Shelter Now Germany e.V.Waisenhausdamm 4 38100 Braunschweig

SHELTER-NEWS Summer 2013

Hope for Afghanistan and Pakistan

Shelter Now Germanye.V.

Waisenhausdamm 438100 Braunschweig

fon + 49 (0) 531 88 53 95 7fax + 49 (0) 531 88 53 95 9

info@shelter.dewww.shelter.de

Dear Friends and Partners of Shelter Now

Afghanistan after 2014? How do Afghans living in Afghanistan see their future?Learn more about this in our summer Shelter-Report!

Who still doesn‘t have their own well in Afghanistan? Sponsoring a well is a brilliant idea!

Education – the most sustainable investment in Afghanistan‘s future: Sponsorship for our school children

and more inside - a report on a recent trip

Best wishesUdo Stolte and the Shelter Team

SHELTER-ReportSHELTER-Report

“There are no Taliban in our village. We have never had anything to do with the Taliban!” was the response of the village elder when asked about the future of the country after 2014.I was not satisfied with the reply and went a step further by asking him what he would do if the Taliban regained power. His reaction left no room for doubt: “We would never tolerate that!”

Sponsoring a Well (Project nr. 6402)

One morning we set off to inspect one of our well projects. In that particular area it has proven difficult to construct wells due to the rocky terrain. Simply digging a well was impossible; we required expensive drilling equipment. I was told in no uncertain terms that the drilling company would only come if they had to drill at least 50 meters, at a cost of 80 euros (approx. 100 US$) per meter, making it an expensive project. But there was an urgent need. The only well, located in the village mosque, did not provide nearly enough drin-king water. Villagers were obliged to drink from the nearby stream, which resulted in frequent illnesses.

When we arrived in the village the drill was already in position. The compressor was missing, however, and “Inshallah” (translated here as ‘perhaps’) was due to arrive within the four hours. We were not able to wait that long, knowing full well it could also mean‚ the day after tomorrow‘. The workers mounted the drill bit and showed me – and for the camera - how it worked. I fil-med everything. At around 11 a.m. we were asked if we would like to stay for a meal. As prescribed in the local culture I declined the invitation, fully aware of the fact that there was no way out for visitors like us coming to a village in the morning. The game continued with them asking us if we couldn‘t at least have tea together. I reluctantly agreed, adding that we would have to be on our way immediately afterwards. They escorted us to the places of honor in the “Hudsch‘ra” (the house for guests), where they promptly set “the table” for us (a wipe-clean tablecloth on the ground). The prepared meal was quickly served and, as is the custom, we ate enthusiastically in order to avoid offending our hosts. The food was extremely fatty as usual, swimming in oil, thus honoring to guest. It tasted good at the time (the regrets came later....). There was as always a lot to talk about during the meal and I asked them what Afghans thought about their future once the foreign troops had left. I frequently ask Afghans this question when we get into conversation because of my genuine interest in their opinion. In our

Sponsoring schoolchildren (Project no. 6210) The “Helping Hands” elementary school has around 100 pupils; 50 girls and 50 boys. Our monthly running costs amount to 2,000 euros (2575 US$) or 20 euros (26 US$) per child. From time to time new materials have to be purchased. So we reckon with a sponsorship per child of 25 euros (32 US$) a month. Sponsors are sent a photo with the name of the child and a short thank you letter every few months. A response to this letter is voluntary.You can send the donation by arranging a standing order with your bank with the note, “Sponsorship Schoolchildren”. You can end the sponsorship at any time without stating reasons. Of course, the money does not go to a particular child but rather to the school project as a whole, from which each child then benefits.

Drilling a well

Hope for Afghanistan and Pakistan

country so much nonsense is told about this issue and also publicized. Hardly any journalists that write on this matter know the country and its people first hand. And when they do visit Afghanistan they remain in Kabul or in the military camps because. For security reasons they do not venture to the villages.

Mind you, the answers you get from Afghans anyway are not very satisfactory: If you ask five Afghans you get seven different answers. Nevertheless, there are clear trends:Many young people who have been able to enjoy work and training opportunities in recent years fear the return of ultra conservative forces to the govern-ment, and the resulting restrictions –for the female population in particular. Many older people comment

somewhat fatalistically: “We have survived the Rus-sians, the Mudschaheddin, the Taliban – we will also survive the next era, whatever form it takes.”

We just don’t know what the situation in the country will be like after 2014, but we are hoping, of course, for a positive political development that will facilitate our work. There is simply still so much to do.A few days later I was able to visit the well in its completed state. It was already providing wonderful-ly clear, healthy drinking water. Later, the villagers themselves will construct a reservoir.I viewed a further successful well in the province of Badakhshan near the city of Faizabad, close to the place where a German GIZ employee (The German Society for International Cooperation) had been ab-ducted a few days earlier. The flight to Faizabad in a small single-engine Kodiac was rather bumpy due to the fall wind at the edge of the mountain range we had to cross. Unfortunately, the uncertain security situation did not allow us to visit Sa-ran village. It would have been impossible anyway since heavy rains had made the narrow mountain roads extremely slippery.

The Center for the Deaf

has a new class. Seven young boys and girls have now been coming for several weeks and are keen to learn not only the sign language, but also writing, reading and sums. It’s a lot of fun to watch them. (Project nr. 6202)

The Elementary school

is again overwhelming: Boys and girls welcomed me with exuberant joy. The young teacher, who gives afternoon lessons to the English project group, had heard that I was in the school. She came by and in a somewhat accusing manner asked me where I had been for so long; that I had promised to come back and teach in the fall; that her girl pupils had been continually asking her when I would come, and that We are not planning to terminate our activities.

with a sickle. This herbage is an excellent concentra-ted feed for domestic animals; any surpluses can easi-ly be sold. In addition, it greatly improves the quality of the soil for later crops.I went into a very clean supermarket and found the produce of the women on one of the shelves: carrot marmalade, pickles and other homemade delicacies. I am delighted that the women take care of everything themselves - from cultivation to marketing. It is a small beginning but gives hope for the future. Sad to say, there is a lack of finance for both the cooperative and the dental clinic. These are wonderful and hel-pful projects. It would a great pity if we had to shut them down.

Again I have run out of space to share all that I experienced on my trip; e.g. our work among the Kuchi, who are increa-singly in the process of abandoning their semi-nomadic way of life. Or the projects we were recently able to carry out in the flood areas of Pakistan again. More on that later. Please take a look at our website where from time to time something new appears: www.shelter.dePeople in Afghanistan and Pakistan never grow tired of expressing their thanks. Neither do we: Our sincere thanks to all our donors and supporters of our work.

Kindest regards,

Udo Stolte and the Shelter Team

I had promised to teach them English songs next time I came… I had forgotten all about it. So I had to return in the afternoon to give an English lesson. One of our staff provided a guitar and we started with: “Hello, hello, hello, good morning to you ..” Not exactly the right time of the day, but it was a simple song. Then: “What’s your name?” in which all had to sing their own names. Everyone really enjoyed it, and after the song “This is the day….” the lesson was over - far too quickly.Since last summer the school had lost its funding. The former donor is himself involved in another project in Afghanistan. We have, however, already found gene-rous German sponsors who have education in Afgha-nistan on their hearts. Two of them have even taken on the funding of a whole class. So we have been able to carry on as before. Half the necessary support was still missing though. What should we do?I spoke to the school director about our plan to expand the sponsorship. She agreed right away that the school children should write a short letter or draw a picture every few months to send to the sponsors in Germany. If they or the sponsors own children wish to, they can send a short reply. I wonder if we are going to find enough sponsors (or families) that will join in. (Project no. 6210)

In Herat...

...spring was already half gone. It was almost 30°C and the men and women at the cooperative in Saodat were hard at work. They were painstakingly reaping alfalfa