Hamed Wardak and Generating Employment Opportunities in Afghanistan

Posted on Jul 23, 2010 in Hamed Wardak

When people are out of work for a long time and are battling poverty, it can be incredibly difficult to remain positive and upbeat.  In Afghanistan unfortunately, job opportunities are pretty remote which is why individuals like Hamed Wardak are constantly making efforts to turn this around.  But more work and financial support is needed all the time which is why USAID’s Incentives Driving Economic Alternatives for the North, East, and West (IDEA-NEW) program has been such a welcome venture for the country’s people.  One area it has been working in is the establishment of a “textile processing facility to generate local level employment and strengthen the textile value chain.”  Afghans themselves have been helping too.  A trader from Afghanistan “invested in the main machinery for the textile processing facility and IDEA-NEW supported the startup and installation.”  At the facility, various services include: labeling, dyeing, washing and pressing that can be made use of by over 200 “small and medium-sized textile-weaving enterprises in Rodaat, Batikot, Kama, and Dare Noor districts of Nangarhar.” Before this, some weavers would have to take their products to Pakistan to be processed.

Archaeological Find in Afghanistan

Posted on Jul 16, 2010 in Afghanistan, Hamed Wardak

Recent news in Afghanistan is the discovery of an 18 meter (59.1 foot) long statue of Buddha in Afghanistan’s central province of Bamiyan. The team that discovered the statue was led by Afghan archeologist Zemaryalai Tarzi.  Other smaller monuments of approximately 2,000 years old were also discovered.  As well, there have been reports of another very large Buddha underground “somewhere near the two giant destroyed Buddha statues in Bamiyan.”

Hamed Wardak and Improvements in Afghanistan Culture

Posted on Jul 9, 2010 in Afghanistan, Hamed Wardak

History and culture are important in any country.  Afghanistan is no different.  For people like Hamed Wardak who are proud of their heritage, the ceremony marking the beginning of phase two of Kabul’s Qazi historical garden is good news.  The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) issued the following press release on the matter: “Most of the trees in the original 3.5 hectare historical garden were cut down during the Russian occupation and the site was used briefly as a market and later a garbage dump for trash and human waste. Last year the Kabul Municipality decided to restore the garden to its original state and began working with a German NGO to clean up the site and remove the crumbling buildings from the old market.”

Hamed Wardak Contributions to USA for UNHCR

Posted on Jul 2, 2010 in Hamed Wardak, USA for UNHCR

Hamed Wardak is showing his continued support and commitment to USA for UNHCR.  He have recently donated $30,000 to sponsor the 2010 World Refugee Day.  This year’s World Refugee Day program featured former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, NPR senior news analyst Daniel Schorr, former refugees and UNHCR field staff.  The event was held from June 18^th-20^th for the ninth consecutive year with the theme “Home” this year.

As Jud Nirenberg, Associate Director at USA for UNHCR said, “The support of Hamed Wardak have been crucial to a project helping refugee women returning to Afghanistan, typically widowed mothers, with new paths to gaining income for themselves and their families. Dozens of women have been trained and helped to start new businesses, supporting themselves and their children thanks largely to his cooperation.”