Shop & Support
Products from Afghanistan
Beautiful hand-crafted products made by Afghan women are sold through our volunteer network in Canada. All proceeds (100%) are returned to Afghanistan to pay for the skills training, salaries and expenses of Afghan women employed in this project.
A large and enthusiastic market in Canada ensures the longterm sustainability of this project. For more information, email info@cw4wafghan.ca.
Please check our Calendar of Events for local activiies. Our volunteers often set up information and product booths at various community events.
Books:
The following excellent books are available to purchase at your favourite local book stores or via CW4WAfghan at our community events (while supplies last).
Author: Deborah Ellis
The Breadwiner, Parvana's
Journey, Mud City
http://www.groundbooks.com
These award-winning young adult novels tell the story of eleven-year-old Parvana and her close friend Shauzia, who lived in Taliban controlled Afghanistan. Masquerading as a boy, Parvana works in the streets of Kabul so that her family can eat. These beautifully written, inspiring novels depict the strength, courage and hope of children who struggle to survive under the horrific conditions of war, poverty and oppression.
“Parvana and Shauzia are fictional characters, but they are very real people to me. I enjoyed their company when they were in my head, on their way to being put onto paper. Their anger, their frustration at the obstacles the world kept thudding in front of them, their sorrow, loneliness, and their triumphs when they could get them - these intimate moments they shared with me like a gift. I often try to imagine how they are managing now, in an Afghanistan that is both dangerous and hopeful. I wish I was as strong and brave as they are. I’ve received amazing letters from children who also see Parvana and Shauzia as real. They send me drawings, write sequels, and write of their own experiences with terrors great and small. The most common question I get when I meet these kids is, ‘If governments know what is happening to children, why don’t they stop it?’ Why, indeed.
We all want to be brave, we all want to find it within us to stand up to tyranny and side with those who are being beaten down. Sometimes we look to literature to remind us of how great we can be.
The money the books have raised has put women to work, children in school, and food in people’s bellies. I’ve been frequently astonished at how easy it is to radically improve someone’s life. It’s an honour to be a part of it.”
-Deborah Ellis
The Royalties from The Breadwinner and Parvana's Journey have been generously donated by Deborah Ellis for our projects supporting education initiatives in Afghanistan. A small portion of these royalties is also allocated to our operating and administration expenses, in addition to the sale proceeds from the books at our events. This allows us to continue to allocate 100% of individual donations to our projects without deducting operating expenses.
Author: Sally Armstrong
Sally Armstrong is a Canadian award-winning human rights activist and author, and one of the first international journalists to bring the plight of Afghan women to the world's attention. Her two novels bring a wealth of information to Canadian readers who strive to understand the complex issues and challenges for women in Afghanistan. Her words inspire and motivate us all to take action!
Veiled Threat: The Hidden Power of the Women of Afghanistan
http://www.penguin.ca
As this powerful and inspiring book demonstrates, the need to provide support and solidarity to Afghan women continues. Much help is still needed to erase the legacy of female oppression and poverty in Afghanistan and to effectively address one of the greatest human rights crises of our times.
Bitter Roots, Tender Shoots: The Uncertain Fate of the Women of Afghanistan
http://www.penguin.ca
This NEW book tells of women’s lives post-Taliban and unravels the threads that are strangling Afghanistan’s attempts to join the 21st Century.
Combining the searing personal stories of women with the analysis of experts and the grassroots efforts of Canadians, Bitter Roots, Tender Shoots is an accurate and impassioned portrayal of the lives of women and girls in Afghanistan today, and it suggests they are the way forward.
