Difference between Wilf and a FATA Child
“The West must see the death of a FATA child the same way they see my 3‑year-old son Wilf.” Said Clive Stanford Smith, the legal director of the UK-based non-profit, Reprieve in Waziristan Grand Jirga Islamabad, Pakistan last month.
read more »Two Young Afghans Join the Taliban
All names in this real story are unreal. Sexual Harassment Basir, who lived with his extended family in a little village 20 KM outside Jalalabad city, raped his sister-in-law. The victim, Shinkai, finally told her husband and the rest of her in-laws at home after spending two long days going over it in her head. She shared it with them so that they would punish Basir for his unforgivable crime. Nobody in the family believed her and everybody thought that…
read more »Challenges for Business in Remote Afghanistan
This is a photo studio in the remote province on Bamyan, in central Afghanistan. Since they are far away from major cities and the capital Kabul, they have developed skills that can help them fix problems of their equipment and machines that they are using without having to travel and bring their broken machines with them. For example, this photo studio owner fixes his own photocopier and printer when there is any small problems with it. If they need to…
read more »Hindrance to My Progress
After spending a week and a half in Bamyan city and training Bamyan University students, the professors and a few workers from Shuhada aid and relief organization in tech tools and mapping and Crowdmapping programs and applications, it’s time to go back and participate in the Islamabad Innovation Lab initiated by Internews in Islamabad, Pakistan. I was invited to the innovation lab by the Internews, Afghanistan. We have purchased tickets and our flight is on October 24th, 2011. The actual…
read more »Things that Make Me Fall in Love with Bamyan
The amazing and natural beauty of Bamyan city The happy and playful kids of Bamyan The extremely friendly and helpful people And most importantly, the stunning smile of these people. When Hazaras smile, their eyes look amazingly beautiful!
read more »Heading Back to Kabul
Today is my 11th day here in Bamyan. It’s 8:35 in the morning and a beautiful day here. I have packed everything and sitting on my bed in my hotel room. I am leaving for the airport in half an hour. When my colleague and I were coming to Bamyan we booked round trip tickets with Partners in Aviation and Communications Technology (Pactec). They have flight to Bamyan on Sundays and Wednesdays. The problem is that I am going to…
read more »From Bamyan with Love
This is a convenience store owner right across from Bamyan University. Drinking tea in his “Love” glass.
read more »Fun with the Screamers at the City of Scream
Last Friday, Una and I went to Shahr-e-Gholghola which means the city of scream in Dari. It’s a beautiful old city ruins on top of a hill with a wonderful view of the whole city of Bamyan. We hiked to the very top of the hill and met a family. An old man came to visit Shahr-e-Gholghola with his children. He was a policeman who was stationed on top of this hill a few years earlier. Then on our way…
read more »Shahr-e-Gholghola-The City of Screams
From the plaque: Shahr-e-Gholghola (“City of Screams”) is a fortified urban site dating from late Sassanian (6th c. AD) through to the Ghorid period (12th-13th CC.). The citadel on this hill site was the heart of the Islamic city of Bamyan following the decline of Buddhism here from the 8th century AD. Shahr-e-Gholghola is believed to have been destroyed by the Mongols under Genghis Khan, who invaded it in 1221 and massacred all the inhabitants. The site’s name is said to…
read more »Presentation to BU Staff and the Students
When my colleagueUna and I arrived in Bamyan University (BU hereafter), we met with the deputy chancellor of the university in the afternoon since the chancellor had been to Kabul for his health checkup. As I explained in my earlier blog, we did a needs assessment survey of BU back in April of this year and then we were able to raise some funds for their internet, solar power and computer labs facilities. We arrived here on October 12th, 2011.…
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