Help us Empower Afghan Women!

June 11th, 2010

Have you ever wished you could do something to alleviate the suffering of the Afghan people? Do you long to reach out to Afghan women? 

Well, now you can.

[Click here to read about the amazing Afghan women who want to study Circlework.]

[Click here to find out how you can help!]

MORE ABOUT THE AFGHAN WOMEN'S PROJECT

Three women from Afghanistan have appealed to us: They want to attend the 2010 Circlework Leadership Training.

Circlework is a group process that gives women confidence and self-esteem, helping them claim their voices and their power. It's been used successfully in the US and Canada, Israel and Palestine.

But nowhere is Circlework more needed than in Afghanistan, where women endure a level of oppression we can hardly imagine. This January, for example, two Afghan women were arrested and tortured for running away from abusive husbands. Girls are sometimes poisoned for trying to go to school, and many girls' schools have been burned down.

These things will not change as long as the women of Afghanistan remain invisible and unheard!

Arezo, Hasina and Marzia — the three women who have asked us to help them — are not typical Afghan women. Rather, they are members and leaders in the Afghan Women's Network who have for many years been involved in educating, and empowering Afghan women. They see Circlework as a tool that can make a huge difference in the lives of Afghan women. They, like all women affected by violence and warfare, need not only schools and midwives, but also healing, nurturance, and support.

As women who live and work in one of the most dangerous war zones on the planet, Arezo, Hasina and Marzia themselves need a place to rest, heal, and recharge their batteries.

At the same time, they need to be equipped with topnotch leadership skills. The Circlework Training will achieve both these goals. They will return home stronger, and with the tools they need and deserve.

Last but not least, their presence in our community will give us a chance to forge strong, lasting bonds of friendship and sisterhood with women who are working at the forefront of social change in a country we hear about every day, yet know so little about.

If you would like to make a real difference in the world, please don't miss this amazing opportunity! Every penny you donate will ripple out in widening circles to touch thousands of women who need to know that we feel their pain, and are willing to do something about it.

The cost of sponsoring one Afghan woman is $5,000, including the training, travel, and all other expenses. Therefore, our goal is to raise $15,000.

There are two main ways in which you can help us:

  • First, please open your heart to these women and make a donation on their behalf today. It's a beautiful way to help heal the shattered land of Afghanistan and benefit thousands of women. In addition, you'll also bring about a life-changing encounter between Western women and their Afghan sisters. 
  • Second, please invite your friends to support Hasina, Marzia, Arezo, and all their sisters in Afghanistan:
    •  Share this page through E-mail, Facebook, or Twitter using the Share button in the purple left panel! 
    • Fan us on Facebook, and send our Facebook page on the Afghan Women's Project to all your friends. 
    • If you belong to a women's circle that's interested in helping other women, raising funds together is an easy and fun way to join forces and make a difference!


On behalf of Marzia, Hasina, and Arezo, and all of us at the Institute for Circlework, thank you! In these times of economic hardship, we appreciate your generosity all the more.

Sponsor an Afghan woman and attend the Circlework Leadership Training for $800 instead of $1800--a $1000 bonus!