Hello Budd,

Twelve months ago I watched a CNN report about Afghan parents selling their nine year old daughter for marriage to a 55 year old man for $2,000. Sales of daughters occurred before the Taliban took control of the country but according to CNN these arrangements were made "behind closed doors". Sales are now being made openly. The report, should you wish to watch, is on Youtube. (link purposely omitted - It's disturbing)) 

I was aware of the economic collapse that began on August 15th, 2001 when the Taliban took control. Banks were closed, jobs were lost that would never return, particularly for women, prices were rising and the Afghani (currency) was declining rapidly in value.

Trust in Education had been struggling, not economically, but to restructure our staffing in Afghanistan. Basir, our program director, was fortunate to be able to fly with his three daughters to England where they live today. I had no one to send money to for the sponsored children or a way to send it. Our libraries closed the day of the Taliban takeover and were just starting to reopen. Nabi had fortunately been able to enlist his cousins, Mujeeb and Wahidullah, as program directors, making it possible for us to continue providing aid. To what extent, I didn't know. To my surprise we are providing considerably more support than we were before the takeover. 

The focus since our beginning in 2003 has been on education and "wish list" projects Afghan villagers presented to me during my 20 visits to Afghanistan. The question that troubled me following the CNN report was what could we do to address the abject poverty that was causing families to openly sell their daughters.

Ten years ago we began a sponsorship program that enabled street children to get off the streets and go to school. It has been extremely successful. All it took was $50 per month to generate 154 sponsorships, 55 high school graduates, 17 college graduates, and 15 who are in college now (eleven are girls). Fifty four are still being sponsored. 

If we asked people to sponsor families, would they, and what economic support would they be willing to provide? Most street children receive $50 a month. I decided to try $100 a month for a year for a family and establish it as a zero sum program. 100% of what's donated by a sponsor goes to the sponsored family.

Six families received their first $100 bill last December and their twelfth this month. This month there are a total of 77 families receiving $100 and one whose sponsor decided to provide $200. Forty two of the families are headed by widows, the most vulnerable. impoverished and dependent of the poor.  All told that's $94,800 going toward feeding and housing two hundred and fifty four children and one hundred seventy one adults, addressing two of Maslow's essential and basic survival needs.

Every month, we take a photo of each family holding their $100 bill and send it to their sponsor. The photos for October's support came a couple of weeks ago. Both Nabi and I noticed immediately that almost without exception the families looked healthier and happier. We shouldn't have been surprised. This is exactly what happened to the sponsored street children. We could see the change in their health over the years.

A few days ago I received an email from a supporter who wrote to tell me he was renewing his sponsorship of one of the six families whose support was coming to an end this month. He shared how he had been "blessed" by two events in his life this year.

His decision was the catalyst for this newsletter. What better time is there than Thanksgiving to urge others to share their good fortune with a family where "forty three percent of the country is surviving on one meal a day". Afghanistan is now the sixth poorest country in the world.

Of one thing I am absolutely certain, based upon the time I spent in Afghanistan. If any of these families can, they will share what they have with those less fortunate. It's their nature.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Budd

To learn more and participate in the family sponsorship program click here.