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Seeding Change: Afghanistan Re-Greening Project | |||
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“As a woman I have no country; |
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Establishing Food Gardens for Afghan Families One Family at a Time Introduction Now, thanks to the recently improved political situation, it is possible to envision and implement reconstructive efforts towards rebuilding Afghanistan after decades of occupation, civil conflict, and natural disasters such as the recent drought. These efforts must be addressed to many areas of life and many levels of society in a coordinated, integrated, and comprehensive effort in order to be effective. Examples of such initiatives include the recent partnership between UNESCO and the Afghan government to address literacy issues among both boy and girl students in the country, as well as the high numbers of men and women who are unable to read or write in their own language, which they estimate to be 49% of male and 78% of female adult Afghans. Project Context However, the ReGreening Afghanistan Project assumes an “ecological model” of human interaction, where individual, family, and community as well as the environment ‘s wellbeing are the foundations of a healthy society, as illustrated in the attached flow chart, The Personal and Social Effects of the ReGreening Afghanistan Project. This diagram graphically depicts how this project will impact all areas of personal and social life, in a synergistic and mutually supportive way. A primary emphasis and goal of the project will be to increase reading and writing Literacy of participants in their first language, identified as an urgent need by Unesco, as indicated above. Methods of information and skill dissemination for developing these home gardens will be based on the work of Paulo Freire, the Brazilian educator. Freire’s successful strategy is to use the everyday words of students in a process that helps them learn to read and write in a way that helps them to view themselves as capable of asserting control over their own lives for the wellbeing of their families, communities and environment. The content for the literacy work will be based on discussions of other aspects of personal development (indicated by blue circles) that will be important background and motivation for the gardening work. These include how the garden can support the family in its efforts to attain Nutrition and Wellness, as well as Vocational Training and Employment -- how the garden and what they learn through its establishment can be the basis for generating income through sales of food products, seeds, value-added products, etc. As discovered and shared by pioneer psychologist Abraham Maslow in his famous “hierarchy of needs,” physical health and meaningful work are the two key components of Mental Health and Self-Efficacy, all of which contribute to the development of an increased sense of Cultural Affirmation and Empowerment. The connection between a personal sense of empowerment and mental wellbeing and their positive impact on community health and development has also been demonstrated powerfully in the work of Roger Mills and Elsie Spittle of the Health Realization Institute. This work will also be applied in the development of materials and curricula for this project. As argued in the work of Amartya Sen (in his book Development As Freedom) and other leading economists, individual freedom and development are primary factors in achieving social, political and economic development at community, regional, and national levels. A primary basis of the ReGreening Afghanistan Project is that the economic and cultural outcomes it achieves at the personal and family levels in turn make community-level progress possible, specifically the accomplishment of Environmental Education and the Rebuilding of the Local Infrastructure. As confidence, knowledge, skills, and a sense of hope develop, personal and social accomplishments come together (as indicated on the bottom of the graph), they contribute to Cooperative and Supportive Social Relationships and Community Economic Development -- business partnerships and collaboration, education and training, consumer empowerment -- the re-establishment, growth, and health of the local economic sector. In addition to her lifelong commitment the people of her country, Dr. Parvanta brings a deep grounding in the theory and practice integral to this project, and a wealth of experience to its leadership (see attached resume). She has worked for decades on behalf of the underserved all over the world, in the fields of education, health, personal and community empowerment, and organizational development. She is supported by her community, and is equipped to bring this vision to reality.
This project complements other humanitarian efforts by contributing to
regeneration and healing in a modest personal manner – one family at a time. Preliminary information gathered on-site will be used to design subsequent stages of the project. Once this initial visit and resulting project plan is in place, a second phase will be to invite other NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) such as PARSA (Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan) to collaborate with the ReGreening Afghanistan Project in working with participating families on the goals they have set. Other partners include Permaculture and other agricultural experts and trainers, Ecology Action, Cal-Earth Institute [builds lovely earth homes quickly and inexpensively], Solar Living Institute, Builders Without Borders, the Commonwealth International Institute, the Health Realization Institute, and others who can complement and enhance the skills and offerings of project volunteers and consultants. PARSA, for instance, has already been working successfully in Kabul for the past two decades to provide artificial limbs, training, and economic development support for victims of land mines. Tapping their expertise for families involved in ReGreening Afghanistan could provide a valuable complement to the agricultural production and infrastructure support that are the heart of the project. Another important partner is the CommonWell Institute International, a non profit organization “dedicated to inspiring sustainable leadership for the new century that promotes peace, and that is dedicated in spirit and action to the wellbeing of all citizens of the global village, including women and children.” The third phase of the project’s initial efforts will be the natural replication of its work in other areas of Kabul and other communities, as the positive outcomes of the project are known and requests are received from a second cohort of participant families for assistance and support. Evaluation of the Project The initial outcomes and short-term success of this project will be based on the elements presented at the top of the diagram – Literacy, Nutrition, and Wellness, and Vocational Training and Employment. Therefore, some of the factors that will be measured, include: 1) What participants learn and apply regarding sustainable agriculture
and nutrition; Next Steps Resource Development and Sustainability A seed-drive campaign is collecting seeds and grains (flowers and decorative seeds are also accepted) for this project. Interested individuals, businesses, and local farmers are being contacted. Seeds companies are being approached for donations of untreated bulk seeds. A resource development plan is in the process of being developed, to ensure sustainability of the project after the completion of its initial phase. Tax-deductible contributions for this project may be sent to: Please make checks payable to CommonWell Institute International and Note
“Afghan Project” |
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