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LIVE from the Field: CARE Afghanistan

Dates:Wednesday, April 29 - Wednesday, May 20
Theme: GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT ISSUES; CONFLICT AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Times:7:30-8:30 a.m. (EDT)
Grades: 7-8, 9-12
Cost: $300 per VC or membership price*
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"Poverty levels are high in Afghanistan, with many of the population living on less than 1 dollar a day. Many people are scarred from more than 25 years of conflict, years of Taliban rule, and a series of earthquakes." - CARE Afghanistan

CARE (http://www.care.org/careswork/countryprofiles/1.asp) has been working in Afghanistan since 1961, though the 1979 Soviet invasion and the violent civil war that followed made it necessary to suspend operations from 1980 to 1989. Recently, due to heightened security issues, CARE has had to re-structure some of its humanitarian relief programs, but it is still actively supporting Afghans all over the country. CARE currently works to fight the underlying causes of poverty in Afghanistan in three major areas: advocacy, relief, and development.

In this four-part videoconference series, students will go beyond the headlines to learn firsthand about the issues facing the people of Afghanistan from one of the key NGOs that is supporting their development. What are the current challenges facing Afghanistan? How are students, young widows, and other vulnerable groups affected by these challenges? What role does CARE play in aiding the redevelopment efforts? How are the U.S. and other governments participating? Students will have the opportunity, first-hand, to speak with Afghan students and CARE staff members about the past, present and future direction of their country, despite the manifold issues they are facing, many of them life-threatening.

Afghanistan's Widows: War's Forgotten Victims
Wed, April 29, 7:30-8:30 AM EDT/4:00-5:00 PM Kabul Time
It has been said that Kabul is the "widows' capital of the world," housing as many as 50,000 widows. As the war in Afghanistan continues to effect the civilian population, the plight of the widows is a significant issue to be discussed as injustice surrounds this overlooked community of girls and women across the generations. In this follow-up session, students will have a special opportunity to revisit this issue from GNG and CARE's videoconference from Spring 2008. Students will come face to face with this group of incredible women to learn of their resilience and the real challenges that continue to face them today.

Drought and Food Security: An Afghan Perspective
Wed, May 6, 7:30-8:30 AM EDT/4:00-5:00 PM Kabul Time
In the past decade, Afghanistan has undergone a severe drought leaving much of its population vulnerable to extreme starvation. The dramatic increase of global food prices has intensified, forcing thousands of people to leave their villages in search of food and aid. In this session, students will explore the perils of Mother Nature and its effects on their Afghan peers. Students will also learn of different ways they can take action against this crisis, both in Afghanistan and in their own home towns, especially as drought is a worldwide phenomenon.

On The Ground: Emergency Response
Wed, May 13, 7:30-8:30 AM EDT/4:00-5:00 PM Kabul Time
In addition to decades of conflict, Afghanistan continually confronts both man-made and natural disasters which make it difficult for the population to recover and rebuild. CARE responds to emergencies by working directly and through partners to provide timely and appropriate assistance. The goal of CARE's emergency projects is to assist the most vulnerable with short-term relief measures, while building capacity to reduce communities' vulnerability to future emergencies. Students will learn about different crisis situations that have unfolded in Afghanistan from CARE's Emergency Response Team. They will also explore Afghanistan's transition from relief to development and the prospects for long-term peace and security.

The Youth of Afghanistan: Protecting the Next Generation
Wed, May 20, 7:30-8:30 AM EDT/4:00-5:00 PM Kabul Time
In this special culminating session, students will have the unique opportunity to hear directly from their Aghan peers about their day-to-day lives and their hopes for the future. The statistics are daunting - almost 50 percent of all Afghan children are malnourished and over 20 percent of Afghan children under 5 die every year. CARE is working to reverse the damage from years of conflict by improving newborn and child health and implementing education projects in areas throughout Afghanistan. In this truly unique cross-cultural exchange, North American students will speak with young people who have benefited from CARE's programs and are now healthy and attending school. Students will share and learn from one another as they discuss their daily lives and share perspectives on what the future holds for Afghanistan.

All GNG programs are aligned with the U.N. Millennium Development Goals:

• Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
• Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education
• Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
• Goal 4: Reduce child mortality
• Goal 5: Improve maternal health
• Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
• Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
• Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development

The CARE Afghanistan program is aligned with these National Educational Standards:

Civics and Government Standards

• Topic IV: What is the relationship of the United States to other nations and to world affairs?

Geography Standards
Human Systems

• Standard 9: The characteristics, distribution, and migration of human populations on Earth’s surface.
• Standard 10: The characteristics, distributions, and complexity of Earth’s cultural mosaics.
• Standard 11: The patterns and networks of economic interdependence on Earth’s surface.
• Standard 13: How forces of cooperation and conflict among people influence the division and control of Earth’s surface.

Environment and Society

• Standard 14: How human actions modify the physical environment.
• Standard 15: How physical systems affect human systems.
• Standard 16: The changes that occur in the meaning, use, distribution, and importance of resources.

Social Studies Standards

• Strand III: People, Places, and Environments
• Strand IV: Individual Development and Identity
• Strand V: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
• Strand VI: Power, Authority, and Governance
• Strand IX: Global Connections
• Strand X: Civic Ideals and Practices

World History Standards

• Era 2: Early Civilizations and the Emergence of Pastoral Peoples, 4000-1000 BCE
• Era 3: Classical Traditions, Major Religions, and Giant Empires, 1000 BCE-300 CE
• Era 5: Intensified Hemispheric Interactions 1000-1500 CE
• Era 8: A Half-Century of Crisis and Achievement, 1900-1945
• Era 9: The 20th Century Since 1945: Promises & Paradoxes

What to expect from The PULSE

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