My Work At Women's Edge
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I started the first day of my work
with a special energy and much excitement since I was
fine after suffering from rushes, blisters and burning
pain for one week.
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| Monday: |
Every Mondays Women's Edge has staff
meeting. Ms. Ritu Sharma, the Executive Director of Women's
Edge and other colleagues welcomed me. During the staff
meeting I was introduced to all colleagues again. Later
on I told about my self and work at Afghan Women's Network
and goal of my internship with Women's Egde.
Ms Andrea Greenblatt-Harrison, Senior Policy Coordinator,
is my buddy. She was on her holiday, therefore, I did
not have something to do so I checked Afghan Women's Network
website and suggested my colleague Ms Halima Alikozai
in Pakistan to update it.
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| Tuesday: |
For a short time I did research
on Afghan Constitution and recent news about security.
Later on I had a meeting with Andrea where she told about
me about passing the bills, working with congress, and
policy council. It was great!
I noticed some differences and some similarities between
the lobbying methods Afghan Women's Network and Women's
Edge. For example, we both do advocacy and lobbying on
women's issues with our governments. The difference is
between the modes and medium we use for lobbying.
Women's Edge submits a supplemental or a bill either to
house or senate depending on strategy whereas Afghan Women's
Network will submit it to UNAMA or directly to President
Office. Thus Women's Edge will be processing with congress
whereas AWN may not know what will happen since we do
not have congress/national assembly yet. The point I want
to make is that Women's Edge will start lobbying with
a big confident and with a demand that after some process
their bill would be for sure processed. Of course there
would be some amendments made to supplemental they have
submitted, but AWN will be waiting either for yes or no
which is frustrating.
Anyway, today Cammy Challender, Executive Coordinator
gave me keys for the office and made me Women's Edge email
account i.e. sbasiri@womensedge.org
She is a wonderful person. Well, everyone is wonderful
here. Even me J :-)
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| Wednesday: |
I talked with Andrea about my job
description. She told me that she will soon get one and
will tell me that what specifically I will be working
on. For a short time we worked on what are the major needs
of Afghan women inside Afghanistan.
As the Women's Edge Coalition, US. Afghan Reconstruction
Council, Women for Afghan Women and Afghans for Civil
Society urge the United States government to support Afghan
women's participation in the reconstruction process by
including a $125 million earmark for programs designed
to build the capacity and support the activities of women
in Afghanistan in the Supplemental. We are working on
floor amendment to the supplemental on Afghan women's
issues.
I stayed in office late since I had a meeting via instant
messenger with Ms. Afifa Azim, Director Afghan Women's
Network (AWN) in Pakistan. I told her about my work at
Women's Edge. She was pleased to hear that I am with Women's
Edge and will be learning a lot on advocacy and lobbying.
She kept on saying. Sadiqa, you have to work hard and
learn a lot to be able to teach a lot of people here.
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| Thursday: |
I and Andrea had some phone calls
regarding amendment on supplemental. We got a new amendment
from Senate office which was expected perhaps. But Andrea
was surprised seeing a different amendment. She told me:
" Sadiqa it is part of lobbying. No problem."
Then I was invited for lunch by one of AWN's donor. Iain
Guest he works with Advocacy Project. We talked about
sustainability of our media project. He talked about my
school project. He was interested in finding fund for
it. The meeting was very productive and I keep my fingers
crossed.
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| Friday: |
The Policy Council Washington DC
needs a directory for Afghan women groups working in Afghanistan.
So I am supposed to make the directory. I did not know
how to get the info about all the groups in Afghanistan.
Then one of my very good friend was online the same day
from Kabul. A single question worked out and I got a long
list of women's group right away. I will be able to finish
the directory in two days. Special thanks for YOU!
At noon I went to the Council on Foreign Relations. HRH
Princess Lulua Al-Faisal, the daughter of the late Queen
Effat of Saudi was there. She talked about education system
in Saudi and we had an in-depth conversation with her
on education.
Straight after that meeting there was another meeting
at InterAction. Mr James R. Kunder Deputy Assistant Administrator
from USAID led the meeting. The meeting was sum up with
updates on security issue and gender mainstreaming. I
felt very sorry that I found out about children abduction
in Kuduz, Afghanistan.
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During this week at office I learned
about the how US policy council work. And I think I am
getting close to understand and to answer:
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| -- why the promises are
not practiced yet |
| -- why there is no improvement
in the infrastructure of Afghanistan |
| -- why the work of most
NGOs is not worthy or visible in Afghanistan |
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I will soon share the answer for
all these WHY with YOU. The major thing which made me
too aggravated is that the international funding bodies/
international communities do not have interest in funding
projects in Afghanistan anymore.
I joined English Class for Intensive English three days
a week. It starts 6:00 pm to 9:00pm, Tuesday thorough
Thursday. We are nine students from seven different countries.
It is a very unique opportunity for me since I do not
only learn about US culture but I learn about Colombia,
Argentina, Germany, Spain, India, and Peru as well. Our
teacher Usha does her best in changing our accent into
pure American one. I think I will have a bit of American
accent by the end of this class.
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What I Liked And Disliked
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I liked Friday night. Since I received
calls from my home. I talked with everyone at home. We
had a two hour talk which was great. I felt that I am
at home for a little while. Then my sister Huma Roeen
and my greatest brother-in-law Nasir Roeen called me from
London. We talked for a long time. I had a good conversation
with some of my other friends in Afghanistan via instant
messenger. Late evening Pushpa called me and told me that
we will be going for shopping at 10:00 on Saturday. It
was a real Call Day for me. It was fabulous!
On Saturday Karen Mulhauser my host dropped me to Union
Station where Pushpa was waiting for me. Before dropping
Karen said: " come home for lunch and bring your friend
too." I said we will have lunch out. She did not say anything.
At Union Station I bought some gifts for my family. Pushpa
bought me a bracelate as a birthday gift. I told Pushpa
that we will have lunch here. She did not say anything
too. After a little while she said ok… I said, however,
Karen would like to have us at home for lunch. Then she
said. Oh then we have to go she will be waiting.
To make long story short we got home I opened the door
I saw the house packed with many good friends and my colleagues
at Women's Edge. Singing Happy Birthday!!!
Oh it was a breathtaking event for me. It was a very big
surprise. Karen had baked a tasty cake and different other
things. I saw many beautiful gifts and Birthday cards
on the table. It was great. I turned 24 and it was the
first birthday party of my life.
There would be questions raised in your mind. Yes. We
do not celebrate birthday in our religion. Even Prophet
Mohammad (PBUH) had advised that his birth and death anniversary
should not be celebrated. He had a reason for it. He believed
that each day is a new day and we should make our best
efforts to have every day a beautiful day. Therefore,
no need to stipulate a date for something. If something
is good we should remember it and enjoy it everyday and
if something is bad we should remember it and try our
best not to repeat it again. [It is not a Hadith but I
learned this message from his several Hadiths]
This was one reason of not celebrating my birthday. The
other reason is that during a refugee situation it is
slim of none for parents to think of birthday parties.
Most parents have 6 to 10 children they almost forget
when , who was born. I will not say that for me that my
father had forgotten me. But really most parents will
not remember.
Any way, after party I and Pushpa went to Pentagon City.
A very good friend Saiqa who is also from Afghanistan
dropped us. There were two enormous beautiful shopping
malls. We had a dinner their. I talked with Pushpa and
heard from Pushpa of course advices.
Then she gave me Metro Lesson. I really needed to get
this lesson since I was using cab for the last tree weeks
and it was looting my pocket. Cabs in DC ugh… Too expensive
since we have zone system here. Thank you Pushpa for your
lesson. Now I can save my money.
On Sunday I came to office to have an online meeting with
a friend of mine in Kabul. It was a big deal to get into
the office. I had key to open office. I had card to open
the main entrance and the elevator. But I could not use
it. Which is a bit embarrassment, but I made a US experience.
No one had told me about using it. I can not blame anyone
since I should have asked Cammy or Andrea about it. Thanks
God I learned how to use and got in to the office. It
was an important meeting for me. Which ended productively.
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Plan for Next Week
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I will be getting
a training on how to write a proposal |
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Meeting with Ms
Sakina Yaqoobi, Executive Director, Afghan Institute
of Learning at Capital hill |
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A meeting on Education
in Islamic world at Council on Foreign Relations |
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Joining a colloquium
on Education in Afghanistan arranged by Help the
Afghan Children |
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Attending Meeting
at International Family Planning Coalition |
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Attending an event
on Afghanistan in pursuit of security and democracy |
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