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Cambodia is a country recovering from the loss of nearly a third of its population. Thirty years ago, during a 4 year genocidal war conducted by the Khmer Rouge, an estimated 1.8 million Cambodians lost their lives. In the camp, she met many women who had suffered from similar brutalities. They seemed paralyzed - they were inactive and silent. They we're not feeding or caring for their own children. She saw that although they had survived the war, it was unlikely they would survive their depression. So she set up her hut in the camp as a sort of psychotherapy center. Here she guided them through 3 steps: 1. I teach them to forget. I try to distract them with music or with embroidery or weaving, with concerts or an occasional hour of television. 2. When they have learned to forget, I teach them to work. 3. When they have mastered work, I teach them to love. She rescued them from physical isolation. She built a steam bath so that they could become clean. She taught them how to give one another manicures and pedicures so they could feel beautiful again. While being together they began to talk, and over time they learned to trust and make friends with one another. It was Phaly's hope that they would realize they would never have to be so alone again. When she repatriated to Cambodia after 13 years in the camp, she took with her 9 widows and 91 orphans and opened up F.L.O. (Future Light Orphanage). She has continued on the same path. She now houses 157 children and all told has 299 in her care. The orphans and widows are creating beautiful silk scarves and purses to sell to the western market at Fair Trade prices. RISING International is honored to offer these precious items at it's home parties. It is said that if you save the women, they will in turn save the children, and so by tracing a chain of influence one can save the country.
- By Paula Kanoute, a fair trade advocate: |
My name is Fatima and I live in a rented house in Kabul, Afghanistan. I have four children; two boys and two girls. I finished the 4th grade of school. I wish to finish schooling so I can become a teacher and educate children in my territory. But like many girls here, I was forced to leave school and marry a man my parents chose. Fortunately, my husband, Sharif, was a good man who worked in one of the ministries. We lived many years pleasantly together ...then the ethnic war began in our country. To escape the war, many relatives and neighbors left Afghanistan. The daily rocket shellings deafened mine and my childrens' ears. But my husband did not want to leave. He believed the international community would soon end the war. One night, I dreamt that something terrible had happened to Sharif. When I awoke, he asked me to fix him breakfast and ready his clothes for work, but I asked him to stay home. "My heart witnessed a bad thing in my sleep," I told him. "But I receive my salary today," he protested, "and there is much we need to buy for this week." He went to work. Later that afternoon, he wasn't home by his usual time and I began to worry. Finally, there was a knock at the door. It was his cousin, Farid Jan, saying Sharif was not coming home yet. Farid sat with me through the night. Finally, when morning came, a Red Cross vehicle arrived at my home -- the Red Cross workers emerged with a coffin. I shouted and cried...my children awoke and came running to me. My terrible dream had come true. I was swallowed by two griefs: my own for my husband, and the grief for my poor children, who had lost their father and protectorate. I asked God for strength and reminded myself there were thousands of widowed women in my country; all trying to keep themselves and their children alive. Since Sharif died, my children and I have passed hard years working as servants and in fields owned by a generous man named Haji Qorban. One day, Haji summoned his widowed workers to his house where three international aid workers asked us many questions about our lives. They were doing a survey to learn what skills widows needed to independently support themselves and their families. A week later, it was announced in our mosque, "The women who registered for aid can go to a distribution area to receive supplies and to register for training in such skills as small hen farming, bread baking, tailoring, leather mending, and carpet weaving." Hearing this, I was excited and hopeful. Thousands of widows have benefited from the help of international organizations. Since the war has ended, many men have received employment, but widows and illiterate people still struggle to feed their families. Through an American based organization, called RISING International I have been selling dolls I make by hand to people in the U.S. We appreciate the international aid we have received and look forward to more help, but we hope to one day fully support ourselves with our craft making. Translated By: Jamila Hashimi |
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