Letter from Andeisha: Appeal to support new home and added security for our girls
November 30, 2015
Dear Friends of AFCECO,
Over the past year the situation in Afghanistan has continued to deteriorate to the point where the security of our children has now become an urgent issue for us. We must move our girl’s orphanage (Mehan Orphanage) to a safer location in Kabul as soon as possible. We must also add more security protection at this new location. We estimate that this will cost an extra $75,000. We are urgently working to raise this money and would like to request your help in our efforts to move the girls to a new home.
This year has so far been disastrous for Afghanistan, and especially for women and girls. ISIL and Taliban have now gripped their power over more territory and erupted an all-out war at all corners of the country. Thousands of Afghans fled their homes in the past few months in a search to find a better place to live. Among others, women and girls are in constant fear. ISIS/Taliban recently stoned to death several girls and burned down hundreds of girls’ schools. Farkhunda was brutally slain by a mob in Kabul just few meters away from Presidential Palace and 19-year old Rukhushana was stoned to death. A few days ago nine year old Shokuria and her nine family members were slain as well. Not a day goes by in Kabul without some sort of violence going on, attacks of suicide bombers against anything that is against Taliban’s ruthless rules.
We at AFCECO have also been a target of Islamic militants for some time and they are very well aware of what we are doing for the girls. We give the girls athletics, music, art, liberal arts and a safe place to live. They have travelled all around the world interacting with other people and cultures. Our music team performed on big stages in the US and Europe. These hardliners believe AFCECO is “westernizing” the children, pulling them away from their hardcore values. There was even a FATWA issued against AFCECO.
Our security team feels that Mehan’s neighborhood is no longer a safe place for our girls and we, therefore, must move the orphanage to another location. Mehan Orphanage has had hundreds of western visitors including high profile journalists during these years. This may have attracted the attention of some pro-Taliban-Jihadist in the neighborhood that could be considered big threats to our girls. Therefore, there is an urgent need to move the girls and provide additional security to ensure they can live in the orphanage and go to school without the fear of being attacked. This requires a budget of $75,000 for 2016, which is used to cover the cost of moving, extra house rental costs, security equipment and additional security staff.
Mehan orphanage was our first orphanage in Kabul and has served so many girls over the years. It was this orphanage Brian Williams visited in 2009 and featured several times on NBC Nightly News’ “Making a Difference” segment, describing it as “a haven for Afghan children”.
AFCECO girls have graduated university and are now leaders in society. They are pulling for equality of women in Afghanistan. AFCECO has provided worldly boys and girls to build a new democratic Afghanistan. They understand the principles of freedom and equality. They have combined Eastern and Western thinking and understand how to implement these things into society.
Thank you in advance for your support. Please help us spread the word about our urgent needs by forwarding this email to people who may want to support us.
Donations can be made through CharityHelp International https://charityhelp.org/chi3/donate/donate-nh4g
Sincerely,
Andeisha
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Andeisha Farid
Founder & Chairperson
Afghan Child Education and Care Organization