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Dear
A year ago we financed the construction of a pickleball court inside the courtyard of a girl's school in Kabul. Why? Because the game generates more laughter and joy than any other sport. In addition it's a great way to exercise and relieve the mind.
Progress has been slow for three reasons. First winter came. Second, they don't play when the Virtue and Prevention of Vice police are rumored to be in the area. The walls surrounding the court are high, which is why they are willing to take the risk.
Finally, our focus has necessarily been on sponsoring families, finding ways to help them become self-reliant, providing loans fort startup businesses, opening a sewing factory, maintaining ten computer libraries while adding one more and our ever expanding midwife training program. We just added our sixteenth midwife class bringing the total students to two hundred twenty five (145 enrolled, 90 graduates)
To remedy the slow progress on the pickleball court, we recently hired a very accomplished athletic young woman, Alina, to learn the rules of the game and teach the students how to play. Prior to the Taliban takeover, four years ago, she was voted the most valuable player on her soccer team and was moving rapidly up the ranks in Taekwondo.
There's more to report but I've run out of time.
Budd
ps Total cost incurred to date for pickleball program including constructing and repairing court, the net, paddles, balls, coaches salary, socks and shoes is less than $3,000.
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