‘I believe if we want to bring peace, education is a strong vehicle and a tremendous tool to initiate this. Why? Because it increases knowledge, develops skills and moral values. If we get this richness inside, this shouldn’t lead to violent behaviour because it brings an internal peace, and the internal peace leads to external peace in the society. So let us grow more seeds for education, wherever we can’.

Many people have a vision how to bring peace, but how many of us would follow this vision to Afghanistan? The interview that follows is with a lady who worked in Afghanistan for a year. It is almost exactly what she wrote:

Can you say a little about your background?

My name is Safida Begum. I come from the Northern Areas of Pakistan – Gulmit, Gojal in Hunza. I studied till grade 10 and moved to Karachi for further studies. After BA (bachelor in science) in 1987, I joined my school as a head mistress / head teacher (HT). I was the first HT within the Aga Khan Education (AKES) system among more than 50 male HTs. It was an interesting experience, where some of the colleagues were very good to me and were supportive while others tried to ignore me, as I was not considered important. However, the management was supportive so that was a huge encouragement for me to struggle for myself and for others’ future.

I kept on working but I did not enjoy it because I did not have proper management, academic and social skills and experience when dealing with students, parents and communities. I used to try to get ideas and support from men because many of them were educated and were working in different organisations. However, everyone was not so keen for women’s participation, so people among them used to disappoint me but I appreciate those who were so much supportive to me.

Luckily, Jonathan Mitchell as general manager joined AKES in 1990s, and initiated an improvement plan for local capacity development though the English Language Training Programs and then sent a group of potential candidates to the British Council Lahore for further training. The trainers John Trood and Mrs Trood from UK, played a key role throughout the process and further identified three (02 men and myself as a woman) as Master Trainers (MTs) to work with VSOs.

When we returned back from Lahore 6 VSOs (Volunteer Oversees Services) from UK also joined AKES as trainers. So we three local MTs worked with them to bridge between the foreigners and the locals to enhance the capacity of local teachers and develop our own language and methodological skills though the Language Enhancement and Achievement Program (LEAP).
However, then I got a scholarship for an M.Ed program at the Aga Khan University – Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED), Karachi. The medium of instruction at this institute was English as it is affiliated with the University of OISE Toronto, Canada and Harvard University. Yet, it was a smooth transition for me to cope with the program because of the language development.

This program changed my whole perspective, thinking and reflective skills. I understood myself and my professional needs, and professional needs of the local teachers, HTs, and the whole education system. Moreover, it broadened my perspective and I looked at education as a holistic approach, rather than teaching subjects and passing examination through rote learning.

We as a group of AKU-IED graduates returned back to our area and served at the Aga Khan University - Professional Development Center North (AKU- PDCN). So I served for 8 years, which provided me the opportunity to share my learning with different stakeholders e.g. teachers, HTs, Education Officers / supervisors from AKES, Government and Private sectors through different programs such as Whole School Improvement Program (WSIP), Educational Leadership and Management Program, Mentoring and other needs based programs.

The head of the AKU-PDCN’s practical support and mentoring boosted us up to a different level. Similarly, the academic, physical, moral and emotional support from AKU-IED enabled us to cope with the local needs and gender issues. I enjoyed my work and became a change agent for the area, where I helped to make differences in lives, and the above mentioned people made differences in my life and colleagues. So I gradually developed more confidence, motivation and curiosity for learning and sharing. Therefore, I got international exposures such as International Research Scholar at the University of Kansas USA and recently, went through a three weeks successful training on ‘Peace Building’ from American University Washington D.C.

In a similar way, many of my colleagues from Northern Areas (NAs) went through the LEAP program to enhance their English language skills and opted for M.Ed program at AKU-IED, successfully completed and now serving at leadership roles. Moreover, few of them completed / completing their Ph.D degrees.

The purpose of explaining all this is to demonstrate how change can be initiated and sustained through capacity development of local people. Moreover, I would like to acknowledge the contribution of the people in their leadership roles in our area, their strategic thinking, positive direction and vision and contextualised actions generated stimulation for learning. Thus, leadership makes a big difference, particularly, if the leaders have good professional understanding and professional approach to change.

What were your motivations in going to Afghanistan?

It was a stimulation and motivation to serve the poor communities and sow some seeds of motivation to lead to education.

Where were you based?

I was working in Badakhshan province and was based in Sheghnan, a place that remains closed for 9 months that shrinks life pattern but the border crossing points from Tajikistan side, enables to bring a momentum in life to survive within the traditional system.

Can you briefly explain what you were doing?

I was working as a Professional Development Advisor (PDA) for Badakhshan (BDK). We were three PDAs based in three provinces (Bamyan, Baghlan and Badakhshan). We concentrated on local capacity development. We were working in 62 government schools (that increased to 82 in 2008) in BDK, partnership schools with communities, district education, provincial and ministry of education and the Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) for in service teachers. We had 62 teacher trainers in all three provinces, where we were training them and they were giving training in schools and communities. The Local Training Head closely worked with the PDAs for the Leadership and Management Training in five districts of BDK to train the school HTs.

It is a huge province with lack of infrastructure and facilities so the process of change can be very slow. But my experience with working with these stakeholders was a significant part of a positive change of their thinking. I got a lot of appreciation from the trainees for developing their capacity. At the end of every training, the participants demanded more support and professional help. This indicates that people do want to improve their education and their environment but they need skilful people to understand their particular needs and deal according to their level of understanding. I think it is important because they seemed to be taking change as a change of religion and culture because they are innocent people and they are misguided for various interests and conflicts. Therefore, they need mentoring in a positive direction to support them to enhance their knowledge, increase their skills and improve their attitudes for a positive change in their communities and societies.

However, my experience also showed that the local leaders need to access the training centers so they could establish that nothing is against their religion or culture. Once they are satisfied with the trainers’ approach, they (local leaders) become the change agents within the communities because it enables them to link with their cultural values and talk positively about the initiatives.

Did you meet the Taliban!?

I do not know whether I did or not - I might have met them because I was working with many Mullahs. Initially, they had a different attitude when talking to me but when I worked with them, linked educational theories with their practical lives, and Quranic and Islamic values, they were more interested. Similarly, I am a friendly person, when I dealt with them friendly and politely, they behaved in the same way. So believe me, my heart beats for their positive remarks and their caring attitudes. I got a lot of respect during the training programs. My impression was that the Mullahs are not bad, rather they are shown bad.

How did you find being a single woman in Afghanistan, and particularly being a woman in a senior position?

Initially, it was quite difficult because the people and the staff would treat me as a woman, with whom they could never disagree or speak with, and they would keep me isolated. But I was a professional woman so I had to talk, agree or disagree in a friendly manner. When I talked some would listen to see what I say and whether it makes sense for them or not, while others would always just disagree for the sake of disagreement because I was a woman. It was quite disappointing situation but gradually, I understood the culture, the tradition and the people, who are positive and negative. So gradually I developed relationships with people around me, who were everything for me in that isolated place. I talked, shared jokes, listen to their stories and experiences and shared my experiences so that helped me to cool down and focus on my tasks. However, the Regional Education Officer (promoted to training head) became my mentor, brother, friend, colleague, and learner. I learned many things from him and he learned from me. We were good sister and brother. I realised a local person’s support enables you to feel at home but you need to develop that trust relationship within the person and within the community through your honesty and hard work. They are needy people and you are taken as a leader so you need to prove your ability to help them and satisfy them with your work. If you are able to do that then, they become your protectors and well wishers.

Did you feel afraid at any point?

I was afraid at the beginning because I had a different image of Afghanistan. I was scared of going to the traditional toilets as it was outside of the guest house but gradually, I realised that it was a peaceful area so I was not scared but I made arrangement to stay as a paying guest with a family so felt more protected.

Once I travelled alone with the local people in a local transport from Sheghnan to Faizabad. Though I was scared inside but showed a lot of confidence. However, the people were so good to me that I cannot express the feeling. I remember, once the older person gave me his ‘shall’ when he felt that I was cold. He also set in front of the seat to protect me. Similarly, when we were crossing the pastures in the mountainous region at Shiva, the local people stopped our van, requesting to take one of the injured people (who fought and got injured) to Faizabad but these people refused saying that they have a woman guest so they cannot take him.

Have you got any encouraging stories about the role of women in Afghanistan life?

Women are protected very well according to the culture and traditions. The local men in leadership positions, who were liberal, were trying to encourage women to participate at the Mothers Literacy Centers and educate their children. They were giving my example that she has left her children at home and have come to serve us to you should take it as an excellent opportunity and benefit from her experiences. One of the Commanders in a district motivated the HTs in the leadership training to allow their women to attend the Mothers Literacy Centers and the conference on Primary Education. He also suggested that they should play a key role in enhancing girls education by motivating and educating their communities.

How does the education system in Afghanistan compare to Pakistan? Are they facing similar problems?

It is difficult to compare two countries. Pakistan has come a long way and has developed mechanism and infrastructure for students to get education from Nursery to higher education so students have choices for their careers. However, Afghanistan remaining under war for 30 years, has lost everything. So there are gaps at every stage of human life from intellectual capital to social, emotional and moral so it will take time to establish an infrastructure and a support mechanism for students. But the international organisations have been playing a key role to fill some of the gaps in supporting the Government of Afghanistan. It was wonderful to notice a comprehensive National Curriculum for schools and the Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) was developed by international consultants according to the current needs of the global village. It is a huge contribution for the country if it is implemented in the same way. I think that Pakistan does not have that kind of comprehensive national curriculum.

Do you feel optimistic about Afghanistan’s future or not?

I am optimistic about the change could happen in Afghanistan but it will take a lot of time because people of Afghanistan are very much scattered from each other socially and emotionally. They are lacking connectivity and harmony among themselves. So instead of thinking about their country, they go for ethnicity that creates conflict among them that hinders their progress.

Is there anything else you would like to tell people in the UK about your experiences in Afghanistan?

First of all I would like to thank people from UK and USA, who made differences in my life, my people and my area. Then I would like to request people to think broadly and act locally. It means, whoever, goes to these kinds of conflict zones, it is essential to understand the culture, the tradition and work with communities to give them ownership. Facilitate them to enhance their capacity and work with them as a critical friend. It helps to be part of the culture and the critical view helps to understand the needs and work skilfully to satisfy the communities as clients. Once it is done, there is no way that those innocent people will forget you. It means you are in their hearts and minds all the time to follow your partway. So if someone gets that, for me, that is a great achievement and satisfaction in life.

English and Pakistani reflections

I do apologise for not having updated my blog for a while, unfortunately I have been having a few internet issues. First I got a virus on my computer in Pakistan, then I went home and with quite astounding stupidity managed to put the same virus on my parents computer (making a quick exit back to Pakistan advisable). Then when back in Pak I still didn’t have internet on my computer and then toddled off to the Northern Areas for a week where yaks were more in abundance than computers (apparently, though I didn’t see any). So, after that long apology and list of excuses, here follows what I wrote in the UK. But stay tuned, as they say, to the blog in the next couple of days cos I’ve got loads more exciting stuff in the pipeline – an interview with a lady who spent a year working in Afghanistan, a story of reconciliation and forgiveness in a village after an honour killing, and of course more insightful and deep comments about life in Pakistan (maybe?!). What follows is what I wrote in the UK:

So, I’m back in the UK again, for a two-week holiday. The main reason for coming back was my friends wedding, which was beautiful. But the extent of vacillation in making my mind up whether to come back had seriously never been seen before in the history of, well, history. I eventually decided I definitely would come back, five days before the flight, (after deciding I definitely wouldn’t) when I got a virus on my computer, thought I lost 8 months work and diagnosed myself with all stress related and heat related disorders in the medical handbook so helpfully given to us by VSO. (I am reminded of Three Men in a Boat – I know I didn’t have housemaid’s knee, but as for everything else….Seriously, my hair started coming out by the chunkful, and I was getting fairly concerned. The following comments on it really didn’t help my stress levels: a) is radiation causing it? and b) if the whole hair falls out it is not likely to grow back). But you’ll be pleased to know that my computer was restored to its former glory by a wonderful VSO volunteer to whom I will be forever grateful.

I did feel slightly guilty in coming back, for several reasons. I felt slightly like I was running away from my problems, instead of facing up to them. And also that was complicated by a feeling of guilt that the people I work with are unable to jump on a plane to get away from the heat, the gender inequalities, and the constant tension due to terrorism.

When I arrived back a week ago I could not get my head around the fact that a mere eight hours can make such a difference to everything – to my life, to the whole world, to what I can eat, where I can go, what I can do. Everything was different – on the surface everything looks different, and underneath all cultural values and world views are completely different. It was a shock seeing women walking around by themselves in short skirts, a surprise seeing churches again, so many new cars on the road, - nothing has changed in the UK but I was slightly mixed up…

But now I have decided that it was good coming back and having a break. I’ve been able to clear my head and to think things through, especially about why I was getting so stressed. I was really losing my tolerance level and my ability to see things through another’s point of view. I was looking at aspects of Pakistani culture from a typically western point of view (all the negative aspects of arranged marriages, all the restrictions due to gender etc etc) rather than trying to understand aspects of the culture that are completely alien to western cultural values from a Pakistani point of view instead. It really doesn’t help in my efforts at world peace and challenging barriers between the East and the West (on a minute scale) if I conveniently forgot that some (definitely not all) Pakistani girls are happy to have arranged marriages, and arranged marriages come from a long heritage of serving the family rather than the individual focus in the west, and there might actually be some negative things associated with the rampant individualism of the west.

I’ve been doing some reading as well as thinking since I’ve been back and realising that trying to understand another culture is like peeling an onion and the layers get more intricate and complicated as you go, and it is neverending! (hope you like the metaphor). I and other VSOs are often asked for help from people like how to get a UK visa, people looking for jobs in INGOs, that sort of thing. We were thinking that people just wanted to get to know us because they wanted something from us, we were just being used. But I am slowly realising that this is how things work in Pakistan, that contacts through family and friends are the prime means through which people get jobs, run businesses, politics is accomplished and actually the whole way the country runs. And I am also realising that people never say no to a request for help, as it is seen as shameful. I thought that the best way to deal with requests was to be honest and to say that I can’t help, but Pakistani’s were quite surprised by my response, so now I know why. And difficulties can be caused when ideas about shame / honour take precedence over being honest.

And I’ve been thinking through how to respond to the amazing hospitality that I have been shown. I have to be able to reciprocate it in some way, but given the level of my cooking skills that is not really an option. I did come up with a cunning plan – to fill my suitcase with my mum’s amazing chocolate brownie. Surprisingly enough mum didn’t seem as enamoured with my plan as I did, but I’ll work on her….

There are things I know I find difficult to implement personally about Pakistani culture because they are so alien to the way I have been brought up. For example, I still cannot just go around to a person’s house without an invitation – I feel like I could be intruding no matter how many times people tell me that it is an honour for them to have guests. And between friends, ‘sorry’ and ‘thank you’ are not said – not having to say sorry implies that friends forgive each other unreservedly, and not saying thank you implies an expectation that friends would serve one another. But I find this very difficult as I have to show gratitude when people do things for me.

I am thoroughly enjoying my time back in the UK, the wedding was so lovely, and it was been great catching up with friends and family. And I really have been thoroughly enjoying the vast range and quality of English food. I knew I wasn’t eating very much in Pakistan but I didn’t realise the extent of my hunger until confronted with the choice inside my parents’ fridge, and the difficult decision of where to start. It took me six days to eat so much my stomach was painful after every meal, but then I realised I got over it when I was defeated by two weetabix for breakfast. Unfortunately I didn’t really have the excuse that I needed feeding up as I didn’t actually lose any weight in Pakistan (due to the amount of fat in the food) but I justified my drooling over a baguette at Kings Cross and taking large amounts of time deliberating over menus by making the most of the opportunities available to me. Especially with pork. I had a temporary set back after the following comment from my brother ‘I do so admire people who can set aside their principles for the sake of their stomachs’ on my reaching for a sausage, but I fully intend to rediscover my vegetarianism on my final return to the UK. I don’t want to give the impression that I don’t like Pakistani food – that wasn’t the problem. The problem was cooking for myself as it was so hot and there were so many ants and I was so tired (I can really sense your sympathy). I usually ended up having noodles or baked beans on toast for dinner. Got a bit fed up in the end. (BTW baked beans were available in my local shop but not any more – I think I was the only person who bought them in several years, and the shopkeeper greeted me like a long lost child and sold all his remaining tins to me in one go). Anyway, perhaps that is enough about food now.

So, I’m going to go back (hopefully) having rediscovered compassion and tolerance, but I am also going to go back more realistic. Although the culture seems to get more confusing the deeper I go, I have to realise that some things I will never fully understand, and some things that I can never accept, but I can do my best to empathise and try to behave without causing offense. It is a privilege to be there and to learn more about this (infinitely confusing) society.

Village life

So, I was thinking the other day that reading my blog must be a little bit like reading a postcard (especially the last entry). I really don’t like getting postcards – my dislike was founded last year when I got one from a friend whilst I was going through dissertation struggles over the summer – it wasn’t great reading about her holiday on the beach in Mallorca when I was stuck in the house from dawn to dusk over a hot computer. So, I’ve decided instead of always writing about myself I will interview some people so that you guys can get more of an idea of what life is like for Pakistanis.

The first girl I interviewed is about my age, but has had a completely different life to me. She grew up in a village in Hunza. I won’t mention her name to protect her anonymity, but we’ll call her Ayesha.

I was very interested to find out what life was like growing up in a village in mountainous Pakistan (particularly because I’ve just been watching ‘Lark Rise to Candleford’ – talk about nostalgia for an idyllic and lost rural past).

And one thing I clearly gathered from her was that things have changed in her village a lot since her childhood and traditions are being lost. This was exemplified by a lively argument between her and a few other women from Hunza during my interview about the exact nature of some of the festivals. This was only twenty something years ago. Even then the village was opening to the modern world – the KKH was open and foreigners were not unusual.

So, let me take you back to a village twenty-something years ago in the Northern Areas. Agriculture is the main source of income – her family was in agriculture, and had fields, goats, sheep and cows. It was the family that looked after the fields – there was no tradition of employing labour except when doing big works. There were no tractors, but things were done by hand, and with oxes. Animals lived in the houses with the families in many cases. Ayesha remembers enjoying giving the oxes food like dough and chapatti in the house – it made the ox very happy!

Now, oxes are no longer used at all now because of threshers. It seemed like she has mixed views regarding the influence of the modern world in her village. Beautiful traditions are being lost, but at the same time it must have been hard work. Apparently cows were used for threshing – someone had to hold a dustbin and run after the cow to catch its urine. Funny, but actually very hard work, and such a waste of time.

But in other respects this was clearly not your typical traditional rural and timeless Pakistani village (if there is such a place). Education, even twenty-something years ago was concerned of paramount importance, and a significant proportion of people’s income was invested in education. Now, three of her sisters have Masters degrees. And there were relatively liberal views – girls were not stopped from working, and there was a more relaxed attitude towards gender than in much of Pakistan – it is traditional with people from this area when they meet to kiss each others hands – very surprising for a country where it is unusual for men and women to even shake each others hands.

There were two major festivals that she told me about – Tahum and Cheneer, and both were based around the agricultural cycle. Tahum celebrated the beginning of spring. People cleaned their house and made traditional food, which was shared within the village, particularly among the elders. They went to the Jammat Khana early in the morning to pray. The Jammat Khana is the Ismaili mosque and centre of village life.

Cheneer was celebrated before the harvesting of the crops. There were slight arguments about what actually happened, but it seems that in the morning they first went to the Jammat Khana, and then went to the field and cut five pieces of wheat. Some of the wheat was tied on to the ceiling on a pillar. All the family members came together to grind the other bits of wheat and it was then put in some milk, which the elders drank.

Weddings are the other festival of great importance in the village. The nature of weddings varies from village to village, even within Hunza, and it seems like weddings are very simple in this village. Very unusually, the girls do not take a dowry with them to their new home, only a few items from their father’s house, and a few clothes. As part of the ceremony the bridegroom brings some suits of clothes for the bride. The bride is dressed very simply compared to other Pakistani weddings – there is no gold, and little make up. The actually wedding ceremony takes place at the Jammat Khana, where it sounds like it is similar to the Christian wedding – prayers are said, verses from the Qu’ran are read, jewellery is exchanged (although it doesn’t have to be rings) and the bride and groom are asked the ‘I do’s’.

On the seventh day after the wedding the bride returns to her father’s house with some chapattis, and this is when she can take implements and one piece of furniture from her father’s home to her new home.

Everyone in this village is Ismaili, and Ayesha is clearly proud to be an Ismaili. Women are able to go to the Jammat Khana to pray, and in the village they often go daily. Inside the Jammat Khana people pray and learn from the Imams, but it also a place where community affairs can be discussed. Ismailism is very tolerant; the Aga Khan is really respected and he interprets the Qu’ran and provides guidance on how to live as an Ismaili. Key messages that Ayesha told me are to respect your culture, make bridges with other communities, respect diversity and pluralism, fasting is not only a matter of not eating, but your whole life should be fasting from sin and evil. The main thing is to respect human beings – first of all, people are human.

The north...

Hunza must be officially one of the most beautiful places in the world. I can’t really describe in words how beautiful, so here are a few photos that will make you very jealous:

We stayed in a house in a little village with the following view from the back garden:

The house was surrounded by potato fields, it had a view up to the glacier, and on one side was the Hunza river:

The scenery was so awesome it definitely reminded me how small we are....

We stayed in a house belonging to a colleague at MIED, and he warned us it was basic. I have seen some basic Pakistani houses, and had mentally prepared myself. But when we walked into the house my friends and I just stood there with out mouths wide open. It was one of the most beautiful houses I have ever seen – it was a traditional Hunza house, with the sleeping area, living area and eating area all in the same room – the whole area was carpeted and cushioned. The roof was wooden. It is difficult to describe, but here is a photo, with a baby in it (twas v baby friendly).

One day we walked up to a glacier, my first glacial experience :) It was fairly surreal being close to a huge block of ice and being too hot. I got completely sunburnt that day. Apparently the glacier has shrunk considerably this year, so we couldn’t get past the moraine to walk on it. We also saw another glacier which had recently caused a flood destroying the road and fields of crops. When we got back I read in a national newspaper that UNDP are analysing the shrinking of these two glaciers as evidence of global warming.



It was really lovely experiencing village life even just for a couple of days – like getting glacier water out from a pump when the taps didn’t work, and walking past women I knew working in the potato fields. Walking around the village was lovely – in contrast to Chakwal where people just stared here everyone said asalam aleikum and smiled, there were women wandering around, and I didn't feel like I was breaking some unwritten social rule by walking outside by myself.

Many people from MIED come from this village, so we were made really welcome. One day someone came to cook for us, their family and many other people from the village as well, and we all sat around a gas lamp (power cut) eating fresh potatoes and spinach from the fields. And another day we went to visit a different family and arrived at 9.30 in the evening as it was quite a long walk. They weren’t expecting us, but they even cooked a meal for us! The wife was incredible – she was looking after 5 kids (not all her own), teaching in a local school, cooking a meal for 3 strangers and making us welcome in her home. The people in this village really were among the most friendly and hospitable that I have ever met.

I was with two friends – a married couple and their baby. It was actually really great travelling with a baby – he coped better with the heat and the altitude than the rest of us! He was a great ice breaker, and Pakistani men loved him! Quite a few times random strangers came up to us and kissed him – slightly bizarre but we got used to it.

So I’ve decided to buy a house there and grow my own potatoes and cherries. Forget coming back and getting a proper 9-5 job in London.

Islamabad again

Last week I bid a fond farewell to the hostel in Chakwal and moved to back Islamabad. I was really sorry to leave (except the ants, but I have an inkling that problem isn’t just restricted to Chakwal). Life in the hostel had been interesting and fun, and the people there so friendly. But I am happy to be back in Islamabad again - I'm not living in the guest house as I did before, and now MIED has their head office here. And I can walk to work – the freedom!!

The last few weeks in Chakwal were very interesting. As I mentioned before, I was helping out in an evaluation of one of their projects, which was great. I really enjoyed doing the field work and seeing some of the work that MIED had achieved – particularly new school buildings, running water and toilets are available in nearly all of the schools now. And talking to the communities was great – some of them were so motivated and had raised thousands of rupees for their school’s development. In one community until recently the only water they had was from rain and natural pools. The animals drank and swam in it, and the community used it for drinking. But 3 months ago the government built a pipeline to the village. And in May the community organised themselves to build a link from the pipeline to the school 3 km away. It took them a week to achieve this! Completely brilliant. Who says development is all about dependency and handouts?

Then after the data collection we started work on data analysis and writing up the report, which we achieved in mega quick time because of the need to move to Islamabad. I don’t think an evaluation report has ever been written so quickly (but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t of very high quality!). I and the guy I did it with enjoyed doing it so much that we are now on the hunt for more evaluations….

Unfortunately Plan has decided to pull out of Mansehra completely, which leaves us with a major funding crisis. We will try to find new donors for our projects, but it is all pretty stressful. We are working with over 20,000 children in Mansehra so it will be gutting if we have to close all the projects. It seems that many INGOs are coming to the final stages of their support in the earthquake-affected regions, so I don’t think it is going to be easy. But there is still huge need in those areas – most schools in Balakot are still operating out of tents. And we are running 100 ECCD centres for the very young children in two valleys – we can’t just leave them.

This is going to be a completely new phase for MIED, as with all the previous projects it was the donor who approached us, rather than the other way around. The only slightly relevant experience I have is writing the funding rejection letters for Tearfund – so I know exactly how to approach donors to ensure that they WON’T give money, but how to do it so they will….?! Though I had a networking opportunity the other day – someone from the Northern Areas was on our balcony and noticed someone else on a neighbouring balcony also from the Northern Areas. They established through a loud conversation that both offices had Europeans working there, so we were invited around for cold drinks. It was an INGO and they knew all about MIED and our work, and even said that they would have been happy to work with us, but they are leaving the country next month. Grrrr.

So life is kinda interesting. I’m going to the Northern Areas next week with some friends who I haven’t seen for ages, and their baby, which is v exciting!! I can’t wait. But on Friday we got a security email from VSO saying not to arrange any travel early next week as we might have to hibernate. Hmmm. Also I’ve left ALL my cold weather clothes in Chakwal and I don’t think the temperature at 3000m is going to be exactly the same as Islamabad. Talking of which, it has been so hot that the front of my Ipod has melted. Anyway, I’m trying to develop the Pakistani attitude: kya masle hai? Ye Pakistan hai, sab chalte hai. What problem? This is Pakistan, everything is possible.

Daily life in Chakwal continued....

I realised I might have come across as slightly cynical in my last blog entry (probably a result of the heat), but I am really enjoying my time in Chakwal. Things have been very interesting recently as we are doing an evaluation of the impact that MIED has had in 30 schools here.

And I am really enjoying living in the hostel as well. We make our own entertainment in the evenings, which involves quite a lot of singing, and some dancing. Group singing is slightly problematic as the only song I have in common with the others is Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. But I’ve also been able to conclude that VSO have had a lasting impact in Pakistan – a lady currently at MIED used to work with VSOs in the Northern Areas several years ago. And the other night she came out with ‘Peter Piper picked a pack of pickled peppers’ that she remembered from them!! Pretty good. And the other people in the hostel were so helpful and good to me when I was ill – running around and getting mineral water and things. It is a really lovely aspect of Pakistani culture that when someone is ill everyone really helps and puts themselves out.

And I’ve been slowly getting to know different areas of Chakwal. There is an old train station quite near our office – a legacy from the Raj. It is used for cricket matches now. Shopping for basic food items is interesting – there are many many tiny shops scattered around – some of which just sell a few vegetables, but others of which have quite a variety of things. And a woman owns a small shop very near the hostel.

Chakwal district is very varied and beautiful – there are the plains where crops are grown, particularly wheat. And there are also the mountains which are very dry – you can easily see the sandstone which is all different colours from deep red to yellow. Driving around to the different schools during the evaluation has meant I have seen a lot more of the area. Some photos of Chakwal:

Cricket at the old railway station.

Having a few problems getting up the hill. I was very sorry that it was completely culturally inappropriate for me to help push.

They managed the hill fine though!

Walking to a school through a town in Chakwal district (I can't remember its name!)

Rain!!

Pakistan for the uninitiated:

Causes of confusion between Pakistan and the UK:

In the UK when you flash your lights to another car it (usually) means please come on. Whereas in Pakistan people flash their lights when they want to say ‘everyone, out of my way, coming through at high speed’. So when a car overtakes it flashes its lights at any oncoming cars expecting them to swerve onto the side of the road, never mind any passing pedestrians, cyclists, donkeys or fruit stalls.

When people say you are looking smart, it means you are looking thin. On the other hand, if someone says you are looking healthy, the ultimate compliment in the UK, here it is a polite way of saying you are fat.

When making a phone call the ringing tone in Pakistan is EXACTLY the same as the engaged tone in the UK. When I first came I put the phone down a fair few times before I twigged.

And at Chakwal’s main traffic junction there are four roads and ONE set of traffic lights. That is not one set of lights for each road, but just one set of lights. But life continues and people manage to travel in an out of Chakwal daily. Ye Pakistan hai. Sab chalte hai. This is Pakistan. Everything is possible.

Let me now up date you as to my culinary efforts. The war against the ants continues. I put down huge amounts of ant powder so now my cooking is complicated by that, the ants, the fact that the surface is a lovely mottled grey colour so I can’t see where either the ants or the ant power are, and several more dead hornets in the sink. I’m seriously considering admitting defeat and eating with the others. Don't get me wrong - I really like Pakistani food, but they eat at 9.30 every evening which is too late. And I have to say eating chappattis three times a day sometimes gets a bit much. And I’m actually trying to be vegetarian again as when we were travelling down the motorway the other week I saw a travelling cage with many chickens in, and it was truly horrible. The chickens were hanging out of their cages which were so small they couldn’t move, and some of them were already dead.

In my last blog I omitted to explain anything about Chakwal and where it is. Well, it is a town about the same size as Mansehra in the northern Punjab, two hours south of Islamabad. In other respects it is completely different to Mansehra though. It is much more of an agricultural town – you can always see farmers coming in with their donkeys and crops and things. And there is a lot of ‘urban agriculture’ – behind the hostel there are fields that previously were used solely as rubbish dumps, but have recently been ploughed. And I think I am the only foreigner here – people stare a lot, whereas in Mansehra because of the earthquake they were used to foreigners. And finally, Chakwal is HOT. It is so hot, the kind of heat I haven’t experienced before. The hostel attracts heat like a greenhouse – it is one level with a flat roof, so the sun beats down on the roof all day and then radiates the heat all night so my room is like an oven the whole time. The fans are very good at moving around hot air. But it is even worse when the power goes off (at least 4 times a day) because of the energy crisis. I thought it was bad in Mansehra when I was reduced to sitting in the dark staring at a gas fire in the evenings, but it is infinitely worse here when the fans go off. The other night I was so baked that I went out on the roof and tried to sleep. Sleep escaped me but the stars were amazing. But I decided not to do that again cos I counted 43 mosquito bites the next day. And now, amazing people in the hostel have got a water cooler working in my room which is the best invention known to man.

And yesterday there was rain! I tell you, I have never felt that happy about rain before in my life. We were walking home from work and I got completely soaked. The rain drops were so big, and the bizarrest thing – some of it was hail!! And at the same time the puddles were hot because of the heat from the pavement. And also, I now have the foolproof way how to get rid of colds…. I caught a cold on Friday (don’t know how in 40 degrees of heat, but I still managed it). So all day yesterday I was snivelling away, and then got completely soaked in the rain, and then had to sit for half an hour in soaking clothes waiting for someone who had run away with our keys. (I was steaming in more sense than one!!) But then my cold went!! Don’t get it (probably this is a case of don’t try this back home - might not work so well….)

On Sunday I was able to get to a local Catholic church. It was good though I didn’t understand a word. The church was held in a room which was brightly decorated with streamers and things. The music was great - two women sat at the front and sang and there was a harmonium and drums, and the church was really full. There is also a Protestant church in Chakwal so I’ll give that a go soon (not that the language problem will be solved at all by doing that). Re language, I’ve decided heat affects the brain so it is impossible to learn a new language when it is over 40 degrees.