This is a conversation that I truly wish would get wide attention because what is brought out here is so important for people, especially Americans, to know. The U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan lasted over 20 years, cost over 2500 American lives and likely 100, 000 Afghans. Thousands more on both sides suffered injuries, lost limbs and now suffer from PTSD. It cost American taxpayers over one trillion dollars. It’s important to hear from an Afghan woman the story of Afghanistan, before, during and after this war. What it has meant for women and all the people of this war-torn nation.
Fahima Gaheez, the director of Afghan Women’s Fund, grew up in Afghanistan and from an early age was involved with the women’s rights movement in that country. A chemist by training, she chose to become involved with educational programs for women. She has has been actively involved in consciousness-raising and fundraising for many years. She has addressed the United Nations, has traveled widely to speak at conferences at universities and religious organizations, and has appeared on many national and international television and radio stations.
Since 2002 Fahima has visited Afghanistan to open new schools for girls and literacy classes for women, create income-generating projects for widows to help them become self-sufficient, distribute warm clothing and school supplies to refugees and guide numerous other humanitarian and educational projects like digging wells for clean drinking water and irrigation, building schools and clinics, giving goats and chickens to the widows and helping with their health issues by building clinics and providing medical supplies.
In my conversation with her she tells her personal story of growing up in Afghanistan, working for women’s rights, and what life was like for the Afghan people before even the Russian military occupation. She describes in vivid detail the role of the U.S. government in promoting the fanatic Islamist, Mujahadeen which became the Taliban and the consequences on the ground of the U.S. military campaign and their abrupt withdrawal.
Please scroll down to view links to her work and ways that you can support it. So far, the U.S. government has done nothing to rebuild what it has destroyed. Please consider making a donation, however small, to the Afghan Women’s Fund, and calling your congressional leader to begin addressing the issue of U.S. responsibility.
Fahima is the winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award “for Extraordinary Contribution to Peace and Justice” awarded by the Ann Arundel Peace Action Organization in 2002.
In Dec 2003 she was awarded the “Human Right Community Award” by the UN Association of the National Capital Area”.
In September 2004 she received” Most outstanding volunteer” award from Ann Arundel County.
In April 2005, she received the Salem Award for Human Rights and Social Justice.
In 2007 she received the Soroptmists award.
In Dec 2009 She received the life time achievement ward from Washington Peace Center.
In 2010 she received an honorary Doctor of Laws from Montclair University.
Get Involved: Now, especially, help is needed in Afghanistan. There are currently over 1 million widows desperate to feed their children; many are turning to begging and prostitution, and thousands of children are living on the streets. Most government funds just are not reaching women and children. Grassroots efforts are directly touching lives.
Take Action: Speak out for those whose voices are not being heard. Write to your congressional representative in Washington, D.C. and express your concern about the future of Afghanistan’s women and children. Use the following web sites to find out how to reach your senators and representatives:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
Volunteer Volunteer your time and talent in procuring material and financial donations to meet the needs of the women and children of Afghanistan.
Fahima Gaheez is available to speak to groups and organizations on Afghanistan issues.
For information and to donate: Afghan Women’s Fund
Article about AWF in the Nation magazine: https://www.thenation.com/article/world/afghanistan-women-girls/
Resources for information on Afghanistan:
- Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and bin Laden, from the Soviet Invastion to September 10, 2001 by Steve Coll
2-Afghanistan Untold Story by Elizabeth Gould and Paul Fitzgerald
3-A Military History of Afghanistan by A Jalali
4- The Wrong Enemy: America in Afghanistan By Carlotta Gall
5-Articles by BG Wayand an Afghan journalist and Sonali Kalhatkar an American journalist
6-“Afghan Women: A History of Struggle” documentary by Kathleen Foster