Magazine
The Women's Crusade
By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF and SHERYL WuDUNN
Published: August 23, 2009

The liberation of women could help solve many of the worldâ's problems, from poverty to child mortality to terrorism.
Read more here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/23/magazine/23Women-t.html

Read Andeisha's story here:
http://knowledgenetwork.thunderbird.edu/walker/2009/07/30/andeisha

CharityHelp International (CHI) is using the power of communication technologies and the Internet to assist individuals and organizations in the most challenging of developing nations.

Like Afghanistan.

"By combining several available technologies and services such as mobile data communications, mobile banking, and others with 'tele-mentoring,' CHI is creating a self-reinforcing process that can accelerate sustainable development," says Paul Stevers, CharityHelp International's founder and president.

You can view the video outlining this potential here.

CharityHelp: An Electronic Bridge to Kids in Need

We have started a "WishList" on Amazon.com for the Networking and Support Project. The books listed on the wishlist have been requested by the participants in Afghanistan. You can help today see CharityHelp International Networking and Support Program's Profile

We teach our children:

Recognition of these basic principles and values:

- Everyone must respect all human beings regardless of language, religion, race, sex, color, etc.
- There is no difference between people; no human being is superior to any other because of class, color, language, race, or religion.
- All human beings do not have to think alike or live the same way.
- It's to the benefit of society that all human beings live in peace, understanding, and harmony.

Religious Tolerance:

- Respect all religions and their followers.
- Understand that followers of all religions can live in harmony and peace.
- Do not discriminate against the followers of religious sects different from your own.
- Understand that religion is a private matter that cannot be forced on anyone else and nobody should be allowed to misuse it for any end, it must be kept separated from politics.
- Do not allow criminals in the future to dare to commit crimes in the name of religion, as did the Jahadis and Taliban.

Ethnic Tolerance:

- Respect all ethnic groups in Afghanistan.
- No ethnic group is superior to any other and no one should be allowed to look down on others.
- All members of all ethnic groups have the right to speak their own languages.
- Respect for each language means respect for the culture of those people who live in different regions and cities.
- Prevent ethnic divisions and the kind of conflicts that, unfortunately, today have reached their peak because it is practiced by the criminal fundamentalists.
- To know the history of their own and other countries and about those who sacrificed their lives for freedom; set them as an example for themselves.

Gender Tolerance:

- No human being is better than any other because of gender; contrary to the belief of the fundamentalists who treat our women as cattle and represent them as mentally deficient.
- Avoid any kind of behavior that promotes gender apartheid.
- Invalidate antiquated myths stories or poetry wrapped with religious, traditional or cultural reasons that portray women as powerless and less equal than men.

Handicapped:

- Respect all people who have infirmity, whether physical, mental, or emotional.
- Promote a good relationship with the handicapped, and promote their involvement in society.
- Respect and promote the right of all children to live in harmony.

Environmental Sensitivity:

- Save mother earth with all its richness.
- Avoid using items that pollute the environment.
- Teach that animals have a right to live and avoid wanton killing; don't kill them except for food purposes.
- Do not injure animals.
- Preserve animals that are endangered or threatened species.
- Preserve trees and jungles and don't pollute the air and water.
- A culture of peace is not possible if it does not promote conservation of the environment.

Violence:

- Avoid harsh treatment of human beings and animals.
- Recognize the causes of anger and actively try to help diminish the causes.
- Never hurt any human being who is not going to hurt you.
- Recognize the execution and killing of human beings as unacceptable and cruel.
- Avoid words, programs, toys, entertainment, and movies that promote and glorify violence and anger.
- Promote an understanding that anger and the exercise of violence is not the first and only way of solving problems.

Core Values of Life:

- Encourage a respect for the value of life and implement them in their lives.
- Honesty, decency, simplicity, unity, love, patience, responsibility, happiness, respect, and help for others are the values of life that should be inculcated and practiced routinely by everyone.
- Encourage eagerness in understanding the ideas of others.

Family Values:

- Encourage respect for one's own family and those of others.
- Promote the understanding that everyone, regardless of where they live (suburb, city, or our country), is part of the bigger family that we all belong to.
- Respect the wisdom and dignity of the elders in every family.

Partnership Values:

- Encourage listening to the ideas of others.
- Respect teamwork and focus on the success of common goals.
- Engage in the activities of others and involve others in one's own activities.
- Avoid unilateral decision-making and imposing one's will on the majority.
- Should not allow themselves to make decisions individually and impose them on others.

Freedom Values:

- Promote respect for the difference between human beings and an understanding that all human beings don't have to think alike.
- Avoid pre judgment.
- Avoid anything that damages and debases the values of human beings.
- Respect freedom of thought and avoid imposing one's ideas on others arbitrarily.
- Respect the freedom of all human beings.
- That freedom has real meaning only with justice and democracy.
- Teach the idea that freedom doesn't exist without justice.

Individual rights:

- Encourage an understanding of one's own rights.
- Understand human rights and respect them.

Peace Values:

- Encourage work for world peace and make peace a priority over conflict.
- Exercise love for human beings.
- Promote peace by learning other countries' cultures, and learn that living in peace and harmony is the only right way for human beings.
- Understand that peace will come to our country only when there is no sign of Jahadi/Talibi fundamentalists as military, terrorist and troublemaker force.
- To never let Afghanistan, which today has become a field for dogfighting and bloodbaths, be a place for the monster like fundamentalists, Parchami and Khalqi traitors.

Learn More at www.afceco.org

Sunday, October 12, 2008--In the province of Bamian, women are uprooting traditional gender roles by taking up leadership positions.

View the NY Times Video here:  http://video.on.nytimes.com/?fr_story=961ff7a9192db5ee206fa770b6154d586f1cc886