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AMCR
– UPDATE SUMMER 2009
Resume (please see details of the Cross-channel
Swim and Skinners’ Hall
Dinner)
After completing the swim, which won for the six women great admiration
for their fortitude and endurance, the dinner to celebrate their
achievement was held in the Skinners’ Hall at the end of January’09.
The two events raised £10,000 for the charity. We are extremely
grateful to all those who gave donations towards the swim, or participated
in the dinner, auction and raffle.
Together with the existing funds this will enable the charity to
construct another Delivery Room in the village of Shaba in the Panjsher
valley. There will not be sufficient funds to take on the construction
of the small hospital in Sefid Chihr. However, the same team are
aiming, for their next goal, to swim the length of Loch Ness in
early September’09.
Progress
Delivery Rooms
The US PRT (Provincial Reconstruction Team) has installed solar
powered equipment, consisting of water purifiers, lighting and thermosiphons
(for heating water) in many of the Clinics in the Province, including
three of the four Clinics where AMCR has built Delivery Rooms. For
a thermosiphon to operate there has to be a 24 hour daily water
supply.
Water Supply Problems
In the Health Centres at Darre and Shutol the water supply has been
interrupted by storm damage and road building. Engineers are trying
to resolve both problems. Installing a water filtration plant and
drawing water from the river may be the solution to the Darre supply.
Bakeries
Two of the original five had to close due to problems breaking out
within the villages concerned. Latterly, in late 2008, the other
three discontinued as the price of flour had risen from 750 Afghanis
per 50 kg to nearly 2000 Afs. However, there has been a good wheat
harvest this year in Afghanistan and north of the Oxus and the price
is coming down. Should it fall below 1000 Afs there is a good chance
that the remaining three bakeries will start up again.
To alleviate this closing four sewing machines and material were
given to the more needy women to enable them to make a little money
while working from home.
Evening School
A French girl from Lorraine established an evening school in Astana
village for 50 small boys and girls and recruited two girl teachers
to teach them to read and write. Unfortunately she had to leave
suddenly, but Rahilah who comes from the village and is the UN (Habitat)
representative in the Panjsher has taken on the responsibility for
the classes to continue and is paying the two teachers from her
own pocket. Fortunately a generous lady from Oman has donated sufficient
funds to keep the school going for a year.
Waheed Akbari, AMCR Field Manager, talking to Rahilah in the
school
Next Visit
This will be in late autumn and after the Loch Ness swim which,
it is hoped, will bring in more funds. If necessary it may be possible
to kick-start some of the bakeries if they are to become operational
again.
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