Spring is Beginning to blossom In the mountains of central Asia. And here in United States we are finalizing our preparations for another year.
Our project is still active and trainings are ongoing, even despite the recent unrest in Badakhshan Province, Tajikistan. Planning has taken on a new urgency as I am soon to be traveling to do our first full scale assessment of our First two years of operations.
We've reported over 70 small businesses started employing over 100 people In this very economically stagnant area. Now is the time to interview these businesses to see what we did well and what we can do better.
It is our intention to expand our scope in the region and perhaps launch a second office to double our impact.
Some ask why there is a need For another organization. To that I say there is a need for another idea in the marketplace. NGOs and organizations the world around have had a catastrophic failure to impact and change the very things that they are attempting to change. Either we should quit entirely or if we are optimistic which I am we need to dramatically change the way things are done to assist the poor around the world.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Sunday, January 1, 2012
2012
A ginormous THANK YOU!! to all who have helped us make a difference this year.
2011 was a huge year for us. We opened our first Tajikistan office, we drew up training plans, we filed for IRS tax exempt status, we hired, we recruited, and we are beginning to see the first fruits of the seeds so carefully planted.
That said, I am looking to 2012 with even more excitement, apprehension, and pause. Some bold action will be needed and the plans laid in 2011 have set a challenging course.
This year we will review, adapt, and multiply our Tajikistan project from our one office to three. This will require much time and careful consideration. To train additional personnel will demand patience, wisdom, and a great deal of clarity. It will be a very sensitive process. Small mistakes will have a lasting impact on hundreds of lives.
I will also begin recruiting an Afghan organization to run our first project in Afghanistan. This assessment and negotiation will be vital to our work across the border. Much will ride on how effective my ability to read people and situations is. This will be even more challenging due to my limited experience in the area. The only upside is that there really isn't anyone who really understands how to work over there period, which is why we are determined to fumble our way through it.
With all of these challenges, with all of these obstacles, some could advise us to pull back or delay the plans. But poverty is not delayed, the hungry do not forget their hunger. Others do not have the luxury of time. I don't know how it will all work together, but I trust that it will.
I hope that you will consider allowing our vision to become your vision. If you are in the Pittsburgh area, please give me a call at the number posted on togetherforabetterlife.org under contact. I would love to do coffee and share adventures, dangers, as well as heartwarming moments from Tajikistan and Afghanistan.
Our greatest needs in 2012-
1. Approximately (no official budget yet.. soon though) $12,000 by late June
2. An experienced director to oversee our Tajikistan/Afghanistan projects
3. A growing number of interested followers of our work.
2011 was a huge year for us. We opened our first Tajikistan office, we drew up training plans, we filed for IRS tax exempt status, we hired, we recruited, and we are beginning to see the first fruits of the seeds so carefully planted.
That said, I am looking to 2012 with even more excitement, apprehension, and pause. Some bold action will be needed and the plans laid in 2011 have set a challenging course.
This year we will review, adapt, and multiply our Tajikistan project from our one office to three. This will require much time and careful consideration. To train additional personnel will demand patience, wisdom, and a great deal of clarity. It will be a very sensitive process. Small mistakes will have a lasting impact on hundreds of lives.
I will also begin recruiting an Afghan organization to run our first project in Afghanistan. This assessment and negotiation will be vital to our work across the border. Much will ride on how effective my ability to read people and situations is. This will be even more challenging due to my limited experience in the area. The only upside is that there really isn't anyone who really understands how to work over there period, which is why we are determined to fumble our way through it.
With all of these challenges, with all of these obstacles, some could advise us to pull back or delay the plans. But poverty is not delayed, the hungry do not forget their hunger. Others do not have the luxury of time. I don't know how it will all work together, but I trust that it will.
I hope that you will consider allowing our vision to become your vision. If you are in the Pittsburgh area, please give me a call at the number posted on togetherforabetterlife.org under contact. I would love to do coffee and share adventures, dangers, as well as heartwarming moments from Tajikistan and Afghanistan.
Our greatest needs in 2012-
1. Approximately (no official budget yet.. soon though) $12,000 by late June
2. An experienced director to oversee our Tajikistan/Afghanistan projects
3. A growing number of interested followers of our work.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Lives changed
We set out to help people to start small businesses in some of the poorest areas of the world and we are already succeeding. Because of your support our first office is functioning in Tajikistan.
5 families have started small businesses and three or four men are staying in Tajikistan instead of moving back to Russia. We are already instrumental in keeping families together and helping men to provide for their loved ones.
That money will be going to buy food and to heat their homes this winter. I am so proud of what we have accomplished and it's exciting to think that this is only the beginning.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Back in Pennsylvania
Hey everyone. I am indeed well and back at home. Our board and I are busy taking care of a backlog of work and are beginning the planning of the next few years. We are trying to take our time and really think everything through. Thanks to all who made this project lift off the ground. We're up and now we're watching everything closely.
PS- We got our first monthly report and we're going over it now.
PS- We got our first monthly report and we're going over it now.
Getting Back...
My head bounced against the headrest as I waited for the cabin crew to shut the aircraft door. I was zoned out tired and more than that I was emotionally drained from the six weeks in Tajikistan. I love it and everyone, but I was also glad to be heading to Europe. I was so tired that the minutes before they closed the door seemed to drag on into tens of minutes, then to over an hour.
I was drifting in and out of consciousness when a man stood up and began screaming. The cabin door was still open. It was my first indication that something unusual was going on. We were still on the tarmac, the door was still open, and the angry Tajik man was suddenly surrounded by flight attendants. There were other people standing up too. I decided to keep my head down and lessen my profile, but my ears were up.
I began to look around me. There was an English woman next to me, late 20's. She had been talking to another girl ahead of me in that distinct British accent. I hadn't uttered a word disguising my nationality. I was just watching. I couldn't help but become a little nervous.
Four of the men angrily grabbed their bags and shuffled off the plane, pushing their way forcefully past the also yelling flight attendants. Others were nervous and uncertain, but they remained in their seats. When the plane had cleared of the men a silence fell on us all. The tension was pretty thick. Some whispered worriedly. The captain got on the intercom. It was in Russian and Tajik. I listened in on the two girls as they were talking and they pieced together that there was fuel coming out of the wing of the plane. That seemed bad to me.
The flight attendants had us get up and claim our carry-on bags. I thought that we were getting off the plane. With a fuel leak the flight crew's priority is our safety right? After waiting 10 minutes we were told to replace our bags. Nothing happened. Finally the captain got on the intercom again. He spoke in Tajik, Russian, and English. There was a slight fuel leak from the wing so they were following procedures. No problem, we'll be taking off in 10 minutes. I checked my watch and noted that we had already been sitting, dripping fuel for an hour and a half.
First, I must say that I was impressed that there was a procedure for a plane that's leaking fuel to take off. I was interested and so were those around me about such procedures. Eight uniformed military men stood about 40 yards away and were looking concernedly at the plane. This went on for another half hour with no noticeable action. Finally a man with a yellow plastic bucket came out and put it under the wing of the 737. The plan became evident, a bucket and patience.
45 minutes later they shut the cabin door and a vehicle began to drag the plane away from the puddle of jet fuel on the tarmac. Then they began the safety briefing by helping us to look for the safety exits. The whole situation was absurd enough to make me laugh. When the woman next to me asked if we should be concerned I said, "I don't think so."
We took off, we didn't blow up, and we landed 4 hours late. I was glad to be alive and glad to be in Europe.
I was drifting in and out of consciousness when a man stood up and began screaming. The cabin door was still open. It was my first indication that something unusual was going on. We were still on the tarmac, the door was still open, and the angry Tajik man was suddenly surrounded by flight attendants. There were other people standing up too. I decided to keep my head down and lessen my profile, but my ears were up.
I began to look around me. There was an English woman next to me, late 20's. She had been talking to another girl ahead of me in that distinct British accent. I hadn't uttered a word disguising my nationality. I was just watching. I couldn't help but become a little nervous.
Four of the men angrily grabbed their bags and shuffled off the plane, pushing their way forcefully past the also yelling flight attendants. Others were nervous and uncertain, but they remained in their seats. When the plane had cleared of the men a silence fell on us all. The tension was pretty thick. Some whispered worriedly. The captain got on the intercom. It was in Russian and Tajik. I listened in on the two girls as they were talking and they pieced together that there was fuel coming out of the wing of the plane. That seemed bad to me.
The flight attendants had us get up and claim our carry-on bags. I thought that we were getting off the plane. With a fuel leak the flight crew's priority is our safety right? After waiting 10 minutes we were told to replace our bags. Nothing happened. Finally the captain got on the intercom again. He spoke in Tajik, Russian, and English. There was a slight fuel leak from the wing so they were following procedures. No problem, we'll be taking off in 10 minutes. I checked my watch and noted that we had already been sitting, dripping fuel for an hour and a half.
First, I must say that I was impressed that there was a procedure for a plane that's leaking fuel to take off. I was interested and so were those around me about such procedures. Eight uniformed military men stood about 40 yards away and were looking concernedly at the plane. This went on for another half hour with no noticeable action. Finally a man with a yellow plastic bucket came out and put it under the wing of the 737. The plan became evident, a bucket and patience.
45 minutes later they shut the cabin door and a vehicle began to drag the plane away from the puddle of jet fuel on the tarmac. Then they began the safety briefing by helping us to look for the safety exits. The whole situation was absurd enough to make me laugh. When the woman next to me asked if we should be concerned I said, "I don't think so."
We took off, we didn't blow up, and we landed 4 hours late. I was glad to be alive and glad to be in Europe.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Sept. 11th
On September 11th I took off on the road to Dushanbe spending 8 hours along the border of Afghanistan. Like most Americans I couldn't help but to think back 10 years to the events that led to our involvement in Afghanistan as a country.
I remember that I had just graduated high school and getting ready to go off to college. I watched the news with everyone else in shock and horror. I never thought that I would end up in Afghanistan helping the same kind of people that had done this to our country. Back then I didn't know the difference between Shia and Sunni, and certainly was in the dark about Pashtus and Tajiks. It's been a growing decade for me and I hope to have many more of my oversimplifications and biases replaced with compassion and real knowledge.
Before leaving there was a whirlwind of things to get done. Unfortunately, the teacher that had helped me pass out the letters to the students told me to come back Saturday. That was unfortunate because their school was closed Saturday and my many phone calls to the director weren't answered for unknown reasons.
Having had the opportunity to meet and now work with Abdul Nazar, our business adviser, I must say that I am very impressed with his desire to help his people and to make a genuine difference in the region. I count us lucky to have a man of such character and love working with us.
I remember that I had just graduated high school and getting ready to go off to college. I watched the news with everyone else in shock and horror. I never thought that I would end up in Afghanistan helping the same kind of people that had done this to our country. Back then I didn't know the difference between Shia and Sunni, and certainly was in the dark about Pashtus and Tajiks. It's been a growing decade for me and I hope to have many more of my oversimplifications and biases replaced with compassion and real knowledge.
Before leaving there was a whirlwind of things to get done. Unfortunately, the teacher that had helped me pass out the letters to the students told me to come back Saturday. That was unfortunate because their school was closed Saturday and my many phone calls to the director weren't answered for unknown reasons.
Having had the opportunity to meet and now work with Abdul Nazar, our business adviser, I must say that I am very impressed with his desire to help his people and to make a genuine difference in the region. I count us lucky to have a man of such character and love working with us.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Our First Day
On Sunday we climbed into a car and began heading for a village up the valley where we were going to be doing a presentation on starting small businesses. When we arrived the men were also gathering for the presentation. The small room was decorated and cozy but it was still minimal in a way that reminded us that we were out in the villages. The men sat down and Masrur began to introduce our organization and the project that we were doing, inviting the men to come down to the office if they have any further questions.With that he turned over the meeting to Abdul Nazar, our first Business Adviser who began presenting a shortened form of our main presentation. The men listened intently as Abdul Nazar spoke about risk and business and how to minimize the risk of investments. He explained in simple terms the crucial components of a business, a product, a place, a price, and promotion. Explaining these important ideas as well as a number of others in simple and practical ways has been the goal of our trainings. The men asked questions and were attentive to the answers.
Afterwards, because it was our first presentation and it was in the village of Masrur's family we moved over to the corner of the room where food was being laid out. Over potatoes and fish we continued the discussion as many of the men wanted to hear more ideas about potential businesses that could work in the area. It was all very exciting to see the men wanting to work and to improve their community.
In true Pamiri style we traveled back to open our office with a ribbon cutting. It was truly Pamiri, because another large meal was laid out a mere hour after eating in the village. We laughed and celebrated as we cut the ribbon and sat down to eat and talk. Masrur was about to head out of town for 2 weeks on a trip to Bangladesh and we were happy to have one more time to talk and go over plans.
With all the excitement and progress it comes shadowed in the fact that my time here in Badakhshan is drawing to a close. Next week I will be flying out of Tajikistan and will not be returning until next summer, to review and improve the project and hopefully expand it. I have decided to leave a few things here so that I would not have to carry them back and forth each time, it feels good to do that. I feel like it makes Badakhshan my second home, even if it is just some clothes, a backpack, and some powdered juice packets.
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