On with the Show--Ladan on Stage

Ladan teaching "How to Use the Internet" to Afghan men and women.

Classy post-training certificates.

Ladan and her Internet students.

Esther, Toni and Marla south of the border in Kabul.

Wendy had one too many meetings with Nasima and BN, and woke up sick. She overdosed on her girls, or the food, or her meeting with the landlord's brother. So it fell to the understudy--Ladan--to go on with the show.

Ladan was a natural, teaching AWBF trainers "How to Use the Internet." There weren’t enough computers to go around for the packed house. So for the hands-on part of the class, she gave the computer seats to those men and women who did not already have email addresses, so she could coach them through setting them up.

One man kept on getting up from his chair, to give his seat to the group of women surrounding him. But they all had email addresses, so Ladan had to keep asking him to sit down. In a country where women are still marginalized, this Afghan was a true gentleman.

Ray and Marla were running around to a few NGOs, still interviewing potential on-the-ground partners. Khatera and Farah were on another secret mission.

Toni was collaborating on 12-month Forward Plans with a few of the Associates. Suraya’s 12-month vision is to improve the production capacity of her workers. Rahima wants to start a cotton factory, but this may be problematical. Kamala wants to extend the footprint of her BDS (Business Development Services) consulting and start a business institute for high-school graduates who are not going to university. Nargis wants to add another gym location. Our associates have bold dreams, and that’s a good thing.

Now hold onto your seatbelts you Kabul veterans. Our day ended with a meal at a MEXICAN RESTAURANT in Kabul! We were with Women for Afghan Women’s Esther Hyneman and Fahima Vorgett of the Afghan Women’s Fund. (Fahima is one of our heroes. She has raised money to build two schools in Afghanistan for nearly 2,000 girls, plus a couple of dozen other things like clinics and drinking wells. Her goal for this year is to build five more girls' schools in Logar and Laghman provinces.)

Esther had her mouth watering for a margarita, which would have, in this no-booze city, been a real feat, let alone treat. But we did have chips and salsa in Kabul. Who would have thunk?