NEWS
Nooristan Foundation mentioned on CBS News Segment Featuring Mariam Atash Nawabi
Nooristan Foundation is mentioned in a CBS News segment featuring one of the Foundation’s VPs Mariam Nawabi:
Nooristan Foundation Featured In New Book “Help The Cause in Afghanistan”
Nooristan Foundation is highlighted in Jim Hake’s new book “101 Ways To Help the Cause in Afghanistan”. The book, published in December 2009, provides 101 ways one can make a difference in Afghanistan.
“Help the Cause offers ways to directly assist the Afghan people and reduce conflict and hostility. We all seek an Afghanistan that is peaceful, tolerant and free. This book shows how you can help achieve that goal.” —Peter Ackerman, Founding Chair, International Center on Nonviolent Conflict
Nooristan Foundation News & Updates - Fall/Winter 2009
Dear Friends,
Given your generous interest toward Afghanistan, I am certain that you have paid great attention to what is happening there. Events can be confusing and even discouraging. However, instead of dampening our commitment to help our Afghan friends move their country toward greater peace and stability, this should strengthen it. This is the time to make a difference.
Poverty, as Nobel Prize winner Mohammed Yunus states, is a threat to peace. The investment in social change will pay off provided we stay the course. I believe that our “soft” strategy of helping people will continue to build friendships. I am writing to ask you to maintain your support to the Nooristan Foundation. Together we have started to build a better world, let us continue.
In recent months, thanks to your help, Nooristan Foundation has been able to make tangible progress (see below). I want to thank you again for your continued trust and generosity. By themselves, the Nooristan Foundation’s programs are modest, but each makes a tangible difference in the lives of poor Afghans. We are contributing to our nation’s effort in Afghanistan. To enable us to continue this work, we hope that the Foundation can count on your further financial support. Afghanistan remains a worthy cause.
Thank you very much for your support,
Marie Kux
President
TAKHAR MIDWIFE TRAINING PROGRAM
The Nooristan Foundation, with its partners, the Marigold Fund and the Afghan Midwives Association, has supported the training of 80 midwives in Takhar province. This area has one of the worst maternal mortality rates in the world, with approximately 1600 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births per year. Throughout Afghanistan, there is a critical shortage of health care workers and facilities. It is estimated that there is presently only one doctor for every 50,000 (UNDP).
Your donations at the Foundation’s spring benefit at the Embassy of Greece and a further $10,000 grant from American Women for International Understanding (AWIU), our key benefactor, have enabled us to continue to fund the midwife program. Most women have embraced this profession after witnessing tragedy and often death in childbirth. We know that a mother’s death has costs beyond the loss of life. Given how vital midwives are, we hope that in the future the Foundation will be able to raise the funds for similar training programs in other needy areas. To view images, click on our gallery
PASIGAM VILLAGE SCHOOL, NOORISTAN
Nooristan Foundation and Raqim Foundation have partnered to support the establishment of a village school in the Nooristan province of Afghanistan, an area that has seen heavy warfare recently.
With over $5,000 in donations gathered by Raqim Foundation and Nooristan Foundation, funding was sent to provide support for the first three months of operation of the school. This covered teacher salaries, caretakers, school supplies, transportation, rent for suitable quarters, school bags, and art supplies. Local craftsmen were hired to build desks and chairs. Classes started on July 1st, 2009. Despite the tense security situation in Nooristan and logistical obstacles, significant progress has been made.
The support of Nooristan Foundation, Raqim Foundation, volunteers and donors like you has led to the establishment of the only primary school in Pasigam Village. One school at a time, we can make a difference.
NEW BEGINNINGS, BAGHE DAOUD CAMP
Several million Afghans fled to Pakistan and Iran to escape fighting and the Taliban. Many have returned hoping to rebuild their lives, but the ongoing conflict and the lack of socio-economic opportunities have left thousands in heart-breaking conditions, abandoned by the government.
Last winter, again thanks to you, the Foundation provided $11,000 for emergency relief to some 92 internally displaced families at Baghe Daoud, an hour from Kabul. Our help enabled these destitute refugees to survive the bitter cold. We provided each family with plastic sheeting, blankets, fuel, rice, flour, beans, sugar and tea.
The Foundation is now working with PARSA, a local NGO, to develop and implement a program to give these desperately poor families a “new beginning,” the skills they need to lift themselves out of poverty. We are trying to answer their desperate plea that we not abandon them.
THANK YOU
Through the generous support of donors like you, and the dedicated service of its Board and Committee members, Nooristan Foundation has helped to get assistance from the people of the United States directly to the people of Afghanistan. This has been done with very little overhead since Nooristan Foundation’s Board and Committee members are all volunteers. The three programs above are the current projects of focus for the Foundation, but more can be done. You can make a difference in the lives of individuals who have experienced great conflict and hardship.
SPECIAL THANKS TO:
Parween Mascari for organizing “Generation Morgantown Fundraiser for Pasigam Village School” in West Virginia in June 2009. The event raised awareness and funds for Nooristan Foundation’s village school project.
Ann-Scott Ettinger and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Spokane WA for organizing an auction in the month of October to benefit Nooristan Foundation.
Embassy of Greece Fundraiser Host Committee:
Mr. Omar Sultan
Ambassador of Afghanistan Said Tayeb Jawad and Mrs. Shamim Jawad
Mr. Omar Khan Masoudi
Senator Olympia Snowe
Congressman and Mrs. Howard Berman
Congressman and Mrs. Lee H. Hamilton
Congressman and Mrs. Dana Rohrabacher
Congressman and Mrs. John Sarbanes
Congressman and Mrs. Chris Van Hollen
Congressman and Mrs. Robert Wexler
Ambassador and Mrs. Ronald Neumann
Ambassador and Mrs. Thomas Pickering
Honorable Mr. and Mrs. Robert McFarlane
Mr. and Mrs. Arnaud de Borchgrave
Mrs. Doris Buffet
Mrs. Caroline Firestone
Mr. and Mrs. Ray Mahmood
Mrs. Robin Read
Mrs. Diana Rowan Rockefeller
Mr. and Mrs. George Stephanopoulos
Mr. Nick Verreos
All of Nooristan Foundation volunteers and sub-committee members!
The Nooristan Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization that was established in 1999. Its purpose it to provide support for charitable and educational projects in rural areas of Afghanistan. After beginning its activities in the Nooristan Province, it has expanded and has provided assistance in other areas of Afghanistan, including Bamiyan, Takhar, Laghman, and Kabul. Nooristan Foundation believes that supporting development of rural areas of Afghanistan is a key to the country’s stability and global security.
Nooristan Foundation in The National Herald
Voice of America Coverage of Nooristan Foundation Event!
Watch Voice of America’s coverage of the Nooristan Foundation event at the Embassy of Greece here. Coverage begins at 15:55:
http://www.voanews.com/wm/voa/sca/dari/dari1330vbSUN.asx
Note: Segment is in Dari
High-Profile Event Fetches Funds For School In Nuristan
Lalit K. Jha - May 10, 2009
WASHINGTON (PAN): A high profile event attended by powerful lawmakers and eminent people last week raised enough funds to establish the first primary school in Pasigam village in the remote mountains of Nooristan province, organizers announced Saturday.
Hosted by the Embassy of Greece in Washington, the fundraiser event was organized by Nooristan Foundation, a non-profit US organization working in the Afghan province carrying the same name.
Aptly named “In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great”, the event among others was attended by Congressman Howard Berman, Chairman of the powerful House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Congressmen Lee Hamilton, Dana Rohrabacher, John Sarbanes, Chris Hollen and Robert Wexler.
The former US Ambassador to Afghanistan, Ronald Neumann and Thomas Pickering also attended the fundraiser event which was marked by a cultural event. Nooristan Foundation’s President, Marie Kux, shared information on projects that would be supported by the event, which include a village school in the Pasigam village of Nooristan Province, a midwife training project in Takhar Province and a project to assist internally displaced persons in Kabul Province.
People attending the event, also enjoyed a fascinating lecture by well-known archeologist and curator of the exhibition Hidden Treasures of Afghanistan, Dr. Fredrik Hiebert. Using images of historic finds, Dr. Hiebert shed light on the influences of Grecian art in Afghan art and design. After the lecture, excerpts of a BBC documentary tracing Alexander the Great’s journey was screened for the audience.
Nooristan Foundation’s founder Dr. Nadir Atash said: “Providing support for education and economic development throughout Afghanistan, especially for rural areas, is vital to securing stability. The Afghan people have suffered tremendously and want to live in peace and work towards a better future.”
Nooristan Foundation Fundraising Event a Huge Success
High Profile Dignitaries, Congressional Representatives and Socialites Join Over 250 Guests at Unique Cultural Event to Benefit Afghanistan
Washington D.C. – The Embassy of Greece in Washington D.C. hosted a special event to celebrate the cultural, historic and political connections between Greece and Afghanistan. As part of NATO, Greece has committed troops to Afghanistan and also supports education and cultural preservation projects. Historians have written about the descendants of Alexander the Great’s Macedonian army, some who remained in the valleys of present day Afghanistan during his effort to conquer Asia. This can particularly be seen in Nooristan province. Language, dress and dance styles are reminders of this historic connection. Although Afghanistan has experienced war and conflict in recent decades, its archeological sites are still revealing fascinating treasures of its ancient cultures.
The event was co-hosted by Nooristan Foundation, a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides humanitarian, medical, and educational assistance to rural areas of Afghanistan. Prominent individuals traveled from many different states to join Washingtonians for the much anticipated event.
“In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great,” started with welcoming remarks by Greece’s Ambassador to the United States, H.E. Alexandros Mallias at the Embassy’s Cultural Center. Afghanistan’s Deputy Minister of Culture, Mr. Omar Sultan, who was educated in Greece in the 1970s, shared insights on current efforts to preserve Afghanistan’s cultural heritage and monuments. Congressman Chris Van Hollen, a member of the Honorary Host Committee for the event, attended and discussed Congressional efforts to support Afghanistan.
Mrs. Marie Kux, Nooristan Foundation’s President, shared information on projects that would be supported by the event, which include a village school in the Pasigam Village of Nooristan Province, a midwife training project in Takhar Province and a project to assist internally displaced persons in Kabul Province. Mrs. Shamim Jawad, the wife of the Afghan Ambassador to the United States Said Tayeb Jawad, expressed her gratitude for the Foundation and the Greek government’s support for development in Afghanistan.
Guests then enjoyed a fascinating lecture by well-known archaeologist and curator of the exhibition “Hidden Treasures of Afghanistan,” Dr. Fredrik Hiebert. Using images of historic finds, Dr. Hiebert shed light on the influences of Grecian art in Afghan art and design. After the lecture, excerpts of a BBC documentary tracing Alexander the Great’s journey was screened for the audience.
A dinner buffet of authentic Afghan cuisine, provided by Bamian Restaurant, as well as Greek delicacies, were served in the Embassy’s reception hall. Attendees in the ballroom enjoyed listening and dancing to music by an ensemble of Greek musicians. At the end of the evening, airline tickets to Greece donated by Olympic Airlines and Aegen Airlines were auctioned to benefit Nooristan Foundation. Guests received Afghan hand embroidered gifts from Artizan Sarai, as well the film “Qadir”, courtesy of the Greek Embassy.
Nooristan Foundation’s founder Dr. Nadir Atash, the first Afghan-American to establish a non-profit that provides assistance to the Nooristan Province states, “Providing support for education and economic development throughout Afghanistan, especially for rural areas, is vital to securing stability. The Afghan people have suffered tremendously and want to live in peace and work towards a better future.”
After the event, Nooristan Foundation announced that the benefit raised enough funds to establish the first primary school in Pasigam Village, in the remote mountains of Nooristan.
The celebration left its mark on those who attended and created a new sense of appreciation for the connections between these countries. A new connection between Greeks, Afghans and Americans has thus been forged, building the future for children in Afghanistan.
Tickets Available Online: Embassy of Greece to Host Benefit for Nooristan Foundation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
From Nooristan Foundation
April 23rd, 2009, Washington D.C. - Greece’s Ambassador to the United States, H.E. Ambassador Mallias and Mrs. Mallias will host an event to celebrate the cultural and historic linkage between Greece and Afghanistan on Tuesday, May 5th, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. The event will also raise funds and awareness for Nooristan Foundation’s programs. The event, “In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great,” will include a reception, authentic Greek dinner, live Greek and Afghan music, a short film presentation and a silent auction.
Nooristan Foundation President Marie Kux states, “It is important for the Afghan people to reclaim their history. We are happy that the Embassy of Greece in Washington, D.C. has been gracious to host this wonderful cultural celebration that shows the connection between Greece and Afghanistan.”
HONORARY PATRON
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece Mrs. Dora Bakoyiannis
HONORARY CHAIR
H.E. The Ambassador of Greece and Mrs. Alexandros P. Mallias
HONORARY HOST COMMITTEE
Mr. Omar Sultan, Deputy Minister of Culture of Afghanistan
Ambassador of Afghanistan Said Tayeb Jawad and Mrs. Shamim Jawad
Mr. Omar Khan Masoudi, Director General of the National Museum of Afghanistan
Congressman and Mrs. Howard Berman
Congressman and Mrs. Lee H. Hamilton
Congressman and Mrs. Dana Rohrabacher
Congressman and Mrs. John Sarbanes
Congressman and Mrs. Chris Van Hollen
Congressman and Mrs. Robert Wexler
Ambassador and Mrs. Ronald Neumann
Ambassador and Mrs. Thomas Pickering
Honorable Mr. and Mrs. Robert McFarlane
Mr. and Mrs. Arnaud de Borchgrave
Mrs. Doris Buffet
Mrs. Caroline Firestone
Mr. and Mrs. Ray Mahmood
Mrs. Robin Read
Mrs. Diana Rowan Rockefeller
Mr. and Mrs. George Stephanopoulos
Fashion Designer Nick Verreos
The event is open to those who purchase tickets or serve as corporate sponsors. Tickets proceeds will be used towards the Foundations’s programs in Afghanistan.
For more information about the event, contact Nooristan Foundation at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Nooristan Foundation Provides Humanitarian Assistance to Families In Baghe Daoud Refugee Camp
March 31st 2009, Northern VA - Nooristan Foundation completed a winter relief distribution to benefit 92 families in a refugee camp an hour outside of Kabul. Through the generous support of members, volunteers, and donors, Nooristan Foundation has raised close to $14,000 to date to provide essential supplies to help the families survive the harsh winter in Afghanistan.
The plight of these internally displaced persons was seen by Nooristan Foundation’s President, Mrs. Marie Kux, during her trip to Afghanistan in 2006. Mrs. Kux states, “I could not get these families out of my mind and was constantly reminded of their struggle to survive in very difficult conditions.” The Foundation decided it would take action to assist these families.
The Foundation is now working on a project, “New Beginnings,” which will assist the families to become more self-sufficient. Initially, Nooristan Foundation was going to purchase tents and supplies, but at the request of the families, blankets, plastic sheeting and other supplies were purchased. With the donations, Nooristan Foundation provided each family with blankets, plastic sheeting to cover holes in the shelter they live in, food, and fuel.
Families in Baghe Daoud expressed great appreciation for the Foundation’s support. They expressed frustration regarding the lack of assistance by the Afghan government or international donors. The Foundation is working to raise funds for the project, which will provide the families with opportunities as they begin a new life.
Project Runway Designer & TV Host Nick Verreos Joins Host Committee
March 13th, 2009 - We are pleased to announce that fashion designer and TV host Nick Verreos is joining the host committee of “In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great” on May 5th, 2009 at the Embassy of Greece in Washington, D.C. Nick’s Greek heritage and compassion for international affairs, including Afghanistan, will help raise awareness for the event, and ultimately the cause.
Please request your ticket for this exciting and meaningful event today before it is sold out. Remember, proceeds from the ticket sales go directly to projects that help Afghans in need. Nooristan Foundation is a volunteer organization with minimal overhead costs. Please visit the PROJECT section of our website to see how we have helped Afghan women, children, and families over the years.
For ticket information, contact us today at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). We look forward to seeing you there!
About Nick Verreos:
Fashion designer Nick Verreos received national and international attention after appearing on Bravo’s Project Runway. Nick has since enjoyed success as a red carpet fashion expert on TV Guide’s Fashion Wrap with Lisa Rinna, Fashion Team, SoapNet’s EmmyAwards Red Carpet Coverage and E! Countdown to the Academy Awards.
He has appeared on MTV’s The Hills, WB’s Crowned and Project Runway Canada and is now one of the Glam Squad on the MSN.com style site, Style Studio. Under his label NIKOLAKI, alongside partner David Paul, Nick designed Marlee Matlin’s gown for the 2008 Academy Awards and has dressed celebrities such as Heidi Klum, Eva Longoria, Brenda Strong of Desperate Housewives and comedian Kathy Griffin.
In addition, he has also become a much-sought after speaker at various Universities across the US. Nick will debut his Spring 2009 Collection in November at the Islands of the World Fashion Week in the Bahamas.
Nooristan Foundation Mobilizes DC Area Communities to Donate Winter Clothing to Afghanistan
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1st, 2008 - Nooristan Foundation today concluded a successful winter clothing and blanket drive for the needy in Afghanistan. The Foundation mobilized the Afghan-American community, as well as students and U.S. businesses, to assist with the drive. Through this effort, one container of clothing was packed and shipped by DHL Global Logistics to Afghanisatan.
For the collection, the Foundation partnered with Blanket Brigade, an organization that has organized collection drives in the past. Collectively, the organizations set up donation drop off points in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area and promoted the drive to the Afghan-American community, churches, schools and universities. DHL Global Logistics generously offered free shipment of the winter clothing to Afghanistan.
Nooristan Foundation has selected Afghans4Tomorrow, a nonprofit organization that has experience implementing humanitarian projects in Afghanistan, to serve as the Foundation’s distribution partner in Afghanistan. The project was made possible through the volunteer efforts of Mr. Atta Amin, an Afghan-American businessman who connected the Foundation to DHL.
Nooristan Foundation hopes to support additional efforts in the future that can allocate necessary and useful supplies to poor communities in Afghanistan.
Nooristan Foundation, Blanket Brigade, DHL Clothing Drive
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 2008, Northern VA - Nooristan Foundation partnered with Blanket Brigade, an organization that has organized collection drives in the past. Collectively, the organizations set up donation drop off points in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area and promoted the drive to the Afghan-American community. DHL offered free shipment of the clothing to Afghanistan. Blanket Brigade helped to secure a location, promoted the drive, and is going to help with distribution. Afghans4Tomorrow, an NGO in Afghanistan, successfully distributed the clothing.
