Here are two of the outside classrooms that we visited!!!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
December 23, 2009
On many of our missions we are able to interact with the Afghan locals. This is sometimes the first and only interaction many locals have with Americans. Recently we visited a school in Muhmand Dara. Like many schools in poverty stricken countries, the school had to be segregated to provide more space; boys went to school in the morning and girls in the afternoon. Even still many of the classes were held outside because of the lack of room.
While at the school we are able to hand out Humanitarian Aid (HA) to the kids. Even though the girls were the only ones in class, the boys showed up quickly to get the soccer balls and backpacks among other things that we were passing out. The locals also gave us a tour of the school where we quickly noticed the shortage of adequate resources for the students. Several classes were sharing textbooks and some didn’t even have notebooks for the kids.
As I have been here in Afghanistan, I have been reading Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson. The premise of the book is how education can promote peace, and how one person can make a difference. It has great principles and is a recommended read to all ages. Because of both of these I feel led to make a difference but I need your support.
I think that education is foundation for a solid future. While a solid future in America is different from that in Afghanistan, education can still improve it. We never stop learning and should never want to stop learning, but it isn’t fair to someone who never gets to start. Education is also an avenue to help bring peace. If we can show the different villages that we travel into that we want to help them, then that also increases the chances that the American soldiers serving today can come home safely!!! The culture here is of a tribal nature, if we can show a tribe that we want to peacefully help them our chances increase when it comes to them helping keep us safe.
The fact is less than 30% of adult Afghans can read. Only about 10% of Afghans make it to high school. These two statistics illustrate how important it is for the Afghans to get that foundation at an early age.
My belief is that we can use education as an avenue for peace. I am initiating a program in several schools across the United States. My hope is to get each child at the school to bring one notebook and one pen to donate to the children of Afghanistan while we are on these missions. For about a dollar per student we can help out these schools and try to make a little bit of difference.
If anyone is interested in getting your school on board or would like more information,
please email me at
stewartcatheyjr@gmail.com
While at the school we are able to hand out Humanitarian Aid (HA) to the kids. Even though the girls were the only ones in class, the boys showed up quickly to get the soccer balls and backpacks among other things that we were passing out. The locals also gave us a tour of the school where we quickly noticed the shortage of adequate resources for the students. Several classes were sharing textbooks and some didn’t even have notebooks for the kids.
As I have been here in Afghanistan, I have been reading Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson. The premise of the book is how education can promote peace, and how one person can make a difference. It has great principles and is a recommended read to all ages. Because of both of these I feel led to make a difference but I need your support.
I think that education is foundation for a solid future. While a solid future in America is different from that in Afghanistan, education can still improve it. We never stop learning and should never want to stop learning, but it isn’t fair to someone who never gets to start. Education is also an avenue to help bring peace. If we can show the different villages that we travel into that we want to help them, then that also increases the chances that the American soldiers serving today can come home safely!!! The culture here is of a tribal nature, if we can show a tribe that we want to peacefully help them our chances increase when it comes to them helping keep us safe.
The fact is less than 30% of adult Afghans can read. Only about 10% of Afghans make it to high school. These two statistics illustrate how important it is for the Afghans to get that foundation at an early age.
My belief is that we can use education as an avenue for peace. I am initiating a program in several schools across the United States. My hope is to get each child at the school to bring one notebook and one pen to donate to the children of Afghanistan while we are on these missions. For about a dollar per student we can help out these schools and try to make a little bit of difference.
If anyone is interested in getting your school on board or would like more information,
please email me at
stewartcatheyjr@gmail.com
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
December 22, 2009
Let me begin this edition of my blog by apologizing to all who read this for not updating more often. I am sorry for not keeping it better updated, but these past couple of weeks have been extremely hectic. However, I promise to better update it in the future.
Thanks to all who sent Christmas ornaments from the states. I have the best tree in the FOB, and the top of the tree even has a ULM ACE where the Angel normally would sit. It's things like that make spending Christmas away from home a little easier!!!
December is usually hectic as people go on leave and the work that is usually done by 7 or 8 is now being done by 5. Last week I had three Generals in from Washington that I had to brief regarding one of my sites. Whenever stars (Generals) show up people get flustered and you have meetings before a pre-meeting and walk-throughs followed by dress rehearsals. All that being said I really enjoy that aspect of my job and everything went well. I am going to post some pictures tomorrow and update again. But until then I will post a picture of the tree!!! Enjoy!!!
Thanks to all who sent Christmas ornaments from the states. I have the best tree in the FOB, and the top of the tree even has a ULM ACE where the Angel normally would sit. It's things like that make spending Christmas away from home a little easier!!!
December is usually hectic as people go on leave and the work that is usually done by 7 or 8 is now being done by 5. Last week I had three Generals in from Washington that I had to brief regarding one of my sites. Whenever stars (Generals) show up people get flustered and you have meetings before a pre-meeting and walk-throughs followed by dress rehearsals. All that being said I really enjoy that aspect of my job and everything went well. I am going to post some pictures tomorrow and update again. But until then I will post a picture of the tree!!! Enjoy!!!
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