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| Youth Campaign for Next Winter | |||||
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Dear Knitters and Crocheters for Afghanistan, We are supplying Aschiana with WOOL SOCKS (knit only), MITTENS, and HATS for sizes 5 years to adult. Please join us! Aschiana is a long-time, well-respected non-governmental organization in Afghanistan. Aschiana is known for their service to street children. Aschiana serves those with the most hardship and least opportunity -- with centers for street children, vocational training and education, and a medical clinic. Aschiana distributes humanitarian supplies to internally-displaced people in the large camps (refugees in their own homeland) -- where the least assistance gets through. Our wool socks, mittens, and hats will be most useful to the children and adults without permanent homes. Visit Aschiana's website to read more about their indispensable work and accomplishments. Aschiana staff will distribute our wool gifts and report back to us. We need wool socks (knit only/no slippers), mittens, and hats ONLY. (We will NOT be collecting sweaters, vests, or blankets.) Aschiana representatives reviewed samples of our wool socks, mittens, and hats and are pleased with the high-quality durable wool, the cheerful colors, and the individuality of each item. We're honored that Ashiana will take our handmade gifts directly to Afghan children, women, and men. Everything related to transit to Afghanistan is getting harder to arrange and subject to unimaginable delays. (Such as the Pakistan government closing the overland transit road to Afghanistan in response to NATO drone attacks last November.) As you know from the news, the turmoil is increasing. Aschiana will arrange for air transit through their American support group here. This will avoid the overland transit delays and the customs process in Karachi, although we can be subject to inspection delays or the flight schedule changing for other priorities. We do not launch a campaign until we have a reliable transit and distribution plan, while being aware that war, politics, and weather can change course or cause delay. With socks, mittens, and hats, we can pack many more items per box and warm more people in the same amount of cargo space -- especially important with this rare opportunity for air transit (vs. container shipping on the water). Priority items needed in sizes 5 years to adult: Please DO NOT send any other items not listed above. Only the items above will be sent to Afghanistan. Additional information Please review our GENERAL GUIDELINES and MAIL ADDRESS here. Due date: Sometime in July 2012. Please check back. Feel free to mail completed items anytime so we can stay on top of packing. This lets us gauge our progress. Please be sure to check this page (or our email list) for updates. And, join our email list for notices by sending an email to: afghansforAfghans-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Email us when you send your gift, and we will acknowledge you by email. If you need confirmation that your package has arrived in San Francisco, please enclose a self-addressed stamped card or envelope, and we will mail it back. Or, use the signature request service of your delivery agent. Please spread the word! Another important way to participate ... please tell your fiber friends about our campaign. We count on volunteers for word-of-mouth to keep our momentum. Please share the link to this webpage. Add one of our banners to your blog or website. We have told Aschiana that each item is lovingly created by an American or Canadian as a special gift. The quality, beauty, and distinctiveness of our handmade wool garments are not available in any store! These are gifts of friendship and respect during wartime. Reliable overseas transit and distribution are harder than ever to obtain -- we're privileged to be working with a partner of this caliber. We value their long-time devotion to improving the lives of Afghans. Aschiana knows what is needed, and we want to help.
Life in Afghanistan remains difficult and insecure. Making a difference on the other side of the world may seem impossible ... but your handmade gifts and generosity bring true comfort and warmth to children and families. The Afghan people still need to know that we care. Our deepest gratitude to the volunteers who have been contributing for many years, and welcome to the new volunteers who keep our momentum going. We're determined to continue our tradition together. We must seize this opportunity and hope you agree. We are counting on you, as always. If you have been thinking about participating, now is the time. For your warm-weather, summer-time knitting, these small items should be appealing! Thank you for reading. Your caring and involvement matter! Tashakor, Ann and colleagues PS: Looking for group camaraderie and inspiration? Join our afghans for Afghans' knit and crochet-along , with our moderator Elizabeth Durand. The more, the merrier! You can also find the friends of afghans for Afghans group on Ravelry.com. In partnership with the San Francisco office of the American Friends Service Committee, the afghans for Afghans project started in late 2001 in response to the war that unfolded after 9/11. Who knew that more than 10 years later, our handmade wool garments would still be needed in Afghanistan. Thank you for continuing to take action with your own hands and hearts to remember the Afghan people.
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Washing in internally-displaced persons camp
Learning to write
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