism and the international efforts of CW4WAfghan.

Below: VICTORIA 2013 Symposium last October - Delegates at the lovely Delta Oceanpointe Resort.

pg 6 CW4WAfghan | Newsletter Summer 2014 KABUL OUR FIRST FUNDRAISING EVENT --- IN AFGHANISTAN!! In June, our Programs Director, Lauryn Oates, emails from Kabul:

“The first ever CW4WAfghan fundraiser was held last week IN AFGHANISTAN. It was a great success! It was a challenging time to bring people together as many agencies had heavy security restrictions because of the run-off election period. However, we still had a healthy crowd come out with lots of friends - old and new - joining in the fun. We sold every item in our silent auction... including the now infamous Afghan snow globe which went for $250, a three-course dinner for 6 at the Canadian Embassy with the Ambassador, donated by the Ambassador, and bought by a Canadian for $600, with other Canadiana items (liked smoked salmon and maple syrup quickly outbid!). We’ve raised over CDN$4,000 for our education programs. We’ve already had two offers to host the next fundraiser so looks like we’ve started something!

Congratulations to everyone in Kabul for making this such a fun and successful evening. We will surely bring some more Canadiana (Moose earmuffs and the like) for next time! We’d like in particular to thank Camelot International Business Quarters for hosting this event - providing a lovely lantern lit patio for the evening as well as serving delicious food, musical entertainment, and providing security, among other cash and in-kind contributions.

Thanks are also due to the auction sponsors: PARSA, Zarif Designs, Galleria, the Ambassador of Canada to Afghanistan the Hon Deborah Lyons, Michael Perez of Camelot International Business Quarter, and to event volunteers Elijah Berry, Katrina Zacharewski, Abdul Rahim Parwani and CW4WAfghan staff Lauryn, Murwarid and Soraya who were in attendance. JUNE 2014

The first ever CW4WAfghan fundraiser was held in Afghanistan! It was a great success!

Thank you to all the generous Afghans and many expat supporters who attended. We hope to see you next year!

Supporters raised over CDN$4,000 for our CW4WAfghan education programs. The now infamous silent auction item, Afghan snow globe, went for $250!

Newsletter Summer 2014 | CW4WAfghan pg 7 ATLANTIC

The Atlantic Chapter held the Chapter’s annual public engagement event in Pictou County on May 8th. Mellissa Fung was a generous and inspiring speaker to a sold out audience at our Third Annual Evening in Support of Afghan Women and Girls. With great community support and proceeds from product sales we are able to keep ticket prices low and ensure access to this event to the entire community. Funds were raised in support of The Lantern Fund. The Chapter is busy on three fronts: Halifax Region, Pictou County and Charlottetown. A motivated group has been meeting for coffee regularly in Halifax thanks in large part to the efforts of members Carm Bailey and Susan Doucette. This group is planning to partner with other organizations to hold a public engagement and fundraising event in Halifax. In July we will hold our second “Day in PEI”, a day for active members to celebrate our efforts and exchange ideas and information as we head into planning for the fall. Mellissa Fung will return to Atlantic Canada in September to speak in Charlottetown at a Chapter event. The Atlantic Chapter became a member of the Atlantic Council for International Cooperation this spring and was highlighted in the recent ACIC newsletter.

Mellissa Fung is a Canadian award-winning To quote Mellissa, “I think that when you go international journalist and former CBC through something so traumatic, you’re forever correspondent who has covered topics on both tied to that place and those people. I will never Canadian and world affairs, including the war be able to stop thinking about the hope I saw in Afghanistan. She went to Afghanistan to in the eyes of the women and girls I met there.” report on the conditions in one of the sprawling Fung divides her time between Toronto and camps for internally displaced persons. She Washington, DC. was abducted on the outskirts of Kabul on her second tour of the country in 2008. Her first book, Under An Afghan Sky, chronicles that experience. In May of 2013, five years after she was kidnapped, she returned to Afghanistan to see whether the fragile country is ready for

life after war. Mellissa Fung Award-winning international journalist and author

pg 8 CW4WAfghan | Newsletter Summer 2014 CALGARY

Calgary Chapter’s 11th Annual Breaking Bread dinner We have now passed the 5000 teachers trained mark and are was held on April 24th to a sold out crowd of over 600 moving into new provinces in the coming year. guests. The evening was a tremendous success and raised $95,000 in donations for the Lantern Fund as well as over Roya Shams, a grade 11 student, formerly from Kandahar $5000 in product sales. Co-Chairs Celia Rushford and and now at Ashbury College in Ottawa, spoke about her Leanne Brintnell receive kudos for organizing an evening personal experience and why she had to leave Afghanistan to that guests felt was the best one yet. Nadia Stewart was complete her education. the Emcee for the evening and did a tremendous job of keeping the program on schedule. To conclude the evening was Mark Ramsankar, President This year the program highlighted three exceptional of the Alberta Teachers speakers. Mellissa Fung graciously returned for a follow Association (ATA). Mark came up on her presentation from two years ago. She returned from Edmonton to announce a to Afghanistan last June, for the first time since her partnership that is being formed kidnapping, and spoke about her feelings of forever being between CW4WAfghan and the Attending the Fundraising tied to that country and its people ATA. Details are still to be worked Dinner from Edmonton out, but CW4WAfghan hopes to were Mark Ramsakar Lauryn Oates, the Programs Director, told the crowd about benefit from the teacher expertise and Francoise Ruban from the progress that has been made on all the CW4WAfghan and the international charitable Alberta Teachers Association. projects, particularly Fanoos, the Teacher Training Program. funding available from the ATA.

Above left- Ashbury College student (Ottawa) Roya Shams gave a passionate presentation about the importance of Canada’s ongoing help in Afghanistan.

Above right: Director, Irene MacDonald with CBC News Calgary, Emcee Nadia Stewart (right)

~ Calgary 11th Annual Breaking Bread Fundraising Dinner April 24, 2014 ~

Newsletter Summer 2014 | CW4WAfghan pg 9

Email From: zuhal We look forward to helping the girls at St. Francis Subject: Breaking Bread dinner promote their Breaking Bread event. Inspiring our youth Date: 28 April, 2014 is so incredibly important to me, and our SFHS To: CW4WAfghan Calgary community is dedicated to just that

I am Zuhal and I am student at James Fowler High School. Thank you for inviting me and my classmates to the breaking bread dinner. It was a great opportunity because I am from Afghanistan. I liked the music and the decorations. I liked that so many Canadians are helping girls and women in Afghanistan. I really enjoyed listening to the journalist. I want to know if there is a way that I can help women for women. Please contact me by email. In Fond Memory Thank you, Zuhal Mary Linda Loree (1946 - 2014)

Email From: Pam CW4WAfghan is very sad to share with our members Subject: Breaking Bread dinner that Linda Loree died of cancer in late January Date: 25 April, 2014 2014. Linda is the mother of fallen soldier Corporal To: CW4WAfghan Calgary Nathan Hornburg, who was killed in Afghanistan in September 2007. She has been a long-time, supportive Pia Foss and Pamela Rath, along with others representing CW4WAfghan member from Nanton Alberta. CSSD were very pleased to have included St. Francis students at the Calgary Chapter Apr 24th Breaking Bread We all particularly enjoyed her honest and forthright event. Having our young women involved in CW4WAfghan approach to life with a spiritual openness to learning, will be something we strive to do for years to come. growing and respecting others. From the many lovely messages coming in to her family, it is clear what a The message was loud and clear: Despite the withdrawal tremendous caring friend Linda was to so many. Our lives of Canadian troops, we need to keep educating the have been deeply enriched by knowing Linda these past Afghan women and children in whatever way we can. years and we will miss her greatly. Speakers, international journalist Mellissa Fung and CW4WAfghan’s Lauryn Oates, were first rate and having Linda spoke so very passionately in our Lantern Fund young Roya Shams speak was an absolute blessing. We video on the need to continue education for Afghan were all so impressed with how she was able to get up women and girls in order to help bring peace to that in front of 700 people, eloquently speak from the heart, country, and to honour and respect our contributions and deliver her message without notes. Wow! A true from the military. In June 2014, friends and family held inspiration to all. A favorite moment, was when she talked a Breaking Bread dinner in her honor with guest speaker about her father, and how he loved his daughters like they Sally Armstrong. It was a very special evening for all were ‘sons’. involved.

Presentation to CW4WAfghan in honour of Linda Loree: l-r: St. Francis Students attended the Calgary Chapter Annual LCol Rick Wright, Ms Janice Eisenhauer, LCol Bill Schultz, Breaking Bread Dinner on Apr 24, 2014. Maj Lloyd Northcott.

pg 10 CW4WAfghan | Newsletter Summer 2014 Kingston

Mellissa Fung Inspires at Kingston’s Annual Fundraiser This May, a sold-out CONGRATULATIONS FROM OUR crowd enjoyed the CW4WAfghan NETWORK to Munaf Kingston chapter’s Husain for the Summit International 11th annual fund- Leader Award in Emerging Media 2013! raising event, raising $20,000, bringing Subject: Summit Award Winner DLP the cumulative total From: Munaf Husain, Dancing Light Pictures raised since 2003 To: CW4WAfghan to $173,000. The gala was held at the Senior Officers’ Mess at Fort Hello All! I received a letter a few days back from the Frontenac and guests included military personnel Summit International Awards (SIA) saying that Dancing and representatives from Foreign Affairs Canada. Light Pictures has been awarded the 2013 Leader Award in the Emerging Media Award (EMA) category. The affair featured a sit-down Afghan dinner, silent This is for The Lantern Fund video we created for and live auctions, and the sale of Afghan goods. the Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan (CW4WAfghan). Former CBC Correspondent Ms. Fung is the author of Under an Afghan Sky, the account which chronicled This was quite wonderful to know, as an incredible her 28 days in captivity after being kidnapped in year draws to a close for Dancing Light Pictures. Afghanistan in 2008. Her address at the gala focused It seems a fitting finale to a year of exciting activity on her return to Afghanistan in May of last year, when and productions. she returned to reclaim her experience of Afghanistan and determine the progress for Afghans over the past Yet, I realise we are just a messenger who happen 13 years. She accompanied CW4WAfghan president, to know something about cameras and editing. Madeliene Tarasick, and treasurer, Marg Stewart, The real focus lies on the message, even more to visit the many sites where the organization’s so today than ever - the light of education. programs are flourishing. This visit was featured in And the real kudos should be reserved for those doing the documentary, Return to Afghanistan, broadcast the hard work on the ground, and all those courageous on CBC’s The National last December. souls obtaining an education braving the odds. Ms. Fung spoke of her great desire to return and I have written to SIA, accepting this award on behalf of report on the plight and the progress of Afghans, CW4WAfghan and their volunteers; and all the girls especially since her previous assignment for CBC and women of Afghanistan aspiring for an education. was overshadowed by her ordeal. “No journalist wants the story to be about the journalist – the story was meant to be about the suffering of the Afghans Here’s the video for those who may not have watched it: I visited in refugee camps, but the story ended up http://www.cw4wafghan.ca/Lantern-Fund being about me.” Ms. Fung’s great faith in the future for Afghans was affirmed as well as her conviction Best wishes. that the international community must continue its ~ Munaf support of Afghanistan and also recognize at what Dancing Light Pictures, Canada cost, “Canadians must recognize not only the great gains made but also the sacrifices made to achieve those gains. We need to make sure they were not made in vain and carry on our support.” Cont’d.

Newsletter Summer 2014 | CW4WAfghan pg 11 Kingston Cont’d.

National Day of Honour Ottawa and Petawawa On May 9th, Canada took the opportunity to honour Canadian troops and pay tribute to those fallen. C4WAfghan member, Reine Dawe, and her husband, (Ret.) Lt. Col. Peter Dawe, attended and were featured on Canada AM when they spoke of the great loss of their son, Captain Matthew Dawe, who was killed by a roadside bomb on July 4th, 2007. This interview is available online, and brings home very powerfully the price that has been paid to bring hope and freedom from a villainous regime for Afghans. In this very poignant account, Reine affirms that her work with Grade 6/7 students of Cataraqui Elementary School Canadians for Women in Afghanistan allows her the opportunity to in some way carry on her son’s mission and belief in a future for Afghanistan. Grade 6/7 students of Cataraqui Elementary School and teacher Helene Michaud (whose husband Col. Madeliene Tarasick spoke at the National Day of Karl Michaud has served in Afghanistan) have been Honour held in Petawawa on June 21st, and took the engaged in an extended focus on Afghanistan, by opportunity to express appreciation for the troops reading Deborah Ellis’s books, having C4WAfghan and their immense contribution to the people of speak to the class, and by creating tapestries reflecting Afghanistan. life in Afghanistan. They auctioned off the tapestries and engaged in some other fundraising, raising $400 Marg Stewart and Madeliene Tarasick enjoyed to be presented to C4WAfghan (enough to train one visiting a number of elementary and secondary teacher). school classes over the past months, as well as a visit to the Southampton Rotary Club in Port Elgin.

OAKVILLE

Well, 2014 started off with a huge bang for CSAW members. On January 1st, we terminated our affiliate status with CW4WAfghan to become a chapter. The transition from not-for-profit organization to chapter involved much back and forth with Corporations Canada, lots of paper work and several consultations with lawyers. It’s not a simple task to unwind one’s corporate status but we did and we look forward to our continuing relationship with CW4WAfghan as a new chapter. Kudos to Linda Middaugh who navigated us through these murky waters! (Cont’d.)

Bev LeFrancois shares memories with CSAW supporters

pg 12 CW4WAfghan | Newsletter Summer 2014 OAKVILLE Cont’d. CSAW friend, Marianne Van der Wel, Director of ‘A Tiny CSAW has been blessed with devoted followers and Shift in Connecting Schools’ whose organization officially supporters over its many years and as a tribute to them became inactive, donated the bank balance of $1,123.88 we held an appreciation dinner in February. The Afghan to CW4WAfghan. cuisine followed by a short program was very well received. Dale Butterill, director, was our MC and Barb Yearly donations of $750 each were received from both Wood presented Bev LeFrancois with an orchid plant in the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (Halton) acknowledgement of her vital role in starting CSAW while and Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation – she was the executive director of the Sexual Assault and District 20 for teachers’ salaries. They are long-standing Violence Intervention Services. Bev recounted stories supporters of CSAW and their continuing support is most from the beginning years to the present and, ever gracious, appreciated. CSAW was present at the annual provincial she highlighted the many contributions others had made ETFO conference, “And Still WE Rise,’ where we to CSAW’s success. Linda Middaugh gave a wonderful distributed information on CW4WAfghan to Ontario’s overview of her trip to Afghanistan replete with touching teachers. photos, stories of encounters with Afghans and informed the group about the impressive scope of CW4WAfghan’s International Women’s Day was celebrated on March 5, at projects. She emphasized the importance of ‘staying the the 11th annual Dinner Party hosted by two groups we course’ during this difficult time of transition for the have worked with for many years, WHAM (Women of country. Attendees generously donated $300 in support. Halton Action Movement) and Zonta Club of Oakville. Mary Walsh, the invited guest speaker was a huge draw and filled the banquet hall with over 700 people. The fun- filled evening raised $15,000 for the Lantern Fund and over $2,000 worth of Afghan goods and books was sold that evening, a record!

As we come to the summer, many of us look forward to registering for CW4WAfghan’s annual symposium coming up October 2-5th in Winnipeg, Manitoba and join with our colleagues across Canada and our partners in Afghanistan.

CSAW members Bev LeFrancois and Daniela Jansson with Mary Walsh

CSAW member Sheila Zanyk again held an event at the school where she teaches and raised $800 in donations. Students also sold $163 in Afghan goods and books. Linda Middaugh represented CW4WAfghan in the community by making presentations at Havergal College in Toronto and at the Brampton Professional and Business Women’s dinner. Brampton PBW donated $800, which they have done now for 8 years. Liz Watson also represented CW4WAfghan at a fundraiser in Stoney Creek in May, with Sally Armstrong as guest speaker.

Congratulations to CSAW member Barbara Wood, who received the Mark DeWolfe Social Action Award from the Unitarian Congregation in Mississauga and donated the $1,020 award to CW4WAfghan. We are very proud of Barb, a very active volunteer, who does much for CSAW Comedian, Mary Walsh, the star of the CBC’s This Hour and many other organizations as well. Has 22 Minutes enters the room for the IWD Dinner Party

Newsletter Summer 2014 | CW4WAfghan pg 13 MANITOBA On June 7, 2014, the Manitoba Since ringing in 2014, the Manitoba Chapter has been Chapter took part in the 13th busy raising awareness about human rights, social justice, Annual Run for Rights, hosted and working to cultivate partnerships to further strengthen by Amnesty International. our efforts to educate Canadians about Afghan women, girls, their challenges, accomplishments, and strengths. Currently, the Manitoba Chapter is busy working with the MANITOBA 2014 planning committee in preparation Earlier in the year, on March 7, 2014, the Manitoba Chapter for the 2014 Because Human Rights are Universal recognized International Women’s Day (IWD) by hosting Symposium to be held from October 2 - 4, 2014, in the screening of the Honor Diaries at the University of Winnipeg. We are excited to welcome sister chapters and Winnipeg. The following day, a few members, in harmony partners from across Canada. See you all in October! and solidarity with other women, girls and allies, marched the streets of Winnipeg to continue celebrating the 103rd IWD. This year, we rallied to honour HERstory, Change, and CELEBRATE Our Stories.

On February 25, 2014 we were invited to present to the Business Professional Women Organization—Manitoba, on CW4WAfghan. Mariam Omar presented on our projects and the current status of women in Afghanistan. Earlier in the month a presentation was also made to high school students at the Sturgeon Creek Collegiate on human rights and CW4WAfghan. Manitoba Chapter Members participate in a celebration march for the 103rd International Women’s Day

Updated data on education in Afghanistan: http://anafae.af/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/2012-06-19-FINAL-primary-secy-clean.pdf

• 2001: approximately 900,000 students were enrolled in school and almost all were boys. • 2013: more than 8 million students were enrolled in schools, 39% of whom were girls • 2013: more than 14,600 schools • 2013: more than 180,000 teachers, of whom 56,000 are female (approximately 31 percent)

Since 2001, over 6,500 schools have been constructed or rehabilitated. In 2014, around 50% of schools have adequate buildings. There is a new national curriculum which promotes active learning methods. However, an estimated 4.2 million children remain out of school, 60 percent of them girls.

pg 14 CW4WAfghan | Newsletter Summer 2014 A Tribute to Canadian Troops from schools to women’s literacy programs to the scholarly Allow me to paint a picture for you. It is Kabul, Afghanistan. Afghanistan Centre at Kabul University. At the same time, The streets are eerily quiet, except for rather strident calls to the picture in Afghanistan is far from rosy. While progress prayer throughout the day. Groups of bearded men roam the in such urban centres as Kabul is steady, the rural areas still streets, and sometimes, if they do not move quickly enough struggle with illiteracy and poverty, making the populace to the mosques, young, brutish men prod them with their vulnerable to religious extremism and unchallenged cultural Kalashnikovs. The few women in the streets, covered in practices. The plight of girls and women remains appalling, their blue burqas, move hurriedly with their male relatives in spite of steady improvements. But it will take time and escorting them. This does not preclude them from getting continued international efforts and political will to restore a a whipping from one of the young brutes, should they be country reduced to shambles. Afghans remain courageous found to be wearing nail polish or white socks. There are few and determined to continue on this path. children in the street, and there are only a few schools, where somber boys attend to be indoctrinated against the infidels. In terms of an assessment of the military gains in Afghanistan, The girls hide behind the walls of their homes, restricted from we must rely upon informed luminaries such as military even gazing outside because the ground floor windows have historian, Dr. Sean Maloney, of Kingston’s Royal Military been painted black. On Fridays, the silence in the streets is College. In his article entitled, Was it Worth It? Canadian broken, as crowds of people, mainly men but some burqa-clad Intervention in Afghanistan and Perceptions of Success and women as well, rush to the soccer stadium to watch the public Failure, Dr. Maloney dispatches with vigour the popular executions, especially of women who have been charged with meme, perpetuated by media outlets, of belittling the such violations as prostitution – for being privately with a achievements, military and otherwise, of the mission in man other than relatives. With females restricted from work, Afghanistan. and education at a standstill, the poverty is all encompassing and is reflected in the dusty streets and open sewers. The So, as Canada lowered its flag recently in Afghanistan, officially hospitals and graveyards are overflowing. ending the military mission, I cannot express enough the enormous gratitude, pride and admiration that I share with This is what Kabul would look like today, in 2014, without most Canadians, for the stellar contribution of our troops, the 13 year-long intervention of Canadian and other as well as feeling the collective anguish of the enormous NATO troops. Anyone who questions the efficacy of the sacrifices made. In my mind, the contribution of our troops in international mission in Afghanistan must surely believe that Afghanistan exemplifies the best of what makes us Canadian it is acceptable for anyone in the world to live under these – leaving the comfortable sanctuary of Canada to engage in horrific conditions. the struggle to defeat an enemy and restore peace to a violated populace half way across the world. Today, 8.5 million children are in school, compared with fewer than one million boys in 2001. There have been So what now? Is the mission over? Thirteen years of the stunning improvements in many sectors. Some examples: the mission has resulted in enormous traction on the road to a maternal mortality rate has decreased dramatically; survival civil society. The Afghan National Army has dramatically rate for infants and children has increased significantly, increased its capacity and progress has been remarkable and the majority of children have now been immunized. given the deplorable state of Afghanistan after decades of The extent of improvements is vast in spite of the untested war culminating with Taliban rule. The mission must be and ignorant assumptions of those who say, “Things are no continued by building on the gains made, at great cost. better”. One excellent source with a multitude of metrics Canada and the international community must continue available for those who wish to be better informed can be to support Afghanistan with effective aid programs, found in UNICEF’s Afghanistan Multiple Indicator Cluster infrastructure dollars, capacity building and strong support Survey (2011). During my recent self-funded visit to Kabul, of governmental and non-governmental organizations with indicators of progress were ever present: an industrious city track records of success. We must not repeat the mistake of where roads were steadily being paved; thriving businesses the past by prematurely abandoning Afghanistan once again. and construction sites everywhere where there was open space; streets absolutely over-run with children going to Madeliene Tarasick, National President school, including large groups of young girls dressed in Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan typical black with white head-scarves. The Afghan people I met were full of hope, but also very nervous about the withdrawal of NATO troops. I visited amazing projects

Newsletter Summer 2014 | CW4WAfghan pg 15 OTTAWA Afghan and Canadian speakers share their experiences of Nawrooz and a bit of the history of the Canadians involvement in Afghanistan. This event provided an This February the Great Canadian Theatre Company opportunity for the Afghan community to proudly share (GCTC) presented the play “This is War” by Hannah their culture in a positive way while providing Canadians Moscovitch, described as an “intimate and gripping story a different perspective of the Afghan culture than the one of four Canadian Forces soldiers in Afghanistan as they that we see in the media. grapple with escalating tensions leading up to the next mission.” Ottawa member, Eileen Olexiuk gave a moving tribute to Flora McDonald, who also attended. In addition she Whether we all agreed with the content of the play or not, delivered a tribute to her friend Dr. Roshan Thomas, our group decided it was a good opportunity to set up recently killed in Afghanistan. a booth, sell products, give out pamphlets and generally increase our name recognition in Ottawa. We did okay This year our group identified strengthening linkages with the product sales, gathered some names of potential with the local Afghan community as one of our priorities. donors and over the three weeks managed to engage This objective was more than met. However, we were some new and eager volunteers. disappointed that we did not reach our fundraising goal. It didn’t help that there was a snowstorm that day, causing In addition we participated in a panel discussion, It’s Our several of our regulars to cancel. We will be rethinking War Too as part of their “Fearless Women” series. The how we stage the event for the next year. panel discussion revolved around the impact of war in the lives of women serving in the military and the lives of the We benefited from having secured a grant from average Afghan women. Several members of the audience Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) that had been in Afghanistan as nurses or with other NGOs permitted us to develop and print promotional and and questioned the collective impact of the Canadians educational material and hire Afghan performers and in Afghanistan. Our message was clear, organizations like Farzana Wahidy to photograph the event. Our CIC CW4WAfghan are making a difference and improving Program Officer attended the event to audit our event the lives of women living in conflict. The discussion was and encouraged us to apply again next year. emotional for all present, so much so that at the end of the panel Eric Coates, the Artistic Director of GCTC was moved to provide a reflection on the session and the play itself. Other panel members included: Major Dee Brasseur (retired), first Canadian women fighter pilot, Capt. Elisa Holland, Civil Military Cooperation Cell, Canadian Forces and Lieutenant-Colonel Martine Bélanger, Chaplain Canadian Forces. Our 2nd Annual Nawrooz celebration was held March 22, 2014. This year’s event was filled with Afghan music, This year’s event was filled with Afghan music, dancing, great food dancing, great food and fun. We were fortunate to have and fun.

Mr. Najibullah Safi, representing Embassy of Dr. Maisam Afghanistan in Ottawa Najafizada talks presents a perspective about the history on Afghanistan today in and celebration of Ottawa Chapter Members Jodie Densmore, (former) Medic English and Farsi. Nawrooz. with Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team and Zahira Sarwar participate on the panel.

pg 16 CW4WAfghan | Newsletter Summer 2014 OTTAWA Cont’d.

Excerpt from letter given to Hon. Flora MacDonald at Ottawa Nowruz Celebration: To us, Ms. MacDonald, you are a champion and hero of Afghanistan – the perfect role model for us in our pursuits of supporting the girls and women of Afghanistan. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts and Happy Nowruz to you and all who join you in celebration tonight.

Madeliene Tarasick, President, on behalf of Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan Tribute to Hon. Flora McDonald

PETERBOROUGH has served in the military in many war zones including In November 2013, the Peterborough Chapter hosted a Afghanistan. It was moving to hear her speak about very enjoyable community dinner, which featured Afghan growing up as part of the military community including food from a local mid-eastern restaurant. We were very the inevitable loss of family members. In addition to the grateful to CW4WAfghan Board Members, Madeliene money raised by the walk, the Red Pashmina Campaign Tarasick and Marg Stewart who showed photos and spoke donated $7,500 to the Lantern fund. This was money raised about their recent trip to Afghanistan. through the sale of pashmina scarves over the past year.

We supported the annual ReFrame documentary film The screening of the Honor Diaries on May 23 was our festival at the end of January by sponsoring a film and selling final event of the year. The turnout was disappointing our Afghan products. For IWD in March, we co-sponsored but the film was very well received and Janet, one of the a panel on women and the Internet. This proved to be a organizers, commented, “The gathering was small and yet very interesting discussion and covered many different the responses, questions and reflections of participants points of view. During the winter and spring, member spanned a broad spectrum of consideration of the issues Soriya Basir taught a couple of Afghan cooking classes and challenges presented in the film. I was so moved by and her daughter, Mehrangiz Monsef, gave 4 evenings of many of the comments. The goal of heightening awareness dance classes which covered belly dancing and other mid- and helping people to determine potential actions on an eastern dances. We are incredibly indebted to this family individual level was certainly accomplished.” for their support. Maryam Monsef was a panelist in March, and in May spoke to a local independent school in support of the Lantern fund. Mehrangiz and Soriya are planning SASKATCHEWAN three presentations to elementary school children in June. These grade-school In Saskatchewan, we are still building on the success of the children are inspired May 2013 conference jointly held with the Saskatchewan by reading the chapter of DKG Society International. In February, the Breadwinner series GEM girls hosted a talent and dessert evening to raise and are fundraising money for “Little Women for Little Women in Afghanistan”. for CW4WAfghan. Their goal was to raise $750 to pay for a teacher for 6 months Students Supporting CW4WAfghan in Afghanistan. The girls made invitations and prepared dancing and musical numbers, created decorations and At the end of April, we hosted our fourth-annual Red gathered raffle table items in advance. In total, the girls Pashmina walk with the Red Pashmina Campaign. This made $1200 for their efforts, enough to make their goal is always a fun event...very low key with a pleasant walk of $750 for LW4LWA and have some funds left over for along the river wearing our red pashmina scarves. Our purchasing materials for future GEM events. speaker this year was a young Trent student whose mother Cont’d.

Newsletter Summer 2014 | CW4WAfghan pg 17 SASKATCHEWAN Cont’d. women who spoke about their current frustrations, but their hopes for the future. The popularity of this film night encourages us to organize another such event, possibly in the fall, and perhaps even an on-going film series.

In April, we hosted an evening with award-winning SASKATCHEWAN journalist, Mellissa Fung, who discussed her experience DKG Chapters in Sask covering the Canadian military mission in Afghanistan, GEM (Girls Everywhere Matter) Support CW4WAfghan Club, Aberdeen, SK and her recent return to the country for the first time since her abduction there in 2009. The event also included Several members of the Regina chapter of DKG joined a screening of Mellissa’s documentary for CBC’s The CW4WAfghan at our joint conference. Last fall they hosted National, and the audience of 190 engaged in a lively a Breaking Bread event in Regina, and at their April meeting session of Q & A. While in Vancouver, Melissa also spoke this year, the group hosted Darci Lang, speaking on the at a local Breaking Bread Dinner for over 100 guests. At importance of focusing on the 90% that is positive in our lives. both events, CW4WAfghan’s Programs Director Lauryn Darci waived her speaking fee and donated all the proceeds Oates shared details of our programs in teacher training, from the sale of her books and cd’s to support CW4WAfghan. and literacy and libraries. Guests were inspired by the informative and heartfelt stories from Afghanistan, and VANCOUVER the Afghan marketplace was popular, as always. Vancouver Chapter has been reaching new audiences The success of these events bodes well for the many through a number of well-attended events held in recent exciting ideas that the Chapter hopes to put into action months. In February, chapter member Eva Sajoo spoke to over the next year. Stay tuned! the student assembly at Mulgrave School in West Vancouver. We were invited by Hannah Rahim, a student, who noted VICTORIA that her school had recently seen the arrival of several Afghan students, thanks to efforts of the late Roshan Thomas. The focus of Eva’s presentation was the gap between the We are having a great year with lots of energy, activities stereotypes and realities of Afghanistan, and the role that and as well, having fun.The highlight of the last year was, of high school students can play in the lives of others. She course, our hosting of the VICTORIA 2013 SYMPOSIUM related how Lauryn Oates began her activism as a teenager, with all the fabulous speakers and participants from across described the activities of Little Women for Women in the country and around the Afghanistan, and noted that we are all global citizens. world. The panel of young Afghan women was particularly inspiring (see the ANNUAL REPORT 2013 for full details).

The above photo is our own Victoria Chapter Members Little Women from Sooke who set up a table during our symposium of their own handmade crafts for sale, raising money for their Afghan sisters. Eva Sajoo spoke to the student assembly at Mulgrave School in They have made and sold crafts West Vancouver. at the Sooke Christmas Fair every year for the past four years Sooke ‘Little Women’ In March, a film screening with renowned, award – a wonderful achievement. winning Afghan documentary filmmaker Malek Shafi’i Congratulations to Sooke attracted over 100 people to view and discuss his film “Little Women” from all the “Mohtaram” which he co-directed with Diana Saqeb. This members of CW4WAfghan! powerful black and white film focuses on the women of Afghanistan’s protest of the Family Law, which severely Just now our Victoria Members restricted their freedom. The film’s most poignant parts are busy preparing for our Victoria Chapter Annual July are the interviews with individual educated Afghan annual garden party in July. GARDEN PARTY

pg 18 CW4WAfghan | Newsletter Summer 2014 National Office [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

[email protected] [email protected]

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CW4WAfghan Network: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Grande [email protected] [email protected] (C4WA) [email protected] [email protected] (CSAW) [email protected] (LW4LW) [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Contact Us: Please contact a chapter in your area to learn about local activities and how you can volunteer towards our goal of advancing education in Afghanistan.

Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan National Office: PO Box 86016 Marda Loop Calgary, AB T2T 6B7 Tel: 1 403 244-5625 Email: [email protected]

www.CW4WAfghan.ca

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