Welcome to The Kettle!

Primarily, "The Kettle" publicizes and manages the "Three Cups of Tea Book Project." However, as described in our very first post (click here), we also hope to use "The Kettle" as a medium for individuals interested in social issues to become more aware of the lives of those less fortunate. Ideally, whatever we write or publish here will take that nascent concern and transform it into action. To inspire any action, small or large, in the genuine interest of doing better for the world is our ultimate goal.

Though heavily slanted towards Pakistan and Afghanistan presently, we do try to include news, opinions, and reference materials regarding diverse topics, including poverty, reconstruction, human rights, Africa, "Green" developments, Micro Finance, and other solutions and considerations for what are essentially man made problems in the world. In the universe of charitable options, we endorse and support multigenerational solutions and initiatives for multigenerational problems.

The education made possible by the Central Asia Institute is one such solution, but there are certainly others. We encourage the commitment of resources and people that goes beyond merely "patriarchal" handouts to the multitude of people in need. We agree that it is good to charitable, but charity that only treats the symptoms and not the root causes has proven to be insufficient. A consistent commitment to work with the local communities of people in need to provide and/or improve education, nutrition, access to capital, human rights, security, sustainable development/redevelopment, and environmental stewardship are what will lead to an enduring improvement in people's lives.

If you have any questions, general comments, and suggestions for improvements, please leave a comment on any of the posts below, and we'll follow up with you!

The Kettle's shared items

Friday, November 20, 2009

Book Project Update: 8 Countries and Counting!

Thanks to Qing from New York and Asim from the UK, we now have 8 countries participating in the Book project. The present tally is: United States, UK, Canada, Japan, China, India, Australia, and the Netherlands.

After reading the book, Asim made a nice comment about the book, and I wanted to share that here. She wrote:

The Cups of Tea is one of the most inspirational books I have ever read. The story of Greg Mortenson is a story of hope, perseverance and courage. He is a true hero, who has made everlasting difference to the lives of many remote villagers in Pakistan and Afghanistan. I would highly recommend reading this book and supporting Greg’s cause in any way possible.

I look forward to mapping the books' progress through the Netherlands, Australia, and wherever else we may find people willing to learn about Greg Mortenson's efforts in Central Asia.

-- The Kettle Rumbles

Thursday, November 5, 2009

NYTimes: More Schools, Not Troops

Published: October 29, 2009
A compelling argument against more troops in Afghanistan rests on this trade-off: For the cost of an additional soldier stationed in Afghanistan for a year, nearly 20 schools could be built. [More]
Excerpt: 

Greg Mortenson, author of “Three Cups of Tea,” has now built 39 schools in Afghanistan and 92 in Pakistan — and not one has been burned down or closed. The aid organization CARE has 295 schools educating 50,000 girls in Afghanistan, and not a single one has been closed or burned by the Taliban. The Afghan Institute of Learning, another aid group, has 32 schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan, with none closed by the Taliban (although local communities have temporarily suspended three for security reasons).




-- The Kettle Rumbles