Promotion and Outreach Work with Afghan Diaspora Groups in London

A Report of The Afghan Training Foundation’s Promotion and Outreach Work with Afghan Diaspora Groups in London,
September 2007 – July 2009
By Chris Beales and Yusof Mirzazada

THE AFGHAN TRAINING FOUNDATION

The Afghan Training Foundation (ATF) is a UK-registered charity, number 1111897. It was granted two years’ funding by the City Parochial Foundation in 2007 to support a part time Promotion and Outreach Officer working with Afghan diaspora groups in London. In September 2007, Yusof Mirzazada was appointed to the post on a part time basis (three days per week). His work has been very effective, building links with a range of Afghan disapora groups and many people across London.

The original aim of the project was “to involve London’s Afghan community in developing projects and creating volunteering opportunities appropriate to the needs of disadvantaged Afghan men and women”.

ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE PROGRAMME

The programme has, in some ways, more than achieved its original aim, with strong and growing relations with and across London-based Afghan communities and a sense that people can really organise themselves to affect change within London and the UK and in Afghanistan. An application was made to Awards for All for £10,000 in early 2008 and the one year’s funding was granted from June 2008 onwards, enabling events and activities with Afghan diaspora groups to be organised, with funding available to pay for hire of venues, provision of catering and coverage of other expenses. Included in this programme were small payments (of £250) to seven volunteers, to organise workshops, details of which are contained below. This has meant that City Parochial Foundation funding, paying the salary of Yusof Mirzazada, has been the means through which initial contacts were made, credibility established, relationships built and events and activities organized and run.

This London project has also been seen, in part, as a pilot to prepare for a national programme. An application was submitted in November 2007 to the Development Awareness Fund (DAF) of the Department for International Development (DFID) for work across the country but was unsuccessful. Another application was made in November 2008 for funding to start from April 2009. It has been provisionally granted but, due to onerous bureaucratic systems now being introduced, a final decision is still awaited (over three months late) after a meeting took place in mid June 2009 to go through 17 pages of questions, mainly about the financial viability and systems of the Afghan Training Foundation. The dead hand of Government is becoming a major disincentive and the City Parochial Foundation and other major trusts should use their influence to teach Government how to administer funding properly and effectively.

PROMOTION AND OUTREACH

The Afghan Training Foundation’s Promotion and Outreach Officer, Yusof Mirzazada, was appointed in September 2007. On the interview panel (five candidates were interviewed, at least two others of whom were excellent) was Samad Samadi, Afghan lawyer and businessman and a Board member both of Afghan Action and the Afghan Association of London (AAL). With his help, an excellent relationship has been established with the AAL over the past two years and this will grow stronger if DFID’s DAF funding is obtained, as the intention is to take office space in the same building in Harrow as the AAL.

Yusof, Samad and colleagues have consulted widely across the Afghan diaspora groups of London and organised a series of development awareness-raising, community empowerment and community action seminars, workshops and events for Afghan diaspora groups and others in London over the past 12 months. Much initial work was needed to meet with Afghan groups and build strong and confident relationships. Informal meetings, followed by smaller meetings and events, took place through the early part of the programme. An informal gathering of Afghan women to meet with Bridget Cowper-Coles, the wife of the then British Ambassador to Afghanistan, was organised by Samad Samadi in summer 2008. Bridget has since then supported an ICT training project in Dasht e Barchi, Kabul, which is now being brought under the auspices of the Afghan Training Foundation (of which she is a trustee).

EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

What follows is a brief summary of reports from the different seminars, workshops and events - complete reports of events are also available. Their overall aim has been twofold: to strengthen the capacity of the Afghan diaspora groups and organizations with whom work is taking place; and to build bridges with the wider communities of Londoners among whom they live and work.

1. Meeting to enable Afghan women to discuss issues with Bridget Cowper-Coles on 19 July 2008. 17 people

At this meeting held in Harrow, 15 Afghan women took part in the discussion.

2. London Fairtrade Event: St Mary le Bow, Cheapside, City of London on 19 September 2008. 40 people

This event was an opportunity to speak about the work of the Afghan Training Foundation and display and sell Afghan Action’s carpets. The ATF is represented on the City of London’s Fairtrade Steering Group and was invited by the Fairtrade Steering Group to hold this event, as part of London’s achieving fairtrade status. Approximately 40 people attended. Among the Afghan people present was Said Hakim, a refugee (and former carpet producer) from northern Afghanistan, who spoke movingly about his country.

3. Community Empowerment Seminar for Turkmen & Uzbek Communities in London on 18 October 2008. 13 people

A community empowerment seminar for Turkmen and Uzbek members of the Afghan diaspora was held in Tokyngton Community Association Hall, Wembley. 13 people, mostly elders and respected members of the Turkmen and Uzbek minority group, participated. A number of others were unable to attend due to a funeral being held that day of a prominent member of the community.

Turkmen and Uzbek people are very isolated members of the Afghan community in the UK. There are approximately 1800 to 2500 Turkmens and Uzbeks living in the UK.

4. Seminar at Goodenough College, Kings Cross, London on 13 November 2008. 25 people

This awareness-raising event, building on a successful sale of Afghan Action’s carpets in January 2008, was specifically intended to inform people about the work of the ATF and the broader situation in Afghanistan. It was attended by 25 people, including some of the graduates (mainly overseas students) living at Goodenough College and also the designer of the new Afghan Training Foundation / Afghan Action website.

5. Event in the Strangers’ Dining Room, House of Commons on 3 December 2008. Over 100 people

At this event, held in the Strangers’ Dining Room of the House of Commons, Afghan Action’s handmade carpets were on display and available for purchase and members of the Houses of Commons and Lords were invited to attend and find out about the work of the Afghan Training Foundation. A number of guests from outside Parliament were also invited, including members of the Afghan diaspora. This enabled much discussion and awareness-raising and over 100 people were present.

6. Meeting with General Sir David Richards, C-in-C, British Forces on 16 December 2008. 35 people

The Afghan Training Foundation and the Afghan Association of London (AAL) organised a meeting with General Sir David Richards, Commander-in-Chief of British Forces on 16 December in the Sangat Centre, Harrow, Middlesex. 30 Afghans and several others participated in the event.

General Richards gave a very significant lecture about his experience during his mission in Afghanistan, his thoughts about the importance of political development between the central government of Afghanistan and the Taliban, relationships between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the importance of job creation and economic development and further proprieties for British and other countries involved in Afghanistan.

There were many questions raised by participants, to which General Richards responded with clarity and conviction. Further dialogue has continued between Afghans and the British military.

7. Community Empowerment Workshop in Harrow on Monday 19 January 2009. 40 people

A community empowerment workshop was organised by the Afghan Training Foundation in partnership with the Afghan Association of London in the Volunteer Centre, Pinner Road, Harrow. There were 35 members of the Afghan community and several others taking an active part in this workshop.

The participants came up with issues facing members of the Afghan diaspora in the UK in their group discussions. Each group raised specific issues and these were clustered under four main headings for further work:

• Afghan-British professionals keen to work in Afghanistan;
• The Education Group;
• The Housing Group;
• The Immigration Group.

8. Seminar with Afghan Women in Harrow on 18 March 2009. 32 people.

A seminar was held by the Afghan Training Foundation for Afghan women living in London, in partnership with the Afghan Association of London, in Pinner Road, Harrow on 18 March 2009.

A brief introductory speech to welcome the participants was delivered by Samad Samadi (Board member of Afghan Action and Committee member of the AAL) and Wahida Zalmai, adviser to the AAL, describing the programme of workshops and seminars being organised for Afghan diaspora groups in London and their outcomes to date.

Yusof Mirzazada, Promotion and Outreach Officer of the Afghan Training Foundation, made a PowerPoint presentation on the activities and projects of the ATF and its wholly owned trading company, Afghan Action, in Afghanistan and the UK. There then followed a five minute documentary film of Afghan Action’s training school in Kabul. The work was appreciated by everyone in the seminar.

The key issues and problems facing Afghan diaspora groups in the UK were identified by the 32 participants and four groups worked on 4 main issues.

• Domestic violence and sexism
• Depression
• Housing
• Employment and capacity building

Afghan women are particularly deprived and they mostly spoke about women’s rights, especially within domestic situations.

9. Lecture at the Royal Geographical Society by Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, Special Envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan on 25 March 2009. 750 people.

This lecture was a complete sellout, with 750 people present and a waiting list of tickets. Sponsored by McInroy and Wood, the lecture attracted a wide cross section of people from British and Afghan backgrounds. The Afghan Ambassador and newly appointed British Ambassador were present. Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles (former British Ambassador in Afghanistan) spoke eloquently about life in Afghanistan, illustrating his talk with photographs. Benefits included the raised awareness of many people about life in Afghanistan and what the international community is trying to achieve, in supporting the Government of Afghanistan.
 10. Community Empowerment Seminar in Lewisham, in partnership with the Afghanistan and Central Asian Community Organisation on 15 May 2009. 30 people

A seminar took place in Unit B2, Hatcham Park, New Cross SE14 5QA on 15 May from 10am to 4pm. The Afghanistan and Central Asian Community Organisation (ACAC) facilitated the event. 30 male and female Afghans living in London were able to participate. A long list of issues was created and grouped under various headings:

• Afghan ethnic groups/language diversity among the community;
• Isolation of Afghan women living in London;
• Immigration and refugee issues;
• Education and health problems;
• The lack of Afghan British involvement in the reconstruction process of Afghanistan.

The seminar was very effective and much appreciated. Holding such seminars raises the awareness of the community, enabling many questions to be raised and answered through the process of debate and discussion. At the end, participants completed feedback forms and some direct quotes are listed below:

• “Despite being doctors and engineers, the British Government doesn’t recognise our qualifications, so how can they support our presence in the reconstruction of Afghanistan?”
• “Education is very important. Most of the Afghans who have come to the UK are illiterate. They must be educated and integrated into the wider community to get rid of depression”
• “My view is we have to work together like a brother - far from language and race discrimination. Unfortunately when we notice a small number of Afghan people in London always having problems, how can a nation like Afghanistan ever become peaceful?”
• “This seminar was very helpful for me. Every day I am at work and come back home late like a machine. I have never realised what is happening in Afghanistan and the UK!”
• “My concern is language really, in my family my old parents are getting more and more weak. The only reason I think is language - and being not able to communicate”

11. Conference at the Comfort Hotel, Harrow with Jim Drummond, Head of the South Asia Division of the Department for International Development, and visiting Helmand Senators and MPs on 18 June 2009. 70 people.

This highly successful conference at the Comfort Hotel, Harrow on 18 June was attended by 70 people. It included a speech by Jim Drummond, DFID’s Head of the South Asia Division, covering the current situation in Afghanistan, the upcoming elections and the ways in which British-based Afghans could contribute to the rebuilding of Afghanistan. Those present worked in groups discussing key issues arising, which were then fed back for discussion. They included:

• Promoting reconciliation and strengthening the Afghan army and police;
• Spreading support across the country and not only in war-torn areas;
• Securing towns and villages in Helmand and winning the war with the Taliban;
• The need for investment and skills in Afghanistan – how the diaspora can help;
• Voting rights for Afghans living outside Afghanistan in the Afghan Presidential Election – they are not likely to be allowed to vote;
• Ensuring value for money from all the international aid being poured into Afghanistan.

Also present was a delegation of Parliamentarians from the Province of Helmand in southern Afghanistan, accompanied by officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. A Senator and two MPs addressed the conference. “We had expected things to change after 9/11, but they haven’t” said Nasima Niazi, one of two women MPs in the delegation, going on to speak passionately about the urgent need for action to tackle poverty and unemployment and provide real alternatives – the only way to combat the Taliban..

12. Workshops organised by Afghan Training Foundation Volunteers:

• Woodcroft Primary School, Edgware, 14 May 09. 22 People

The workshop, which took place at Woodcroft Primary School, was opened by Wahida Zalmai of the Afghan Association of London and she welcomed all the participants and other visitors.

Participants were divided into four groups to discuss their problems and suggest ways to overcome these problems. Main issues arising were as follows:

• Qualified Afghans demanded that their qualifications be reviewed;
• Afghan-British involvement in the reconstruction of Afghanistan;
• Educational awareness;
• Mother tongue courses;
• Immigration.

Some of the problems which could be dealt with by the Council/public sector within boroughs were explained by Wahida.

• Copley Close Community Hall, Park Royal, 19 May 09. 14 People

The workshop was well organised and very successful for the participants. A variety of issues were discussed and groups worked together to identify significant solutions to problems. The London-based promotional activities and the Connecting Classrooms (British Council) programme which the ATF is co-ordinating [teacher exchange programmes between Harpenden and Mazar e Sharif and Hammersmith and Kabul] were particularly impressive for the participants and some of the former teachers and heads underlined their interest in getting involved.

Issues arising included the following:

• Participants felt the biggest barrier to social interaction outside their community was the unfriendliness of their neighbours; reasons could be lack of faith awareness and language barriers;
• Participants experienced racial harassment, such as verbal abuse, insults and damage to their properties;
• Again depression is an issue of concern for this group;
• Unfamiliarity of parents about the UK educational system means they are not able to support their children in their lessons.

This group came up with a number of suggestions, like having a committee to organise events for elderly people and support for those Afghan children who face language problems and need support in their school lessons.

• Hill View Children’s Centre, Harrow,  22 May 09. 21 People

This workshop, involving 22 Afghan women (including some particularly isolated women) was held at the Hill View Children’s Centre. The team there has never had Afghan women coming to the Centre and using the facilities they provide for mothers and children. They were impressed when the Afghan women gathered for the first time to discuss their problems and share information.

“We have always hoped to see Afghan children and their mothers participate in debates and meetings - a great move by ATF.”

The following issues were highlighted:

• Most of the problems raised were due to language barriers, distancing women from the wider community;
• Complaints about the local health service - there were some life stories of serious problems among Afghan patients who had not been referred to a specialist, nearly losing their lives;
• Mental health problems and stress;
• Needs for a family adviser (per listener) caused by family problems and strictness;
• Unemployment of educated women. Even though unemployment is a problem for everyone, it is even more serious for Afghan women who are isolated.

A couple of participants who are health and beauty experts offered to organise Health and Beauty treatment for women feeling depressed. They even said: “if funding is available we can organise a Heath and Beauty course to train skilled women in the profession”. 

• Association of Voluntary Services Hall, Harrow,  Middlesex, 29 May 09. 20 People

A welcome speech about the aim of the project explained the purpose of the workshop. Afterwards everyone was encouraged to take an active part in bringing up the main problems and barriers facing people from the Afghan diaspora in the UK. At the end of the workshop the participants fed back the key issues arising:

• Ways to prevent young people generally from using drugs;
• Creating markets in the UK for Afghan products (carpets, dried fruit and other handicrafts etc) to help Afghanistan’s devastated economy as well as creating jobs for Afghans in the UK;
• The participants were against deporting a huge number of asylum seekers from the UK. They said they have got evidence that some people deported from the UK are tortured and killed by the Taliban and individual groups accusing them of being spies;
• Using Afghan professionals and specialists to improve the capacity of the Afghan-British younger generation.

• Wembley, Salam Venue, 9 June 09. 12 People

The workshop started by explaining the project goals and the importance of such activities among the community from different ethnic groups and backgrounds. It was strongly emphasised that the participation of both men and women could increase the credibility of the community and facilitate mutual understanding.

Participants were a lively and concerned group with plenty of ideas. These issues were raised:

• A number of the participants were keen young Afghan students who have never been to Afghanistan since their parents came over to the UK. They face language barriers and despite speaking their mother tongue at home, they still feel mother tongue courses are very crucial;
• Encouraging mothers to give a hand to each other and with wider community support to tackle knife crime;
• A number of participants think there is not enough attention given to members of the Afghan diaspora in the UK. Even the Afghan Associations don’t offer effective services for those Afghans in need;
• Disrespect among ethnic Afghan communities (Pashto/Farsi);
• Depression, among the elderly in particular.

One of the groups said “Afghan professionals and experts are like unused machinery which is lying out in a corner of a warehouse, as nobody is willing to use them”.

• Afmart Hall in Neasden, 11 June 09. 16 People

The workshop began with an explanation of the aim of the Afghan Training Foundation and its projects in Afghanistan and the UK. Participants asked a number of questions about the specific ATF projects in the UK and Afghanistan and said how valuable organising workshops and seminars for Afghan diaspora groups had been. They provide an encouraging step toward community cohesion among Afghans from different tribal backgrounds and enable people to discuss the issues facing the Afghan community. The workshop identified these issues:

• Afghans in the UK wish to take part in the Afghan election campaign and are asking the Afghan Embassy to support them in this regard;
• Community cohesion between different Afghan tribes living in the UK is of great importance;
• Job creation opportunities – especially in Afghanistan – are needed for professional Afghans;
• Advice on immigration issues is urgently requested.

[One more workshop was organised in Harrow, but due to an accident to the organiser, she has been unable to complete a report of her work].
 13. Essential contacts made with organisations in London:

• Afghan Academy
• Afghanistan and Central Asian Community Organisation
• Afghan Association of London
• Afghan Action International
• Ekta Sikh Afghan Association
• Turkmen and Uzbek Communities
• Afghan Students Association
• Khurasan Studies and Research Centre
• Afghan Youth Organisation
• Levenes Solicitors (Levenes solicitors will sponsor an Afghan concert organised by ATF in London later this year)
• The British Council
• The International Organisation for Migration (IOM)
• Other individual meetings with elders and representatives of Afghan diaspora groups in London.
• British Red Cross

WORK WITH AFGHAN ACTION

Alongside the events referred to above – which will continue into the future – part of Yusof’s work has been to assist with the development of the Afghan Training Foundation’s wholly owned trading company, the social enterprise Afghan Action. It is this practical work in Kabul – unique among British not-for-profits – which brings enormous credibility among Afghan people living in London. Yusof has assisted with communication with the Kabul project and has opened doors into the Afghan carpet businesses in London. Crucially, through his contacts he has obtained storage space for Afghan Action’s stock of handmade carpets in a carpet warehouse in Park Royal. Its proprietor, Ahmad Elech, has become a good friend to Afghan Action and, with his help, the most recent batch of Afghan Action’s carpets (which arrived in early July) were transported by Ahmad Elech’s company at a considerable saving in transport and freight costs. Ahmad and other Afghans with expertise in the carpet industry have offered freely their advice, expertise and resources to assist Afghan Action. Because Afghan Action is small, it is not seen as a threat and, after initial suspicion, is now warmly welcomed by the Afghan carpet businesses in London.

Yusof has played an important role in promoting the work of Afghan Action at carpet sales and other events, often involving Afghan people in them. Some of these are referred to above, for example the two events held in the House of Commons and the Royal Geographical Society. At the latter, the Afghan Ambassador was present in the audience of 750 people – which raised £15,000 towards the work of the Afghan Training Foundation and Afghan Action in Kabul.

ANALYSING ACHIEVEMENTS

The original Aim of the project was “To involve London’s Afghan community in developing projects and creating volunteering opportunities appropriate to the needs of disadvantaged Afghan men and women”. Specified objectives were as follows:

• To involve the Afghan community in London in the Afghan Training Foundation’s work (including education and training);
• To communicate as needed in Dari and/or Pashto with colleagues in Afghanistan and members of the Afghan community in London;
• To advise on carpet designs, materials and quality and help to promote and sell Afghan Action’s carpets;
• To develop a strategic programme to support, assist and involve London-based refugees and asylum seekers from Afghanistan as volunteers and in training and development opportunities.

These broad objectives have been met, as demonstrated above. However, the originally conceived outcomes are less demonstrable.

• Existing Afghan community organisations, businesses, social enterprises and others in London involved in joint work (yr 1: target 10; yr 2: target 15). This has happened, but changes in personnel in various bodies (eg the IOM) have delayed originally envisaged outcomes. However, significant relations have been established with the larger groups (eg Pashtun and Tajik) and more marginalised groups, Turkmen, Uzbecks and Hazaras. A good link exists with the Afghan Sikh community around Southall. Important contacts have been made with Afghan students.
• New projects/organisations/businesses/social enterprises formed in London (overall target 10). This has really only started to develop recently. The need to work with diaspora groups in order to develop a focus on employment and other issues is at an early stage. The key issues which are repeatedly identified are – immigration, housing, health and education.
  
  But employment and business/social enterprise development are being discussed and will emerge in the coming months, especially with the further funding granted by CPF to pay the salary for the next two years for Yusof Mirzazada’s post. The most effective project to date for growing employment opportunities has been The Big Word. This translation/interpretation company has drawn on Yusof’s links and several people have been employed for work in courts, prisons etc. Yusof and a colleague were used by the British Council to interpret at a major event bringing Head Teachers from Afghan schools to the UK to establish schools’ exchange programmes. The Afghan Training Foundation, incidentally, has brokered just such an arrangement for 3 schools in Harpenden, Hertfordshire to work with 5 in Mazar e Sharif and 3 in Hammersmith to work with 5 in Kabul.
  
  The Hammersmith link is significant for another reason, described in the “volunteers” section below.
  
  Yusof, with one of Afghan Action’s volunteers, Malcolm Wood (ex Major General formerly in charge of UK Forces’ Logistics), is developing a project to train British troops and others going to serve in Afghanistan. This will involve members of the Afghan diaspora – up to 50 people, mainly from London. It is taking longer than expected, due to the timetable for MOD contracts and the somewhat convoluted systems used by the MOD for this work.
• Afghan men and women (mainly refugees) in London increasing their basic skills through ESOL and other training programmes and/or en route to achieving vocational qualifications (eg in construction, healthcare etc) (yr 1: 10 people; yr 2: 20). Little direct progress has been made to date, though work with the Afghanistan and Central Asian Community Organisation (ACAC – a mainly Tajik organisation which, thanks to Yusof’s work, is now more willing to engage with the Pashtun community than was previously the case), based in Lewisham, will soon bear fruit, especially with regard to language. A key cause of isolation which has been repeatedly identified, particularly among women and older people, is their inability to speak English. Discussion with Newham College of Further Education has identified that there are 118 Afghan students enrolled there – something the College was unaware of until this matter was raised with them. Contacts with other colleges and schools will help to identify where Afghan students are studying.
• Afghan volunteers recruited and involved (yr 1: 10; yr 2: 15). This has been a very successful part of the programme to date, with key roles played by volunteers in reaching marginalised Afghan people and helping them to articulate some pressing issues to do with isolation, exclusion and domestic violence. Seven Afghan volunteers ran these groups and other regular volunteers have been involved in or assisted at many of the activities which have taken place, far exceeding the numbers originally envisaged. They include Said Hakim, Ali Reza and Ahmad Elech, willing and able to help with carpet-related matters, Zahra Bedawi, volunteering in her spare time, Board member Samad Samadi, Nazia and others from the various Afghan associations.
• Advice and assistance in promoting the work of the Afghan Training Foundation and its trading company Afghan Action and helping them become sustainable organisations. This work is ongoing and, after a torrid winter, during which Afghan Action’s work in Kabul had to be severely trimmed in order to survive, it is now starting to grow again. The Afghan Training Foundation has, in the meantime, substantially expanded its work in the UK – and this will continue. In a nutshell, areas of growth include:
• Schools’ work: exchanges between Afghan and British schools (referred to above) and an awareness raising programme in East Yorkshire, which will have significance for schools’ work across the country. A recent initiative is with Wanstead High School in East London, where pupils are designing a carpet to be weaved in Kabul and then brought back to London to be auctioned;
• ICT “virtualisation”: working with Neda Holding in Afghanistan and Tribune Business Systems in London – and Sacred Heart Girls High School in Hammersmith – the latest ICT technology is being deployed to create new and accessible provision for schools in Afghanistan and draw on the skills of Afghan refugees in London to provide remote teacher training and curriculum development opportunities;
• Development Awareness (DFID DAF: still to be finally confirmed): building on the CPF/Awards for All work, this will expand across the country, using Afghan “advocates” to raise awareness about their country among faith groups, businesses and the media.
• Reports written for Board and CPF detail contacts made etc. Regular reports have been submitted to the City Parochial Foundation over the past two years, including a much-appreciated and valuable opportunity to meet with trustees in September 2008. The trustees of the ATF have been kept fully informed as the work has progressed.

• Monitoring and evaluation of the work: Attendance records of participants at events have been kept and within the Afghan diapora groups, a breakdown of gender, ethnicity, age, disability and status of beneficiaries can be made.

Notes and Minutes have been made of the meetings held and participants have been encouraged to complete feedback forms at the end of events. Much is being learned from this programme and some issues of great importance are arising, which will now be taken forward with the extension of CPF funding for Yusof’s post, the focus of which has been adapted in the light of experience.

The Afghan Training Foundation is most grateful to the City Parochial Foundation for its generous support for the first two years of this work and for agreeing to continue to support its development for the next two years.

Yusof Mirzazada, Chris Beales
The Afghan Training Foundation
July 2009