Barren, Mine-filled Desert Brought To Life

In 2005, Sheikh Misri, located near Jalalabad in Afghanistan’s eastern province of Nangarhar was known as a barren land littered with land mines and unexploded ordnances. Today, after a lot of handwork and cooperation from the United Nations, the Afghan government, international aid agencies and provide donors, one can clearly see the major improvements that have been made and the fact that life has become a lot easier for the residents of this area. A report released today by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) states that, “United Nations-supported Mine Action Coordination Centre for Afghanistan (MACCA) has cleared 1,257,937 square metres of landmine-hazard area, destroyed 69 anti-vehicles and anti-personnel mines and 1,816 unexploded ordnance (UXOs).” The report further states that, “Now, this otherwise lifeless desert has been a home to about 2,500 families…” There is bus service, a school, a clinic, a 20-bed hospital has almost been completed, and much more construction projects are scheduled. This is a great example of everyone getting together and doing the right thing for the people of Afghanistan. For more on this story, click here.

Photos of Sheikh Misri (courtesy of UNAMA), click on image to enlarge.

     

February 17, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy, Reconstruction and Development

Support For Educational Radio & Television

UNESCO Logo

The government of Italy and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have agreed to provide funding worth US$ 1 million today for a project that will support educational radio & television in Afghanistan.  According to a report released today by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), “the project will enhance the distance learning initiative as one of the priorities of the Ministry of Education highlighted in National Education Strategic Plan NESP II (2010-2014). Considering the physical burdens and lack of accessibility, especially in the winter season, the efficient use of audio-visual medium in the distance learning context will greatly help to gain access to more teachers in the rural areas of Afghanistan.”

February 17, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Education, Reconstruction and Development

Afghans Rehabilitating The Kohsan Canal

Afghan laborers were busy today rehabilitating the Kohsan canal in Afghanistan’s western province of Herat.  More than 150 people from 18 different villages were helping to clean up the canal.  A total of 46 villages will benefit from the flow of water from the cleaned-up canal.

The following photos were taken by Eric Kanalstein who works for United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). Click on the image to enlarge.

     

February 16, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy, Environmental Issues, Job Creation, Reconstruction and Development

Winning streak continues for Afghan cricket team

Mohammad Shahzad

Today, at the One Day International Series (ODI), Afghanistan 289 for 6 (Shahzad 118, Ali 114, Chohan 4-39) beat Canada 288 for 8 (Bagai 91, Cheema 61, Shenwari 4-31) by one run. The Canadians were tough opponents, but at the end of the day, the Afghans came through with a win. Mohammad Shahzad won Man-of-the-Match today after earning 118 runs.  Afghanistan will face off again against Canada on February 18th in the 2nd ODI.

February 16, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Afghan Sports News

Icing on the cake – Afghanistan defeats Ireland, now ready to play with the Big Boys!

Nawroz Khan Mangal lifts the trophy after the final match of the Twenty20 ICC World Qualifier final match at Dubai yesterday

As reported here yesterday, Afghanistan’s cricket team defeated the United Arab Emirates yesterday thus securing themselves a place in the World Twenty20 finals. They took it a step further and beat Ireland by 8 wickets (with 15 balls remaining) in Dubai yesterday.

Going to the West Indies to play in the World Twenty20 means Afghanistan’s team will now play against the “Big Boys” of cricket such as South Africa and India. They will be going in as underdogs, so they are hoping to pull off a major upset against one the teams. Interestingly enough, this will be the first time an Afghan team has made it to the finals of a major ICC (International Cricket Council) tournament.

Batting all-rounder Karim Sadiq told an AFP reporter, “People in my country are very happy, and there will be big celebrations in Afghanistan when we return… I think maybe three million people will come to the city to celebrate and dance.”

I am sure there will be more, and not just in Afghanistan that will be celebrating!

Sadiq’s team-mate Raees Ahmadzai said, “We want to see the grounds in the West Indies and show the world that we are not behind the other teams and show everybody that Afghanistan is one of the best cricket teams in the world.”

Video: Al Jazeera’s Rahul Pathak reports on Afghanistan’s incredible achievement.

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

THEY DID IT! Afghan Team Is Going To The Caribbean!

Man-Of-The-Match Award Winner, Noor Ali (in blue)

Afghanistan 101 for 6 (Noor Ali 38, Stanikzai 26, Silva 2-14, Fayyaz 2-14) beat the United Arab Emirates 100 for 9 (Saqib 24, Nabi 3-17, Mirwais 2-15) by 4 wickets today. With this win, they have officially made it to the World Twenty20 finals in the West Indies which runs from April 30 to May 16. Noor Ali, who was name Man-of-the Match today, told reporters, “We will prepare ourselves very well for this event and we need to keep on getting better ahead of the World Twenty20.” The Twenty20 is a type of competitive cricket in which each team is limited to just 20 overs per side.

 Here’s a video of the game:



February 13, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Afghan Sports News

Development Projects Completed In Kunar Province

Kunar Province

Today, Mir Zaman Mohmand, an official with Afghanistan’s Rural Development Department told Xinhua, the Chinese news agency, that 57 small to mid level development projects have been completed in Afghanistan’s eastern province of Kunar. The projects included such things as the building of roads, bridges, dams, the setting up of clinics, renovation of irrigation systems, and providing potable water to the residents of the province. There are currently 476 more projects scheduled to be completed.

February 11, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Reconstruction and Development

Another team falls to Afghanistan!

Hamid Hassan celebrates win over USA

In what many considered one of the most interesting matches this year, Afghanistan 135 for 4 (Mangal 30) beat team USA 106 for 7 (Hassan 3-14) by 29 runs.  This win confirms the Afghan team’s place in the Super Fours and puts them one step closer to playing at the World Twenty20 tournament scheduled to be held in the West Indies. 

One of Afghanistan’s most valuable players, Hamid Hassan, wrote in his blog today about the win and compared his team’s story to the Hollywood movie Rocky, starring Sylvester Stallone.  He wrote, “I think that there is a similarity in the story of Rocky and the Afghanistan cricket team – we both started at the bottom and gradually made our way up the rankings. It is easy to forget how far we have come in the last two years since we played at the World Cricket League Division 5 in Jersey.”

What’s next for the team?  Well, tomorrow, they will face off against the Netherlands in Dubai.

February 11, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Afghan Sports News

Yet another win and one step closer to World Twenty20

Hamid Hassan and team celebrate win

Yesterday, the Irish went down and today the Scots.  Afghanistan 131 for 7 (Noor Ali 42, Coetzer 3-25) beat Scotland 117 for 9 (McCallum 38, Hassan 3-32) by 14 runs in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers today at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.  The Afghan team will now move on to the next round.  Tomorrow, they are scheduled to face up against the American team.

February 10, 2010 · admin · One Comment
Posted in: Afghan Sports News

Afghan Cricket Team’s Winning Streak Continues

Afghan team celebrates win

After beating Canada by 5 wickets last Thursday, the Afghan cricket team beat the Irish team today in the ICC World Twenty20 qualifier in Dubai (United Arab Emirates). Afghanistan 139-8 (20 ovs) beat Ireland 126 (19.2 ovs) by 13 runs. Interestingly enough, Afghanistan beat Ireland in last year’s World Cup qualifiers as well. Afghanistan’s goal is to join cricket’s elite nations at the World Cup which will be held in the West Indies in May of this year.

February 9, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Afghan Sports News

HASCO distributes school supplies

School children showing off their new bags

HASCO (Help Afghan School Children Organization) recently distributed school bags and other supplies such as pens, pencils, rulers, etc.,  to hundreds of school children in the Alishang district of Laghman province.  Laghman province is located in eastern Afghanistan. The HASCO school supplies distribution program is supported by the United Nations Women’s Guild of Vienna. Overall, this organization has distributed 3000 school bags in the Kotobzai, Alishang and Karde Salao areas.

For more information about HASCO activities, please visit the HASCO website at www.help-afghan-school-children.org.

February 8, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Education

A New Middle School For Heratis

Map of Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s Bakhtar News Agency reported yesterday that a new Middle School building has been constructed in Kharaback village, located in the Kashkic district of Herat province.  Herat is located in western Afghanistan. The school includes 10 classrooms, 6 administrative rooms, and a sports gymnasium. The school will accommodate the needs of 600 students.

February 8, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Education, Reconstruction and Development