11/16/2010 11:50:30 PM - 002088858933
Thank you Caitlin for the comment. I'm glade we were able to be an inspiration to you. Your right many people even here in Philadelphia play the race card. Some people really don't like each other because their different. My friends from Afghanistan have different lives than we do but we have more in common then anyone would think.
Letting people know that we are all the same and that we can make a change as young people, was one of our missions. Even you can make a change in your community by doing even the smallest thing. Everything you do makes a difference. No matter what you do to make a change, it an important change.
Jenay Smith
6/21/2010 6:57:22 PM - 003039429057
Just wanted to add a comment. To both the Afghani students and the American ones.. You all are such an inspiration to me. I'm a 16 year old girl from Atlanta, Georgia. All I hear at my school is the race card being played "Oh, she doesn't like me because I'm black" or "Oh, she's got that scarf on her head, I bet she doesn't speak English and hates Americans" and it's all very stupid and ignorant.
You all prove that the world as a whole is above that, that the situations with unrest, pain, and struggle are things that CAN be resolved and CAN be reversed.
I firmly believe in every single one of you, and consider all of you such an inspiration.
Thank you for being what every human should aspire to be.
-Caitlin
3/24/2010 8:19:56 AM - 003016850631
great and nice videos1
3/22/2010 5:00:31 AM - 003018436484
Hi all. You are great photographers. I would appreciate to learn about photography, but i don't know where to start from? do I need to have an expensive camera? Or i can start with a point and shoot as well? Can you advise me a book on photography? thanks,
3/5/2010 12:11:06 PM - 003017695347
Hi every one in C.H.S, I am Asad in 12th grade in MHS.
I am excited that I and my friends are meeting you soon. I eccepted all the picturs that you have taken are the best and I know that you have some fantastic ideas about your photos and our photos, so we will share our ideas. I am thinking about the paintings that we have done.If you have done any paintings please tell me.Or if you have any idea that how it is important to do some paintings beside the photos.
2/26/2010 5:59:48 AM - 003017695347
Hi all,in CHS I am Asad Pazhman in 12th grade in MHS.
I am excited that I see your best photos. I have done some paintings for this project.I hop that it will be good to have some paintings beside the photos.
2/22/2010 10:57:10 AM - 003020632206
Hi all in constitutional high school
I enjoy seeing your beautiful photo that you take
I hop we could take photo like you
2/22/2010 4:25:37 AM - 003014948906
Hi all in Constitutional High School!
And thank you Sharifa Garvey for your sincere feelings to us and we are more excited than you and every one of us is just counting seconds to meet you there!!
2/22/2010 4:11:10 AM - 002085724136
Hi ALL, I'm Sharifa Garvey a 10th grader at Constitution High School. I am so excited that you guys are coming soon.
2/21/2010 9:04:29 AM - 003014948906
Hi every one in CHS!
this time i am meeting shutterfly with lots of apologies to you all for what has been done as faults in our comments and now i want to write you the answers for the questions you made.
First: Gach?! thsi is the persian pronunciation of stucco or lime and before rectifying it ithas been sent
Second:site?! this has been used as sinonym for area that went too cotroversial!!!!
and the defects in our captions will be removed and e will provide you wih better ones.
2/12/2010 12:42:33 PM - 003014948906
Hi Ian!
I am very pleased with what you provided for me as answer for my question. Actually it was too informative for me and I thank you for respoding to it very fast.
This is very great.
I am waiting for more of your views!
2/5/2010 12:42:36 PM - 003017896238
dearfellows in CHS!
This is a pleasant time for all of us to be in contact with each other and exchange views, I mostly mention exchange of views, just because it is most valuable for me in this project, most easy and most eloquent.
If you send us suggestions on face book through adds bellow so that we can be in contact ith each other more easily.
1/26/2010 9:23:56 AM - 003016634452
Dear Ian,
almost all of us use facebook as a tool of communication and you can send your requests to our addresses in facebook.
You can find us on facebook by these addresses:
msaeid.madadi@gmail.com-Saeid Madadi
bismellah5@gmail.com-Bismellah Alizada
hadi.rahnaward@gmail.com-Hadi Rahnaward
After (.coms) there are our user names on facebook not continuation of Email addresses
1/21/2010 12:30:22 AM - 002088858933
Hello, M.H.S
This is Jenay from Constitution high. I just wanted to say how excited I am to meet all of you next month. It would be ideal if we could come to Afghanistan as well. There is so much I would like to learn and actually be there in person. The pictures I have seen that you all have taken are amazing. By looking at the photographs I see many things that relate us to you. One picture reminded me of my "fake" leather jacket I have and how so many of my peers have one as well. Or how when I was younger I use to play around and get dirty. These both are some common things we share.
I was thinking about some different things we could show you during your visit here in Philly (Philadelphia). I thought about going to see a movie, a tour around the city, eating at a place that makes Afghan. food, eating at a place that makes American food and some other stuff. This brings me to my question, where would you all like to go, see, or do. Your impute would be very helpful.
Thanks a bunch !!
Jenay Smith C.H.S
12/2/2009 1:41:43 AM - 002087665194
I'm Ian from Constitution High School, and I wanted to ask my brothers and sisters in Afghanistan:
Right now, as I type this, I am watching president Obama give his adress, where he said that he plans on sending 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. I want to know if you all believe that we, the USA, and Afghanistan, need to deploy more troops?
I'm not really sure how I feel. I've tried to look at the issue objectively, but I'm still divided. I want America to help Afghanistan in any way possible, but I fear for the lives of my fellow American Brothers and Sisters. Although, I also feel that we need to help our Afghani Brothers and Sisters. I guess I'm just tired of the bloodshed. Hearing what you all think will help me understand the situation better. Thank you all!
"Unity; As One, Stand Together!" - Operation Ivy
11/17/2009 12:08:42 PM - 003000402533
Bismellah a project member from MHS:
This is really a tough question together with a request, but of course taking photographs as requested is impossible! for us.
Taliban is not just a threat for Afghanistan,but for every nation in the world that is why they have to be defeated, and I think this is the interest of all those who participate in the war.
War it self for tackling a group like Talibsn is not wrong, but ways we select as are called strategies can be right or wrong and effective or not effective.
Iwant to ask you a question."If you think the war is wrong and the situation is tense and dangerous in the war zone, sending more troops to the war zone is not endangering lives of your citizens, if so what will be your criticism to the matter as a responsible and aware citizen of the US?
you are asking interesting questions. please keep asking such questions so that we can exchange ideas and views.I hope I had not been too formal in the above!!!
your friend Bismellah from MHS.
11/2/2009 2:26:29 AM - 002087465178
Hello Student at Marefat High School,
I have been wanting to ask a question for the longest time. What is your opinion on the Taliban and the War on Terrorism? Do you think its right or is it wrong? Also if it was possible if you could take pictures of its effects.
Your Friend,
Dominiq
11/1/2009 9:01:33 PM - 002088858933
To the students at Marefat High School,
Thank you for the overwhelming response to my question. I will also ask if you could take pictures of people with mental disabilities, weather visible or not. I will make an attempt to do the same thing.
To Moh.Saeid M
Why do you think there are not any organizations to support people with mental disabilities other than the government? What role dose the government play in helping people with mental disabilities?
Jenay Smith Constitution High
10/30/2009 1:39:48 AM - 002085724136
To the students at Marefat High School,
I want to start out by saying it has been very interesting looking you all images and comments.
I have one question in mind to really ask. Right now in Afganistan there is a war going on with the U.S. Army, how does it affect you guys or what are your opinions?
Thank You,
Sharifa Garvey
10/28/2009 10:55:19 AM - 002090767574
Saeid Madadi,MHS,Kabul:
Thank you from your qeustion, I think that more than 20 years war has effected deeply on our people and it has caued the increase of people who have mental disabilities, but now the are members of our society and people respect them as human although they face with some misbehavier but they can nt represent the morality and ethic of our people. we don't have organizations to suport them but we have a deparment in our government for solving their problems which is not enough.
People who have mental disabilities need to be helped and eccepted as ordinary members of soceity,and here in Afghanistan we try to expand this culture(ecceptig of all soceity members as equal).
10/24/2009 1:42:42 PM - 002094696386
Bismellah one of the project member from MHS:
This is really an interesting and also a tough question.
According to statistics [of my own] almost 97% of our people are with mental disabilities!! And every body needs to take care
of him or her self!!
As a result of continuous war in the country many Afghans are affected either mentally or physically.We never have to react toward them in an strange way and keep them aside or out of site and I am sure no one does such, but of course we can not deny some misbehaviors by some people who them selves are facing he same problem or even some others may willfully do it but be sure it is just a few and not of great concern!
We have more than 90% illiterate in our country and it shows that generally people in interaction with each other are of the same kind and level of education and they don’t insult or mistreat one another.theymust be helped rather than to be mistreated.
1
10/21/2009 5:43:34 PM - 002088858933
To the students at Marefat High School,
I greet you in the name of Jesus christ
I think you all take wonderful pictures. One thing I like a lot is how you all utilize your natural light in the photos. I am also delighted to be in this program. I think I'ts really cool how we get to see the similarites between our cities. Some things that we see from day to day is the same thing you all see.
One question I had was, how do you all view people with mental disabilitys? In America in general they are accepted but some people could care less about them. Do you accept them or feel they should be kept inside and out of site?
Jenay Smith 12th grade Constitution High School
9/8/2009 3:26:29 PM - 002083492995
A message from Zainab, a 12th grade student at Marefat High School, Kabul, Afghanistan
In the name of Allah
About four or five months ago there was a plan taking shape to have a competition between our school and another school in Philadelphia by the title of ‘we the people’. At the end it became certain that only 10 persons are in this program. Fortunately I am one of the members. When I heard that I am one of them I became very surprised.
This competition is very important and interesting for me, because I can show all my own sentiments, as well as the feelings of my people.
Through my photos and paintings I speak to the world about myself, my people, my culture and my society.
My people are trying to forget the bad acrimonious memories from the past, which were no more than war, affliction, destruction and desperate.
I want to help my people, myself, and the entire world to forget those days. The world remembers and knows Afghanistan by the pictures of war and agonies. I think it is enough now. It is the time now that the world should get the other pictures of my country too; a country where its people are working for a great change, though there are still bad things and realities too.
Joining ‘we the people’ with my photos and paintings, I want to say that my country is not the place of gun and tank. Furthermore, it’s improving and it wants to develop. I don’t want my photos to hidden the hopes of people. Though I admit the harsh realities of affliction too.
I wish my people to have the smile of hope. My photos should have this very cry that hatred, war and destruction are enough.
I and my people don’t have the tolerance of further war. We want to live happily. I can see sprout of development and improvement in my country and I want to show them to the world. This program is a competition but more than that it is a sound for sending my massage to the others and say that for us it is the time to pick ourselves up.
I know there is no one to make a new Afghanistan other than its own generation.
Zainab
9/8/2009 2:54:14 PM - 002083492995
A message from Razia, a student at Marefat High School, Kabul, Afghanistan
In the name of God
Beside the schools lesson, art program was a good chance for saying of my feelings and thoughts. Recently art language was a reason to reflex all the facts by other way. On the beginning of the year when we heard about ‘we the people’ exhibition and that which I can participate on that, made me very happy, because I thought it can be a good opportunity to reflex a good and better image of my people to the world.
Some times when the world watches Afghanistan behind the cheek of poverty, suicide, fighting, and zealotry, I think the real picture of my country is not reflected fairly.
I knew that Afghanistan is going to progress and there are lots of people who really work hard to bring a lightening future against all the past darkness and the present pessimism.
I thought ‘we the people’ would help me to discover goodness of my people. Many important things happened in the course of the current year. For example the second elections is one of the good events which had lots of things to say: people who were witness of a big change on their life (fate) and candidates who were narrator of Afghanistan by a new way.
The first day when we started our works was a day before elections (August 20th). Fortunately we could take lots of photos from elections, feeling and participation of the people.
Working in this group is too interesting for me. In the past, I usually worked by paper and colors but participating in this program was a reason to see every thing behind the lens of the camera.
I like to say positive points of my people by this program. Hopefully it will be a good language to convey my points.
Razia
9/8/2009 1:12:54 PM - 002083492995
A message from Raihana, a student at Marefat High School, Kabul, Afghanistan
By the great name of almighty Allah
When I heard such a program is in the school I decided to participate in it. I was thinking that this is a good leisure for me for divulging the feelings of my people and the sounds of my time.
In our country we had about 25 years war, darkness and bad luck. But now our people are tiered of this condition. They want a civil society. They want to propound themselves for the world.
As an afghan girl I thought this is my responsibility to raise the voice of my country and with my pictures I could show the culture and the status of my people and there life.
I wished to pass the exam for doing these things and then I was told by the teacher that I had passed the exam. Now I have to work hard and make sure that the time is not spent in vain.
Raihana
9/8/2009 1:07:50 PM - 002083492995
A message from Nazifa, a student at Marefat High School, Kabul, Afghanistan
In the name of Allah
“We the people” program sounds to be a fantastic program and that I can be a member of this program is a great pleasure for me. I found this program as a good opportunity to improve myself and my abilities, further more it was a way to introduce our culture and the way of living of my people to the world as it is.
It’s a new experience for us to look at different people’s face from the lens of the camera to show what is going to happen on their life. I want to say the feeling of every one of this innocent faces to all, by photography.
I think a photo besides being a photo is one of the seventh arts and it should be looked by an artistic view.
Of course in Afghanistan besides any other art this chance is not given to photography also to improve by the passage of time and it returns to circumstances which is governing in here, there are persons who work to live and in this condition no one have the time to value to art and might to photo...
Neither less I think this situation will not continue for a long time. As every body is growing and every society is developing Afghanistan also passes its way to reach to development and it will go too far from the crises in which Afghanistan is.
By the way the photos which we take are a little effort of us that show our daily life and a branch of our people’s mind. I hope that we can bring an alter to your image of our land that you all have got from media only.
One other word: these pictures will bring a comparison between the people and way of life in our two respective countries. I don’t know much about America, but I know that this country has gone through a marvelous experience. ‘we the people’ is a time to complete my picture from this country.
Nazifa
9/4/2009 1:49:00 PM - 002086812127
Below are the comments of two more of the students from the Marafet School in Kabul.
9/4/2009 1:45:02 PM - 002086812127
“The First Day of Photography” ( a personal voyage )
‘We the people’ is the program I have joined recently. To me this program seemed to be a good way for sharing my ideas and points of views and also other people’s ideas about our culture and traditions. To say further, this is not only sharing our traditions but the other usual and unusual aspects of our lives too. In this program we can learn lots of things and gather more information about other people’s ideas and costumes. The first day of my photography had its own difficulties and interests much more than I had anticipated.
First of all I felt somehow timid. When I wanted to take photos from other people I felt embarrassed, because all the people around me were looking at me and this was so difficult for me to endure. I thought I have to be so friendly with them. And some times I thought it would be better to promise to forward someone’s picture after I took that picture.
It was so interesting for me to be a different person among other people. I thought why other people are not like me and why they aren’t looking at the scenes which are so unique and amazing. May be those moments and scenes were so usual for them and now they are familiar with them.
The most important event that happened to me was the time I took the camera in my hand. This time I had an artistic point of view. I thought I could make a film of my pictures or even make a gallery. It was a good idea, but how? I hoped I could do this.
In conclusion I think the first day of my photography was so interesting. I found the work dialing with different colors, textures and angels. The timidness I felt was a little unusual for me, but the feeling that I was a different person from other people and afterwards when I thought I have an artistic ability that can be improved, motivated me to continue this path and do my best in this process.
One word to my Philadelphian peers in CHS:
My country is not much different from the part of the earth you are living on. This is only a matter of division between two parts of earth, not more than that. Perhaps that part would be a bit cleaner and greener and more convenient for life. This part is also some place for living. You have changed it according to your wills and we have not. Now it would be an example for us to do our best and change this part of the earth more convenient for life. You are a bit further and we are perhaps at the beginning of the way. Let me shake your hands and convey my salutes to you all.
Prepared by: Mohammad Qasim
Grade: 10 th
Date: Sep 04, 2009
9/4/2009 1:43:53 PM - 002086812127
Great opportunity
In my opinion this project is a link between two human society that are geographically separated and located in two different locations and maybe those who are contributing in this project have never traveled to the next country before, but they are the messengers who are conveying their messages to their counterparts through this projects by cameras that joins two countries.
Art of photography records and displays the most fragile sensitivities and sentiments of humans. I couldn’t feel this before I started photography but when I started it every portrait had its own meaning that displayed a reality of the society: poverty, hardships, pleasure, pride, indifference, revolt…. and I realize that by this tool we can stabilize a very consolidated relation between two sides of the communication considering policies of both countries.
Afghanistan is in a critical situation that needs help and cooperation to be built and policies result in friendship, hostility, or indifference between societies. People have their essential role in bringing and consolidating peace and friendship between nations. The opportunity we got in the past seven or eight years had been a very golden and important one for Afghanistan and especially for Hazaras to improve their skills and talents and show for the world that they are really hardworking people and that the world has to realize them.
I witnessed days that, not very long time ago, just before the Taliban were toppled I had a teacher who was and ethnic Pashtun and he never came to the class to teach us but to insult the students who were Hazara. But we could do neither say any thing nor criticize him for what he was doing.
The world may not know much about Hazaras. When ever I think about ethnic communities in Afghanistan I remember the homicide that 62% of Hazaras had been the victim of it. This tragedy occurred nearly a hundred years ago.
The big question now for me is how to change this bitter reality of history to the sweet reality of future. Ethnocentric assumptions have destroyed my country. I know there are still individuals and circles that are following ethnic politics in my country. But they should go and they should leave their place for the new generation who believe in humanity, not ethnicity or language or religion.
I think the project “WE THE PEOPLE” is an effective program through which I can say and write about this feeling of mine. I think this responsibility is a very huge mission for me and from the day that I entered this project I felt that some thing heavy is put on my shoulders. I ought to try hard to carry this mission and play my due role for the betterment of my country and my people.
Most of the time when I think about the history of America and see that there is now a black president ruling the country, I feel the great works of the people who have led this country to this stage. My country can also have such an experience. But the ones who should make this as a reality would be no one other than us, ourselves.
At the end of my note, I would like to once again admit that this project is a really great opportunity for every one of us either in Afghnistan or in America to design a picture of our respective societies to the other side and I hope every body be successful in this mission.
Good luck!
9/3/2009 2:47:50 PM - 002086812127
Below I have posted the comments of three of the students from Marafet. I think you will find that their comments are engaging and informed and that we are on the way to a very special project.
9/3/2009 2:46:22 PM - 002086812127
In the name of God
I had read in a book that human knows this matter that they are condemned of remaining in the earth.
This matter was not much explained for me. Because I was just a painter and all my ideas were special for myself and I didn't want to know that painting is justifier or no? But fortunately when I got selected in this program, the title of "WE the People" was very interesting for me. After some working in photography I knew this title and how people justify their remaining in the earth. They have their normal life, they have their works, emotions, celebrations and maybe they don't know in fact they are justifying their life on the earth or maybe don't know our parents (Adam and Eve) condemned and came to the earth.
Fortunately I became interested in this title and beside that we are working about this title in our program. In my own life, I won't forget this idea, because with people or being 'we the people' shows and explains the people's culture, ideas, works and relationships and etc.
I think this program is good opportunity for explaining the people's life, culture, ideas, works, relationships, etc. and this is our job to explain the life of our people to the other people of the world and other people should introduce themselves to us.
Friendly relationship gives us the chance to enjoy our mutual findings. We ought to know that life has a good character for all the human being and we should think about the high position of human. When we think so, we will be one: IT IS THE UNITY.
Asad Pazhman 11th grade – Marefat High School - Kabul
9/3/2009 2:45:19 PM - 002086812127
In the name of Allah
To contribute in this project and to be an activist in this program itself has been very interesting for me from the first time, and I want to continue my activity as an active member of the project.
One of the activities that we are carrying out is photography under the title of "We the People". I as all other members of the project participated in and took photos from some interesting places, slum areas and people.
Of course my goal is, as goal of the project is, to design a proportionately real portrait of Afghans their life and culture and certainly the pictures we took can some how convey our message to our audience, the other side of communication that I am sure it can.
I am aware of the condition in which people live, because I am also one of them who live with them and shares sorrows and pleasures with them. And I witnessed every day how they live in my vicinity and how they are. Thus this was not a completely new experience for me; any how, it was an experience. I witnessed once again that how people live, their way and level of life, life of children, who are the bases on which future of his society is being built, their deprivation and sanitary condition .
Although I witnessed all mentioned above, I am not pessimistic about the situation, because I can not ignore and under estimate what has been done during seven or eight years in the country, I mean Afghanistan, and changes that has came into our lives.
We are optimistic but not satisfied or content, we will try our best to make it better than it is.
The program is a partnership between our two schools in Kabul and Philadelphia. This will help us getting a first-hand picture of each other. I admit that my present picture from the States is that taken roughly from the movies and some books. I am sure it will be much otherwise when we go ahead and make communications and interactions with our fellow Americans.
Once again I hope our photographs and essays can convey our mutual messages across.
May God bless us all
Bismellah Alizada
9th grade - Marefat High School
Kabul
9/3/2009 2:44:42 PM - 002086812127
Hello every one who is reading this text, specially my dear friends and partners in the CONSTITUTION HIGH SCHOOL of Philadelphia.
This is my experiences from the two first days of photographing far the project (WE THE PEOPLE) and my idea about this program.
Before this program I was painting and my only aim was that how can I convey my message to others and how can I transfer the idea and view points of my people and my society to other people who are living much far from us in the other side of the world with a different culture, a different history and different opinions.
When this program (WE THE PEOPLE) started I thought that it can be a very good opportunity to reach my goal and have communication with other people of our world and say that the post-war generation of Afghanistan thinks otherwise and have a word to say for their world, for their era and for their history. And they want to share their ideas with their friends around the world.
After passing a series of tests I was chosen to participate in this project.
Just one day before the ELECTIONS (August19) this program was launched and we began taking photos, but in my mind one question was still unanswered: what a camera is and how it can convey our message and concepts though it is a tool and a machine made by man.
Anyway we started photographing. Working with camera was really interesting for me. When I could found a subject and looked at it from the lens of a camera, in addition to taking a photo I could feel the subject inside myself and I could put myself and my own idea in the photograph which I had taken.
Every turn that I wanted to have a photo of some body the first and the only question posed to me was: why you want to take our photo? and what are you going to do with these photos? I had just one answer: I want to know you and I want to introduce you to the world. The first day passed but it was really an amazing experience for me.
The second day was the ELECTIONS day (August 20). It was 08:00 A.M when I left my home in order to have some photos from polling stations; still I was near to my house that the sound of a great and horrid explosion shocked me. I was afraid, but the fear was not as much as it could prevent me from going to polling stations and predicating of the greatest experience of Democracy in the country which has passed 25 years war and injustice.
I went to a polling station that was located near my home, and came back with a few photos from the commotion of people, but from that less number of photos also I could know the views of the people about the elections.
After that I went to school (MAREFAT HIGH SCHOOL) which was one of the polling stations. That was the only station that I could have photo from. When I arrived, I brought out my camera speedily and began photographing. I took lots of photos, but they were not just photo, I had taken the feeling and opinions of people and put my own view inside them as well.
Till the afternoon I had found all my answers and I read the heart of my people by using the lens of a camera. It was a marvelous experience, now that I want to write, I feel my self poor in the world of words. At the end of the day I understood that although camera is a machine, but using this machine is in the hand of person and it depends on him or her, that what does he/she want to do with it. Also I found camera and photojournalism as one of the best and most useful ways and tools for communicating with others. I knew that just by putting our eyes behind the lens of a camera we can see and feel many of those precision, niceties and beauties that by our powerful eyes never can. And how great messages and deep concepts can be transferred by a photo.
I will have the ability to talk a few words about my people here in Afghanistan, but I have only a rough idea and vision about my fellows in the States. Perhaps this is the first step and we have a lot to do in the course of our mutual works and activities. America is one of the greatest examples of mankind ability and civilization. We are in need of some experiences developed in that country. At the meantime, we may have lots of otherwise things to pass to our fellow Americans. We are trying to build a country and this would have marvelous experiences for us. I am looking forward to having these experiences shared with our fellows.
At the END I want to say that I am very pleased to participate in this project and because of this I am cordially thankful of those colleagues inside the school who prepared this chance for me and have chosen me in this program and also those who have launched and supported it in the U.S.A. If this program had not been there, I would have achieved nothing as these AMAZING experiences of my life.
M. Saeid Madadi
M.H.S Kabul Afghanistan
04 September 2009
9/2/2009 5:44:57 PM - 002083492995
This is great. ‘We, the people’ can be an opportunity not only to talk about ourselves but to think how we can better participate in our life. There are plenty to share with this glorious project. The students at Marefat High School are overwhelmed with their exciting experience through the lens of the camera. They can shot pictures and they can save the moments. Of course, ten years to come would be much different from now. Those who are beckoned as “the people” now, would be the memoirs of the history tomorrow.
I would like to express my deep and highly appreciations to all those who helped this idea come true. Jeff Stern, Hugh Allen, Joe Torsella, Nasim Fekrat and all other friends including teachers and students at both partner schools in Kabul and Philadelphia are the ones who deserve great honor and respect for this project.
Hope we will have good visits in this site and through this site to the minds and visions of the young students.
Afghanistan has passed through a tough history. It is still a war-ravaged land. The signs of brutal war are seen widely here and there. The people are still worried about their future. Kids are longing for a rapid smile. Mothers have anxiety about their kids’ tomorrow….
But this is not the whole story. There are thousands and thousands who have found their first opportunities of life to participate in the foundation of otherwise history. They are optimistic and resolved. They have full commitment with themselves to say “no” to the past and call for their own-shaped picture of tomorrow.
Marefat High School is a community supported educational program. It is run and supervised by a board of community members. They have done great job in the 7 years of the past. One has truly said: ‘this is at least one of the symptoms to show that the presences of our international colleagues have been productive’.
Perhaps we can talk a lot more about these things through the eyes and tongues of the kids in ‘we, the people’.
May God bless all
Aziz Royesh – Marefat High School - Kabul