On October 14, 2008 at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice USD, Voices of Women presented an update on Afghanistan, and highlighted the work of the organization VOW supports, AWEC (Afghan Women's Educational Center). 

From left: Bonita Chamberlin, Leena Amadi (AWEC committee),
Carol Clarke, Marty Eberhardt (former VOW director),
Nazi Etemadi, Karla Alvarez (VOW director), Jenni Prisk

The evening began with a 20-minute video of AWEC, narrated by Board Treasurer, Carol Clarke, from the translation from Pashto.  It was inspirational to learn about the work of the organization that VOW has supported for two years.  Our featured speakers were:  Nazi Etemadi, a Kabul native, and Bonita Chamberlin, a peace activist in Afghanistan for 30 years. Nazi explained that 60% of the population in Afghanistan today is women, as most of the men have been killed.  Most are illiterate.  The Taliban have forced women to stay at  home, and if they didn't they were shot or imprisoned. However, from 2001 there has been some progress for women; they have some civil rights and in 2004 were granted equal rights with men, and the right to vote. Afghan women living abroad can play a significant role in assisting women in their country. Two examples:  $50 per month provides tent schools; water tankers can be sent to the refugee camps.  (The AjA Project collaborated with VOW at this event, and set up photos of Afghanistan refugees in the IPJ Rotunda.)

Bonita Chamberlin delivers approximately 100 speeches about Afghanistan each year.  The Taliban had already been in power for 5 years before the world took notice.  Afghanistan has always been a melting pot of diverse nationalities and cultures. In the 15th Century, a queen ruled Afghanistan. The Lapis Trade Route was strong from 2500-1600 BC.  Bonita first went to Afghanistan in 1976 to work with the people.  30 years of wars has raped the country and left land mines across all the terrain which makes farming and agriculture impossible in some areas because of the danger. in 1982, the first gems were uncovered which the Afghanistan women polish and fashion into jewelry.  Bonita sells this jewelry worldwide and sends the funds back to the country.  Women also play roles in agriculture; grapes grow wild so there is good raisin harvesting.  Bonita has been working in East Afghanistan on the construction of irrigation channels. The Taliban will not come to the table to talk.  There is no coordination among the NGOs on the ground, and the Taliban is trying to take over Afghanistan again.  The West put them in power, then discovered their fundamentalism.  The Madrassi schools are brainwashing the young boys and the Koran is interpreted as the Taliban sees fit to do so.  The people are hungry for education.  Bonita  emphasized that we must all continue to raise awareness of the situation in Afghanistan.  "A river is made one drop at a time." (Afghan proverb).