Welcome!Moving pieces continue to be written via our online workshops, and we share some of them here. One writer explores what she calls a punishment of nature: being born a girl. Another writes of her father, who supported her education even beyond his own health. One speaks of an effort to begin a women’s radio station in a conservative Afghan province. Two anonymous pieces will break your heart and we have an extraordinary poem by Tabasom who, in a dream, waits for someone who forgets she is there. Please leave your comments on our website for these brave writers who take increasing risks to send us their voices.
Consider joining our grassroots community in February by hosting or co-hosting a Valentine’s Week Living Room Fundraiser. Invitations have started to go out from some 25 volunteers who offered to host an event. To see if a fundraiser is scheduled near you, watch our site or FaceBook page for a listing of organizers and their hometowns. They’re being held in Kabul, Jerusalem, Glasgow, New York City, all over California and more. Hosts will receive Afghan recipes and readings written by our Afghan sisters. We’ll also set up Skype conversations for your gatherings. Please contact Events Coordinator Leanne Moore, at lkmoore212@gmail.com with questions or interest.
A huge thank you to Board Member Melissa Pritchard, who spoke at the Air Force Institute of Technology about Airman Ashton Goodman and her work with Afghan women to whom the Ashton Goodman Fund is dedicated. Melissa presented to an audience of almost 1,000 Air Force men and women and donated her entire honorarium to us. As a result of money raised, reference and inspirational books on writing are on their way to Women’s Writing Hut in Kabul.
She did it! Sharni Montgomery, AWWP’s Public Relations Coordinator from Down Under completed her 5K run last Saturday morning, despite heat, flies and challenging terrain in her “One Horse Town.” She hit the $1,000-per-kilometer mark in pledges. And thanks to the support of so many of you, donations are arriving daily. Sharni’s wonderful videos and the meter-by-meter of the run are on our FaceBook page and Web Site. Way to go, Sharni!
Back here in the U.S., our dedicated Workshop and Editing Coordinators continue to hold monthly meetings to orient new mentors each month. Thank you to Elisabeth, Jordan and all our hard-working mentors, published writers who give up a month of their time to work with the Afghan women. We also are working on preparations for International Women’s Day coming in March. Stay tuned for details.
We have some sad news to share. Sally Goodrich lost her battle to cancer last month. A dear friend of AWWP’s, Sally and her husband Don built a school in Afghanistan after the loss of their son, Peter on 9/11. We will miss her.
Much gratitude to each of you who sent year-end contributions in support of AWWP and our Women’s Writing Hut in Kabul. Our hardworking Kabul Team plans to hold many more salons and writing sessions there as we move into this New Year. Thank you for considering a donation of any size.
With high hopes for the voices of women in Afghanistan, we wish you a happy and healthy 2011.
We waited several weeks for my father to stabilize before we could travel to India. Being with him was more important to me than the exams. My father did not accept my decision. He agreed to go to India, but only after I passed my first exam. I was astonished he even remembered it.
The next day, several relatives arrived at our house. They were there to buy me. I was such a pretty toy to play with. I didn’t know I had any right to say no.
I want to start a radio station, which I would name Rahe-e-Sabz (Green Way), for Afghan women in Farah Province to learn about their life and their rights. I chose this name because this station would be a green light for women.
“We don’t live for other people. This is our life and I don’t think that my daughters have done anything wrong. It is my responsibility to take care of them, not yours!” my father replied.
My brother was shocked into silence. My sister and I were happy that our father felt this way and stood up for us.
My father always said, “Your black eyes are in Baba’s heart.” It was a way that he praised our beauty, and I loved his compliment. Eid’s moments are precious.
I saw you in my dreams
You were coming toward a garden
I thought my dreams were complete
Suddenly you gave the flowers to her
And you forgot I was there
Nancy E. Turner was born in Dallas, Texas and grew up in Southern California and Arizona. She began writing fiction as an assignment for a class at Pima Community College and completed a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts Studies from the University of Arizona in 1999 with a triple major in Creative Writing, Music, and Studio Art. She is the author of four novels; her most recent, “These is My Words” was chosen for One Book Arizona in 2008.“Thank you for allowing me to take part in the Afghan Women’s Writing Project. After a great deal of introspection, I came to this task with some wonder, some curiosity, some fear, but mostly with the conviction that a single thread stretched from one person to another, can build something substantial. It’s been a slow month, but no doubt there are reasons beyond our knowledge. I hope this project continues to reach women across the globe and give them a voice.”
Alexis Wiggins has taught writing to children and adults from New York City to Hong Kong to Doha, Qatar. She is currently writing for education magazines and raising two little boys. She and her family live in Vermont. She welcomes mothers of all stripes to share their stories on the blog Sweet and Sour Mom.
“We began with a short assignment that uses short phrases in noun form to describe each writer’s life, such as: “Snow balls with my younger brother, waiting for warm breads, the little yellow cat.” Some students submitted some work that had carried over from the previous rotation, such as Engilla’s beautiful and sad poem “Ship of Dreams,” and another student, Shakira, used the short-phrase assignment as a springboard for a longer essay she was burning to write. This was my second rotation with AWWP and it is always an honor.”
Donations
Many of our students and women writers, especially outside of Kabul, cannot get to an Internet cafe due to security considerations. A laptop at home and a jump drive would allow them to write their pieces, and then they can ask a male relative to send the work at an Internet cafe.
A $20 donation will buy a flash drive and $500 in donations will buy a laptop for our women writers. No contribution is too small. Thank you, and please contact us with any questions.
The Afghan Women’s Writing Project has filed for non-profit with 501 (c) 3 status. Your donation is tax deductible.
The Afghan Women’s Writing Project was begun as a way to allow the voices of Afghan women – too often silenced – to enter the world directly, without any mediation. This project is possible only because of the outstanding American women authors and teachers who generously donate their time and energy as mentors.
Additionally, the tireless contributions of these volunteers:
Rachel de Baere, Director Neha Bawa, Creative Outreach Coordinator Stefan Cooke, Webmaster and Website Designer Darcy Courteau, Editor Lynn Harris, Public Outreach Coordinator Elisabeth Lehr, Workshop Program Coordinator Jeff Lyons, Creative Outreach Director Leanne K. Moore, Special Events Coordinator Sharni Montgomery, Outreach Director Down Under Susan Postlewaite, Editor Tahmina Popal, Liaison in Afghanistan Kathleen Rafiq and HeidiLevine, Photography
Jordan Schneider, Online Magazine Editing Coordinator Tina Singleton, Liaison in Afghanistan Stephanie Tait, Assistant Creative Outreach Director Valerie Wallace, Editor and Newsletter/Facebook Coordinator
To stay informed about the latest news, events, and other developments with the Afghan Women’s Writing Project, please CLICK below and join our mailing list. We appreciate your support.
