Critical Conditions – New Hospital in Bamyan Represents Care for Life

A SPECIAL INFORMATION FEATURE BROUGHT TO YOU BY AGA KHAN FOUNDATION CANADA

In the native language of the region, the name of Bamyan province roughly translates to “The Place of Shining Light.” But for many living in the harsh terrain of central Afghanistan, that shining light may sometimes feel dim.

“Bamyan is one of the poorest provinces in the country,” explains Tanya Salewski, Program Manager at Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC). “It has low agricultural productivity and very high infant and maternal mortality rates. It also has very limited access to health services.”

Click here to read at Globe & Mail

Aisha’s Journey: A Beacon of Light for Young Mothers in Afghanistan

A SPECIAL INFORMATION FEATURE BROUGHT TO YOU BY AGA KHAN FOUNDATION CANADA

Wearing a black veil over her slight frame, 18-year-old Aisha waits patiently to see a doctor. She and her husband, Mahfouz, drove for three days along makeshift roads etched into mountainsides to get emergency medical treatment at the Faizabad Provincial Hospital in Badakhshan, before the fierce winter weather made the trip impossible.

She is pregnant and unable to walk. She fears she will lose her baby.

Click here to read at Globe & Mail

Mughals Exhibition, Kabul 2013

The hugely successful Mughal India exhibition at the British Library has now been made accessible to an Afghan audience in the form of high-quality digital facsimiles of the majority of the items seen in the original exhibition. The venue of the present exhibition, which opened in the Queen’s Palace in the Babur Gardens in Kabul, is particularly appropriate, situated as it is only a stone’s throw from the tomb of Babur, the first Mughal emperor.

http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/asian-and-african/2013/05/mughal-exhibition-in-kabul.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/66871453@N05/sets/72157633508120143/with/8749200699/

Images of Afghanistan – Embracing Change for a Brighter Future

A SPECIAL INFORMATION FEATURE BROUGHT TO YOU BY AGA KHAN FOUNDATION CANADA

The spirit of partnership is helping to develop practical solutions that are improving the health and lives of the people of Afghanistan.

Click here to view at the source: Globe & Mail

PamirEnergy (Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development Company) begins exporting surplus energy from Tajik Ishkashim into Afghan Ishkashim region

Khorog, Tajikistan, 2 May 2013 – A newly-constructed power transmission line bringing electricity from Tajikistan to Afghanistan was inaugurated today. The PamirEnergy Company, a project company of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) –  the operator of the hydroelectric power plant – has now begun exporting surplus energy from the cross-border regions of Tajik Ishkashim into Afghan Ishkashim.

via http://www.akdn.org/Content/1179

Spring Graduation at University of Central Asia’s School of Professional and Continuing Education (UCA-SPCE)

The University of Central Asia SPCE graduating class of Spring 2013

Highlights:

Students received certificates recognising their successful completion of courses ranging from Accounting Technology, English for Academic Purposes, Bookkeeping/Cashier, Conversational Russian, Conversational German and French, English for Business Programme, Conversational English to Training of Guides.

Students completing London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) exams received LCCI Certificates, and records of professional development were presented to Information Technology (IT) and English teachers from SPCE’s outreach programmes.

Vocational achievements were also recognized, with certificates awarded to a newly trained group of plumbers, as well as to 24 village mason-masters who attended SPCE courses with support from the European Commission Directorate-General Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection–ECHO (DIPECHO).

The ceremony also recognised third graduating class of Afghan students who completed advanced level courses under the Cross Border Vocational Education in Badakhshan (CVEB) programme, a joint initiative between UCA, Aga Khan Foundation USA and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Since 2009, UCA-SPCE has expanded access to education in border districts through the CVEB programme. To date, 132 students from Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan have received scholarships to study English, IT, Bookkeeping/Cashier and vocational education at SPCE, Khorog. The CVEB programme has already expanded employment opportunities for its graduates: 45 percent of CVEB alumni received a promotion, found a new job or received a better salary upon completing their courses at UCA-SPCE. The CVEB programme also supported the establishment of a SPCE project office in Faizabad, Afghanistan and the development of curriculum and learning materials in Dari language, further extending the reach of its programmes.

Source: http://www.ucentralasia.org/news.asp?Nid=519
Photographs: http://www.ucentralasia.org/photos.asp?Aid=31

Karim Khoja: Mobile Afghanistan: How a National Telecom Network Delivers Social Goods – Forbes

Karim Khoja has been chief executive officer of Roshan, Afghanistan’s leading telecommunications provider, since January 2003. He is also an independent consultant and adviser to the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development, an international- development organization focused on Afghanistan.

Roshan is Afghanistan’s largest telecommunications provider. Nearly a decade ago we entered war-ravaged Afghanistan with the ambitious goal of harnessing the power of mobile technology to catalyze reconstruction and economic development. Thirty years of conflict had decimated infrastructure, created chronic security risks, encouraged corruption, and left most Afghans in abject poverty.  Once renowned for its thriving cultural and literary traditions, Afghanistan was now 70 percent illiterate. Among the working population, few potential employees had the education and skills necessary to support a viable business enterprise. Despite these obstacles, we viewed Afghanistan as an untapped reservoir of human potential.

Roshan is part of a new generation of companies that are redefining the concept of a social enterprise in emerging markets. This approach derives from our majority investor, the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED), which fosters entrepreneurship and builds economically sound enterprises in the developing world.

Click here to read more http://www.forbes.com – Forbes.

Aga Khan Foundation Canada – Improving Maternal and Child Health in Afghanistan: A Conversation With Dr. Ahmad Fawad Akbari

High maternal and child mortality and morbidity rates make maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) a pressing public health issue in the country. In the province of Badakhshan, the maternal mortality ratio is 2,200 deaths per 100,000 live births, one of the highest rates in the world.

But by tackling poverty from multiple angles, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) sees good prospects for improving MNCH in Afghanistan, says Dr. Ahmad Fawad Akbari, Deputy Director of Aga Khan Foundation (Afghanistan)’s Rural Development Program, which includes specific MNCH and public health programming.

via Aga Khan Foundation Canada – Improving Maternal and Child Health in Afghanistan: A Conversation With Dr. Ahmad Fawad Akbari.

Foundation Laying Ceremony for the New Bamyan Provincial Hospital, will be constructed by the Aga Khan Planning and Building Services

Bamyan, Afghanistan, 20 April 2013 – The Foundation Laying Ceremony marking the start of construction of the new Bamyan Provincial Hospital (BPH) was held on 18 April 2013 in Bamyan. The new building, which is a project of the Aga Khan Health Services supported by Canada, is expected to be completed by March 2015. The BPH will offer an additional 86 beds for pediatric, obstetric and gynecologic care in a region where women’s access to healthcare has been severely limited. The new BPH will be constructed by the Aga Khan Planning and Building Services on 6.4 acres of land allocated by the Bamyan Municipality at the Mullah Ghulam site. It will be managed by Aga Khan Health Service of Afghanistan (AKHS, A).

via http://www.akdn.org/Content/1175/Foundation-Laying-Ceremony-for-the-New-Bamyan-Provincial-Hospital

Related:

• Construction Begins on Canadian-funded Hospital in Afghanistan
• AKFC: The first stone in a strong foundation for maternal, newborn and child health in Afghanistan
• Canada lends a hand to hospital project in Afghanistan – Daily Commercial News
• Foundation stone laying ceremony of a public hospital held in Bamyan
• Related search at Ismailimail

Construction Begins on Canadian-funded Hospital in Afghanistan

OTTAWA, ONTARIO–(Marketwired – April 21, 2013) – On Thursday, April 18, a foundation-laying ceremony was held for the new Bamyan Provincial Hospital in Afghanistan. This hospital is an important component of Canada’s efforts to improve maternal, newborn and child health in Afghanistan.

“We are pleased that we have reached this milestone and look forward to seeing the new hospital up and running, providing the best possible quality care for mothers and children of Bamyan Province,” said the Honourable Julian Fantino, Minister of International Cooperation. “Canada is proud to be delivering on our largest initiative for Afghanistan under the Muskoka Initiative on Maternal, Newborn and Child Health.”

The ceremony marked the beginning of the next stage of this project, implemented through the Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC). The project also includes the establishment of a maternal, newborn and child health centre in the new hospital, support to a centre of excellence on maternal and child health in Badakhshan Province, the training of midwives and nurses, a community nutrition program, and health promotion activities.

Press Release: http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/
Project Page: http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf
Photograph: http://mfatimages.smugmug.com/CompleteLibrary/

Roshan Launches 3G Service in Afghanistan

April 15, 2013 – Kabul, Afghanistan – Roshan, Afghanistan’s leading total communications provider, today launched 3G Jahaan (meaning “the world”), which will immediately be available in Kabul, and then rolled out nationwide. Roshan 3G Jahaan presents a significant next step in access by connecting the company’s six million customers with each other and the world. Furthermore, 3G Jahaan’s features such as video calling, conferencing and streaming confirm Roshan’s promise to continue offering new products that will further advance the company’s customer service and provision of innovative voice and data services.

“It has always been Roshan’s vision to leverage technology and innovation to bridge critical needs gaps and improve the lives of those in the community. 3G Jahaan is the next step in that vision, and a leap forward for the people of Afghanistan,” Karim Khoja, Roshan Chief Executive Officer, said. “Today’s launch of our 3G service reinforces Roshan’s ongoing mission to providing the highest quality service and enabling greater access for our customers. 3G Jahaan is not just about speed, but our continued commitment to the overall customer experience,” Khoja added.

via http://roshan.af/Roshan/Media_Relations

Roshan Telecommunication is Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development’s (AKFED) company.

Bridge linking Tajikistan and Afghanistan due in May

The Ministry of Transport on Friday announced about completion of construction of the bridge across the Pyanzh river, which will link the country with Afghanistan.

The bridge will connect Nihol village, Shurobod district (250 km to the south-east of Dushanbe) and Hohon village in Afghanistan.

The length of the bridge is 182 meters. Bridge construction cost $3.57 million. It carrying capacity will be 30 tons.

Construction of the bridge started in late October 2011. The project was implemented by Aga Khan Foundation with financial support of the German Government.

via http://en.ca-news.org/news:522799.
Related: http://www.akdn.org/Content/1091
http://ismailimail.wordpress.com/tag/india-taj-afgh-2011/

A dream skiing vacation in…Afghanistan? – World – Macleans.ca

Excerpt: Naturally, some cultural missteps are inevitable, but the economic benefits tourism promises far outweigh the risks. Already, locals are being trained as alpine guides, with the help of the Aga Khan Foundation. Guest houses are going up, as well as interest in local artisanship, producing handicrafts intended for the tourism market.

via A dream skiing vacation in…Afghanistan? – World – Macleans.ca.

Immigrating from Afghanistan to Edmonton by Imamuddin Saifee

A City Called Home – Stories – Edmonton Library.

My name is Imamuddin Saifee and my wife’s name is Sahibjan Saifee. We have 5 children. We are fortunate to have an opportunity to be in Canada and are thankful for the generosity of the Canadian Government for helping make this possible. Our community, the Ismaili Muslim Community was also very involved in supporting our relocation to Canada. We arrived here in February 1993. Upon our arrival, we received a host family from our Ismaili Muslim community to help us settle in Canada. Our host family’s name is Mulji. Nazir Mulji and his family gave us all the necessary accommodation to help us settle in Canada; they registered our kids in school and tried to help us with the way of life here in Canada. Nazir’s family and he still remain very good family friends to us, and Nazir and I are like brothers.

When we first came to Canada, we had four major problems. They were being unemployed, a different culture to get used to, a different language to learn, and the cold weather to become used to. Due to the economic crisis of 1993, it was very difficult for me to find a job. I gave out over 300 resumes; however, they would all tell me that I was overqualified and that I didn’t have any Canadian experience.

Finally, after about five months, I got 3 jobs to support my family.

More A City Called Home – Stories | Edmonton Public Library.

New Aga Khan Development Network diplomatic representative Nurjehan Mawani start work in Afghanistan

The new Diplomatic Representative of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), in Afghanistan, Mrs. Nurjehan Mawani, presented her credentials to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Mrs. Mawani succeeds Mr. Aly Mawji who represented AKDN in Afghanistan for more than a decade.

For the past eight years, Mrs. Mawani has served as the AKDN Diplomatic Representative in the Kyrgyz Republic where she has guided the work of AKDN agencies during the country’s transition period, working in close partnership with the Government, Parliament and institutions of civil society. Mrs. Mawani will remain accredited to the Kyrgyz Republic at present.

via New AKDN diplomatic representative start work in Afghanistan – Khaama Press (KP) | Afghan Online Newspaper.

Fiaz Merani volunteers to teach financial courses to employees of Roshan in Kabul

School of Business instructor Fiaz Merani is committed to his student’s success, whether in a SAIT classroom or half-way across the globe.

This past summer, Merani travelled to Kabul, Afghanistan to teach financial fundamentals courses to employees of the country’s largest telecom — Roshan. While his travel expenses were covered by the company, he volunteered his summer vacation time to teach the classes.

“Volunteering is an ethic in my faith and in my family. It brings you a lot of satisfaction,” says the Business Administration instructor, who has been volunteering since the beginning of his career.

via Committed to Teaching | SAIT Polytechnic | Calgary, Alberta.

Shainoor Khoja: Telecommunity Leader

INTERVIEW by LAUREN SHUFFLETON

So often it is big corporations that are the enemy when it comes to solving problems for our communities. The telecommunications company Roshan, however, has demonstrated through its work in Afghanistan that for-profit businesses can make massive improvements in everything from the country’s technological infrastructure to a rurally-based woman’s daily life. The leading cellular service provider in Afghanistan, Roshan provides thousands of jobs to Afghan citizens and reinvests its profits back into the country, investing hundreds of millions of dollars since 2003. I chatted with Shainoor Khoja, who is the managing director of Roshan’s non-profit, community-focused component.

via http://www.dailybrink.com.

2002: Supporting Innovation in Afghanistan — the Experience of the Aga Khan Development Network

The fall of the Taliban in Afghanistan opened up myriad opportunities to redevelop the social and physical infrastructure of this devastated country. A major player in its rehabilitation is the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN — http://www.akdn.org), an entity so large, multifaceted and influential that in some countries it has its own embassy and diplomatic status. Its mission is straightforward: “To develop and promote creative solutions to problems that impede social development, primarily in Asia and East Africa.” Headquartered in Gouviex, France, and comprising a set of specialized developmental agencies, the AKDN has branches and independent affiliates in 12 countries.

Read Najmi Kanji’s interview at the source, from 2002 http://www.synergos.org/globalgivingmatters.
http://www.akdn.org/afghanistan.asp

Afghan Ski Challenge Promotes Tourism to War-Weary Hindu Kush – National Geographic

After more than three decades of war, promoting tourism could seem like a tougher challenge than getting up that first rise on Friday’s race with only 10 days of ski training, but that is exactly what Habiba Sarobi, Bamyan’s provincial governor, and the Aga Khan Foundation are trying to do.

“We want to introduce Bamyan as a tourist destination to the world,” said Sarobi, Afghanistan’s only female governor. The valley, she said, “has a lot of potential for tourism because Bamyan is on the list of [UNESCO] World Heritage sites. [...] And it’s not only because of historical heritage, but th

via http://news.nationalgeographic.com.

Afghan Ski Challenge 2013 – Official Website

The Afghan Ski Challenge is a freeride ski race, which takes place every March in Bamiyan Province, Central Afghanistan. The event is organized by the Bamiyan Ski Club and open to all. The founding members of the Bamiyan Ski Club include skiing enthusiasts from Afghanistan and Switzerland. The aim is to promote skiing and tourism in the Bamiyan region.

via http://www.afghanskichallenge.com/ – Afghan Ski Challenge 2013.