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Kate Moore writes:
"To mark International Women’s Day, the Programme Action Committee of Nantwich Club organised an evening with a truly imaginative theme
‘A Taste of Afghanistan’
Club members and their friends (including four brave men!) came to experience the different tastes and smells of authentic Afghanistan dishes. These had been carefully selected from traditional recipes, and were cooked by members of the Programme Action Committee to form the basis of an excellent, entertaining evening. Cards with ‘everyday’ Afghan phrases were on each table, as were lists of the various dishes to be eaten. It was an action packed evening of friendship and fun.
There was the opportunity to experience ‘wearing a burqa’, view a display of jewellery made by women in Afghanistan (which were for sale), and even purchase a booklet produced of the recipes of all the dishes served – along with the usual raffle to raise extra funds.
Club Programme Action Officer Marian Wade had prepared an excellent presentation and through the use of her lap top and an overhead projector we learnt some of the history of the country – including the terrible plight of women under the Taliban Regime.
The evening was extremely well organised, the food was excellent and a substantial amount money was raised for the UKPAC partnership with Ockenden International working to provide various forms of education and train teachers in Afghanistan.
Sue Challoner from SI Runcorn, the UKPAC Representative on UNICEF was able to attend. Sue was responsible for setting up the partnership with Ockenden, and is currently the UKPAC liaison with them. Our Region PAC Chair Helen Owen was also a guest.
Sue recently wrote of the partnership with Ockenden: This "impacts directly on the traditional balance of power within households, communities and societies, and recognises that education plays a vital role in improving the economic and social status of low-income families. Ockenden works at grassroots level, training community groups to develop and implement projects. The result of this approach is long-term sustainability. Ockenden aims to ensure that once their work in an area is complete they leave in place strong communities that can lead their own development"
This special evening and the theme are particularly close to my own heart. Sue Challoner was the Regional PAC Chair when I was Regional President and together we had decided we ‘must do something for the women in Afghanistan’. Following the fall of the Taliban, we were able to achieve this with the tremendous support of our Region by building Wazir Fateh Khan. This is the village school for Siyawshan Village, in the Gozara District of Afghanistan which opened its doors in September 2002 to 320 girls and boys from primary school upwards.
Kate Moore
