NY Times: Remembering Afghanistan’s Golden Age

Remembering Afghanistan’s Golden Age

By ELISABETH BUMILLER

Published: October 18, 2009

From the 1930s to the 1970s, Afghanistan had a semblance of a national government and Kabul was known as “the Paris of Central Asia.” [MORE]

-- The Kettle Rumbles

NY Times: Racing Time and Taliban to Rebuild in Pakistan

Racing Time and Taliban to Rebuild in Pakistan

 By SABRINA TAVERNISE and IRFAN ASHRAF

Published: October 11, 2009

 

Reconstruction of battered villages has yet to begin in the upper Swat Valley, making the area ripe for another Taliban takeover. [MORE]

-- The Kettle Rumbles

BBC: Kyrgyzstan's government resigns

Kyrgyzstan's government resigns

Kyrgyzstan's government has announced its resignation, as a result of President Kurmanbek Bakiyev's call for sweeping reforms. [MORE]

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An Alarming turn of events!

-- The Kettle Rumbles

CAI: A quote from a CAI teacher

I was catching up to reading a CAI newsletter and came upon the following quote, which I think summarizes much of the good the CAI's work does for the communities they serve and the world at large:

"If you can't read, then you must believe what the imam tells you," said Shaukat Ali, a former Kashmiri freedom fighter and Taliban member who now teaches at the Gundi Piran school. "If you are only a listener, not a reader, if you cannot read the language, you can get the wrong idea. And that is a misfortune. But slowly, slowly, we can encourage modern education, encourage people to send boys and girls to school. If we invest, it will come back to us. We have to deal with problems of tradition and culture. But we can stop extremism. If people are educated, we can fight against poverty, cruelty, and injustice."

These words, coming from someone who was a militia and Taliban member, but now is a teacher for the CAI school, is so poignant. I am amazed at the wisdom, courage, and open mindedness of the CAI staff.

-- The Kettle Rumbles

Gulf Times: Suspected Taliban rebels bomb school

Suspected Taliban rebels bomb school

Suspected Taliban militants bombed a primary school on the outskirts of Peshawar yesterday, underscoring the Islamist threat in northwest Pakistan despite a series of military offensives. [More]

-- The Kettle Rumbles

NYTimes: The Women’s Crusade

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 world’s problems, from poverty to child mortality to terrorism. [MORE]

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Some of these people are truly amazing. Seeing what other people have to go through just to be able to read or provide for their kids makes so many of the things that concern people in my world so trivial. When I find myself wasting time, I think about stories like Tererai's. She spent much of her life being told to not educate herself, not to go beyond what was expected of women like her. She was beaten and punished for trying, but in the end, a cattle herder from Zimbabwe DID go to America, IS making a difference for the lives of her children and her people, and WILL achieve all her dreams, including getting a PhD. Wow.

I think we should all ask ourselves what it is exactly that we're doing with our time, wealth, and education. There is more to life than entertainment and luxury.

-- The Kettle Rumbles

Motherhouse, A Social Business in Bangladesh Started by a Japanese Entrepreneur

A friend of mine recently decided to leave the corporate world behind to do something she can be really passionate about. She will be joining Motherhouse, a social business in Bangladesh started by a Japanese entrepreneur. Yamaguchi started Motherhouse after realizing that like most people working in charity organizations that focus on developing countries, she had no experience being in a developing country. She soon made her way to Bangladesh . While trying to figure out a way to help the people there, she discovered the jute fiber, and decided she would try to sell products made in Bangladesh to Japan. Despite the alien surroundings and hardships of living and doing business in Bangladesh, Yamaguchi managed to succeed and build an organization that has inspired my friend to join them and fulfill an inherent need to do something better in her life.

-- The Kettle Rumbles

Asim and Tamreez is fundraising for Friends Of The Citizens Foundation - JustGiving

Asim and Tamreez is fundraising for Friends Of The Citizens Foundation - JustGiving


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A friend's friend is climbing Mt. Kilamanjaro to raise money for the Citizen's Foundation, which builds schools in urban slums in Pakistan. I commend their efforts and hope they achieve their goals!

- The Kettle Rumbles

Awesome Post from Friday Reflections

"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do." ~Edward Everett Hale.

http://fridayreflections.typepad.com/weblog/2009/08/the-greatest-mistake-is-to-do-nothing-because-you-can-only-do-a-little.html

-- The Kettle Rumbles

News: CAI Annual Fundraiser in (New Brunswick, NJ)

"Central Asia Institute Annual Fundraiser

With Nobel Peace Nominee Greg Mortenson

Nobel Peace Prize Nominee and co-author of Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson shares his humanitarian life’s work at the CAI Fundraiser on October 24, 2009. He is the director of CAI, a 501(c)3 nonprofit that supports community-based education, especially for girls in remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan."

[More Details]

-- The Kettle Rumbles

AP: Another China Activist Charged With Subversion

July 31, 2009

Another China Activist Charged With Subversion

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 3:25 a.m. ET

BEIJING (AP) -- A Chinese activist who questioned why so many schoolchildren died in 2008's massive earthquake has been charged with subversion and will stand trial in mid-August, his lawyer said Friday. [MORE]

-- The Kettle Rumbles

NYTimes: Saving a Kashmiri Village After Remaking His Life

CHIKAR JOURNAL

Saving a Kashmiri Village After Remaking His Life

By ADAM B. ELLICK

Published: June 25, 2009

An American who arrived as a volunteer rescue worker after the 2005 earthquake that killed 80,000 Pakistanis started a hospital that treats 100,000 annually. [MORE]

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From broken home, drug addiction, music, rescue worker, to hospital administrator. God bless individuals like Todd Shea.

-- The Kettle Rumbles

Book Project Update: Website in the Works

A number of people have commented that the blog format is too confusing. So, I am refocusing on designing a new website, which will integrate this blog. That had been on the works in the past, but I was hoping the blog format would suffice. Alas, it seems I have to roll up my sleeves and build a new site. I am thinking of using google sites, but the results on there don't look like they can be pretty...

In other news, my home computer has been broken. So, I haven't been able to make more book packages and update as frequently as I like. I intend to buy a new computer in a couple of weeks.

Thanks for being patient!

-- The Kettle Rumbles

BBC: Burmese jailed for Suu Kyi prayer

A court in Burma has sentenced two supporters of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to 18 months in prison after they prayed for her release [more].

-- The Kettle Rumbles

Book Project Update: 6 Countries and Counting!

We now have books in 6 countries (and counting!). So far, we have the Unites States, India, Japan, China, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Happy Reading!

-- The Kettle Rumbles

NY Times: Nicholas D. Kristof: Putting the Microsavings in Microfinance

Nicholas D. Kristof: Putting the Microsavings in Microfinance

By By Nicholas Kristof

Published: May 26, 2009

It has become increasingly clear that the most important element of microfinance isn’t lending, but savings. That lesson was taught to me by SEWA in India, Kashf in Pakistan and Grameen in Bangladesh. Only some poor people will benefit from the chance to borrow, but almost all will benefit from the chance to save. That’s also [...] (More here)

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Can you imagine paying 40% a year to save your money at a bank? That's exactly what happens in some parts of the world. Nicholas Kristof speaks of how micro savings and not micro credit may by the most important aspect of microfinance. Not only is this more impactful, it might actually be more achieveable, I think. Several years ago and even now, I was/am able to fund a savings account in the United States for $10 (or less!?). I subsequently opted to put the bulk of my savings elsewhere, but that $10 deposit continues to exist in a savings account which has been collecting interest ever since.

So, why can't "regular" banks continue to lend as they are used to, but allow for micro savings from the poor? The obvious answer might be discrimination and a desire to put up a more prestigious appearance--having poor or impoverished people at banking centers might turn off more fortunate account holders... One would hope we can get passed that sort of thinking.

-- The Kettle Rumbles

Book Project Update: New and Improved Letter

I tweaked the Book Insert Letter for the Books I am sending out. I hope I didn't go overboard with the images. Below is a scan:

What do you think?

-- The Kettle Rumbles

Book Project Update: Book #4 is first!

I am really happy to report that one of our books has managed to inspire at least one person. Jarcin from New York wrote:

"Thank you for organizing this! The book was a great read and it was an inspiring look at what can be accomplished when people take the time to care and share their dreams."

This was really refreshing. It has taken a lot of time and money to get this project started, and seeing just one person appreciate the type of work that the CAI does makes it all worth it.

Thank you, Jarcin! I had not heard back from the other people I've given books to, and I was starting to doubt the concept behind the book project. Your generous contribution and kind words really does convince me that we're doing something good here. I'm off to put together more books!!! THANK YOU.

-- The Kettle Rumbles

What to Read on Iranian Politics | Foreign Affairs

What to Read on Iranian Politics | Foreign Affairs

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What to Read on Pakistani Politics | Foreign Affairs

What to Read on Pakistani Politics | Foreign Affairs

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