Bpeace in Afghanistan

Before half the team departs on Tuesday morning, here is the entire Bpeace December Mission Team. Standing from left: Marla and Athena. Seated from left: Paula, Kate, Steve and Susan.

In her shop, Bpeace associate Sara displays some of the fashions she created.

In Sara's workroom, a young woman named Masuda works on an electric sewing machine. Sara has a generator to power her machines, a huge benefit because of Kabul's intermittent power supply. Having electric machines instead of hand or foot pedal ones, help make Sara's workers more productive.

It took a village to have a teleconference for Palwasha to complete her interview with Bucknell University today. The team included Marla, Athena, Laila, Palwasha’s mom, two Russian technicians, the Roshan teleconference team, and Mehria recording the whole thing on film. In the end the interview was successfully conducted on a cell phone. Palwasha was a star and pretty in a new shade of pink!

Marla, Kate and Steve began the day with an illuminating meeting with Sara R. at her store. Sara is an emerging designer and apparel manufacturer. The highlight was when Kate gave Sara her own Pantone color fan so she can be sure that there is never a misunderstanding over colors with her wholesale clients. While they were there they did a business assessment and learned that Sara is not interested in pursuing an international market for her goods. Her business is equally split between local Afghans and ex-pats living in Kabul. Katrin Fakiri, her local mentor, is doing a great job in helping Sara understand profit and loss and rationalize her expenses.

Meanwhile Athena met with Neelab to discuss strategies to expand her lagging marketing research business, including setting up informational interviews with ministries, NGOs, and other potential clients. They also filled out Neelab’s Success Map and began her 100 day plan so her mentor, Wendy can follow-up with her over the coming months.

Susan ventured into the world of Afghan journalism visiting the editors of the Cheragh Daily, a newspaper run by Afghan women. They were very interested in Bpeace and we will carefully explore the potential for coverage, as always making sure to protect the security of our associates and our Bpeace mission participants.

Susan set them up with access to PR Newswire's news feed for Journalists. This allows them to receive news releases of interest to Afghanistan.

Paula spent the morning with Bakhtnazira and her workers followed by an afternoon with Sara R. and her team capturing images of a typical work day for Afghan women in the apparel business. On the way home she stopped by the amazing Kabul City Center, the shiniest building in Kabul. A new Kabul is emerging.

Marla had lunch with Katrin Fakiri, who is the director of PARWAZ, a local micro-finance institution. Katrin was open to exploring taking on the role of being a local partner in the Bpeace economic development fund for our associates in Afghanistan.

Across town Kate and Athena were enjoying the best meal of the trip with Kayum Karzai, the brother of Afghanistan’s president and the founder of Afghans for a Civil Society. The main topic of the discussion was Rangina’s future, but Kate and Athena also received an education about the challenges inherent in a culture that has just come through decades of war and insecurity.

Half the team is departing tomorrow – Kate, Steve, and Susan leave Kabul in the dust and head to glistening Dubai and home. They leave conflicted hearts and for the second time Kate thinks they should stay a few months…Steve will return if he can get another film crew gig.