School funded by American actress Angelina Jolie benefits girls in eastern Afghanistan

Angelina Jolie

Award winning American Actress and United Nations Goodwill Ambassador had provided $75,000 to build a school in Afghanistan’s eastern province of Nangarhar. The school was recently inaugurated (before the start of the 2010 school year). The school has eight classrooms, four administration buildings, a well and eight latrines. The school can accommodate up to 800 girls in two shifts. Not only is Angelina Jolie known for her success in the American movie industry, she is also known for her many charitable donations, and her concern for children in developing countries.  Click here to read more about this story.

March 16, 2010 · admin · 2 Comments
Posted in: Education, Reconstruction and Development

Another step towards Afghan self sufficiency: Sewing shop puts Afghans to work supporting the National Army

Photos below show Afghan seamstresses preparing flags and uniforms that will be used by the Afghan Military.

See video of the sewing shop:

March 14, 2010 · admin · One Comment
Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy, Job Creation, Reconstruction and Development, Women's Rights

Tour de Pakistan update: Two Afghan cyclists finish in the top 5 – win prize money

Tour de Pakistan logo

Yesterday, the Tour de Pakistan cycle race concluded with two Afghans finishing in the top five. The Tour de Pakistan, modeled after the Tour de France, is a bicycle race race held in Pakistan in which riders cover 1,655 kilometers (1,028 miles). The race began with 62 participants including five Afghan riders. This year, the race began on March 1st in Peshawar and ended on Saturday (March 13th) in Karachi.  Hashmatullah Barakzai of Afghanistan came in third place with a time of  46 hours 16 minutes and 57 seconds. Barakzai impressed spectators for being the only non-Pakistani to finish in the top three. Another Afghan, Imtiaz Hasan, came in fourth place with a time of 46 hours, 17 minutes and 30 seconds. For coming in third, Barakzai received $1000 and Hasan received $750.  The first place winner, Pakistan’s Zahid Gulfam was given $2500.

March 14, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Afghan Sports News

Improvement In Health System: Extension Added To Bamiyan Hospital

Habiba Sorabi and Dr. Ishan Shahir

Earlier this week (March 8th), Afghanistan’s first female governor, Habiba Sorabi,  hosted an opening ceremony on a new extension for Bamiyan Hospital. 

The new extension of the hospital includes a diagnostic lab, a radiology suite, a pharmacy and a tele-medicine facility.  A play area was also put in the pediatric facility. Funding for the project was provided by an agency based in New Zealand.

At the opening ceremony, Dr. Ishan Shahir, Bamiyan’s director of provincial health, said: “This hospital was built with Afghan knowledge and skills providing economic benefits to families and the community, and most importantly healthcare services for the people who need it most”.

Bamiyan province is located in central Afghanistan.

March 11, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Health News, Reconstruction and Development

A Big Week For Education In Afghanistan

Afghanistan's Minister of Education, Faruq Wardak (center), with Japanese officials

On Tuesday, the Japanese government provided Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education with US$ 19.5 Million to promote literacy, particularly in rural villages. 

The ministry will spend the money across 15 different provinces and they say some 300,000 illiterate Afghans will be taught how to read.

Today, local radio is reporting that Ghazni officials have announced the reopening of many girls’ schools in the province.  The officials have said that some 20,000 girls will return to school, and that there are plans to build 25 more schools to educate girls in Afghanistan.

Many Afghan officials believe that in order for Afghanistan’s democracy to survive, and for Afghans to be able to independently and fully self-govern, the population must be educated – both men and women.

Also, check this out:

March 11, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Education, Women's Rights

Shukria Asil and Shafiqa Quraishi of Afghanistan at the the 2010 International Women of Courage Awards event

US First Lady Michelle Obama and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton present the 2010 International Women of Courage Award to Colonel Shafiqa Quraishi of Afghanistan.

Bios:
Shukria Asil
Shafiqa Quraishi

See video of the event:

March 10, 2010 · admin · 2 Comments
Posted in: Women's Rights

New bridge built in Herat province’s Zeerko Valley

The new bridge

Yesterday, Afghan and foreign officials formally inaugurated a new bridge that was built in the Zeerko Valley of Herat province. The new bridge, which is 8 meters wide and 160 meters long, is in the Shindband district (south Herat), bordering Farah province. Afghan officials say that this new bridge is very important for the movement of goods. Shindand district governor, Lal Mohammad Omarzai, says this new bridge will allow people to easily travel to the villages on the opposite side of the river, and it will “also allow transit by road during the winter season, with beneficial impacts on economic and social development and increased security.” The bridge project put many Afghans to work as it was completed by local companies and workers. The funding came from the Italian government.

March 10, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy, Job Creation, Reconstruction and Development

Another village now has electricity!

The video report below shows that electricity is now available to over 200 families in Kadanak village, which is located in Afghanistan’s southwestern province of Farah. Farah lies on the Iranian border.


March 9, 2010 · admin · One Comment
Posted in: Reconstruction and Development

Women’s business center to be built in Herat

Italian official and an Afghan girl (Nazifa Noor Ahmed) lay the foundation stone of the new the Women's Business Center

Yesterday, foreign and Afghan officials attended a foundation stone-laying ceremony for a new 5,489 square feet women’s business center that will be built in Afghanistan’s western province of Herat.  According to a press release received by goodafghanews.com: “The center was donated by the Italian Ministry of Defense and is in cooperation with the Department for Women Affairs, which supports the establishment of a business area dedicated to female entrepreneurship. This will further the role of women as entrepreneurs in Herat province. It will also promote the presence of female personnel into the local entrepreneurial system promoting a role for women as a central element and factor of progress in Afghan society.â€

March 8, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy, Reconstruction and Development, Women's Rights

International Women’s Day

Today (March 8th), is International Women’s Day.  It’s a day to honor and appreciate what the women of Afghanistan have done for our country and a reminder that we must all play our part in the struggle for equality.

Col. Quraishi

No one will give your rights to you as a gift, you have to take them. Who is saying women can’t do anything. We can do everything, anything you want.
– Col. Shafiqa Quarashi,  chief of the Gender and Human Rights Division in the Afghan National Police. (Speech given on Ministry of Interior’s International Women’s Day recognition ceremony March 4, 2010).   Col. Quraishi is also the winner of the 2010 U.S. Dept of State International Women of Courage (IWOC) award.  She won because of her work in integrating women into the Afghan government and police force.

– Afghan Women’s History

– Women’s condition improving in Paktya

– Kunduz’s women traders find new opportunities

This video celebrates the economic, political and social achievements of Afghan women past, present and future.

March 8, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Women's Rights

New roads to Herat airport opened

Governor Nuristani (center) at the opening ceremony

Yesterday, the Governor of Afghanistan’s western province of Herat, Yusuf Nuristani, and the Italian Provincial Reconstruction Team opened two new roads in order to improve transportation to Herat’s airport. The 400-meter asphalt roads are complete with safety barriers and signs. Governor Nuristani, at the end of the ceremony celebrating the opening of the roads, said that this “marks the first important step towards an even more ambitious project that aims internationalization of the Herat Airport”.

March 6, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Reconstruction and Development

Afghan kickboxers win 7 medals!

Kickboxing

Early this week, Afghan kickboxers were honored for winning medals in the Asian Open Kickboxing Championship which was held from February 18-21 at the Balewadi Sports Complex in India.  Overall, the Afghan kickboxers won 7 medals – 5 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze. Close to 500 fighters participating in the event.  Muhammad Zahir Ahghbar, the head of Afghanistan’s National Olympic Committee, told reporters that the government has promised to reward the winners with money – 100,000 afghanis for gold medal winners, 80,000 to for silver medal winners and 50,000 for the bronze medal winners. Contact sports such as boxing and martial arts are very popular in Afghanistan and Afghan athletes have done very well in international competitions.

 Check out the video below showing the highlights from the competition:

March 5, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Afghan Sports News