Gretchen Alther, of partner organization UUSC, recently visited the Barakat community in Pakistan to meet with flood victims we helped last fall. Check out Gretchen's blog to learn more about her trip!
What's New at Barakat
Barakat Connects Young Women Around the World
When seventeen-year-old Molly Friedman discovered how difficult it is for a young Afghan woman to get an education, she knew she had to help. Raised in a small coastal town north of Boston, Molly explained that “problems like these are known but not elaborated on.”
In order to address this issue, Molly decided to host a fundraiser to benefit Barakat’s Girls Scholarship Program, aiming to both increase awareness within her community and raise money for one of Barakat’s students. With the help of thirty classmates at her high school, Molly planned and organized “An Acoustic Afternoon,” a benefit concert featuring local bands and a raffle for food and prizes. In addition to students and parents, many community members attended the event, which was held on a crisp, fall day.
New Country Director for Barakat Afghanistan
Barakat is excited to welcome Aaq Mohammad as the new Country Director in Afghanistan. Since graduating from high school in 1999, Mohammad has worked as a teacher and principal at several schools, including Barakat’s Mullah Kareem Nazar School in Faryab Province.
As Country Director, Mohammad will continue to work hard to improve and develop Barakat’s programs in Afghanistan. His goal is to help more women and children become literate.
“I really hope that Barakat Afghanistan can provide a circumstance in which the poor people of Afghanistan, especially women, can study, learn, and continue their lives in prosperous conditions,” said Mohammad.
And So We Ring in the New Year
As one of the most ancient holidays, the start of the New Year is a time for people to come together with family and friends, reflect on the past year and look forward to the future. While most cultures ring in the New Year on January 1, many people in South and Central Asia celebrate this special occasion at other times during the year.
In Afghanistan, Pakistan and other parts of South Asia, the New Year is known as Nowruz, which means “New Day” in Persian. Nowruz celebrations, once banned under Taliban rule in Afghanistan, start on the first day of spring and continue for two weeks.
More Articles...
Page 9 of 30