Awards and Recognition
Recognition:
Deborah Ellis
Canadian Award-winning author and founder of CW4WAfghan
Deborah Ellis, has generously donated all the royalties made through the sales of her books, The Breadwinner and Parvana’s Journey to our volunteer non-profit organization. The Breadwinner trilogy and its inspiration came out of a visit to Afghan refugee camps in Pakistan. Deb travelled there in 1998 to collect research information for her adult non-fiction book Women of the Afghan War. While living at the camps for three months, Deborah had the opportunity to speak with Afghan women and hear their experiences. One story in particular left a lasting impression: A woman from Kabul mentioned that her daughter was pretending to be a boy in order to support her family. After hearing this, Deborah knew that she needed to write a children’s novel about a child with a similar story. In the spring of 2001, The Breadwinner was published. After the events of 9/11, teachers and parents needed resources that would help North American children understand what their peers were facing in the Middle East and The Breadwinner was catapulted into the spotlight. Subsequently, The Breadwinner has been made available to young readers in countries around the world. The sequel Parvana’s Journey was followed by Mud City, the final instalment in the trilogy.
Deb called her friends at CW4WAfghan and announced, “I have a cheque for you for $3,000 as an advance on my first book about Parvana. I don’t know how the book will sell but this is a start to help a school in Afghanistan.” Since that day in March 2001, the royalties from these two books have brought in an astounding $850,000!
Sally Armstrong:
Canadian Award-winning journalist, documentary film-maker, author and human-rights activist
Our members are always at a loss when we try to put to words the recognition due to Sally Armstrong. Sally has been 'at our side' since the very beginning, in fact it was her article in Homemaker's Magazine (Summer 1997) that was the inspiration for CW4WAfghan members to begin asking "WHAT CAN WE DO?" to support Afghan women. Sally Armstrong is a much-honoured Canadian journalist and intrepid spokesperson for the rights of women in war-torn parts of the world. She has spent the last 12 years covering Afghanistan and the oppression of women. Her eyewitness reports have earned her awards, including the Gold Award from the National Magazine Awards Foundation and the Author's Award from the Foundation for the Advancement of Canadian Letters. She received the Amnesty International Media Award in 2000 and again in 2002. Her documentary works include: They Fell From the Sky, and The Daughters of Afghanistan.
Sally is the author of three books: Veiled Threat: The Hidden Power of the Women of Afghanistan, The Nine Lives of Charlotte Taylor: the First Woman Settler of the Miramichi – and the newly released Bitter Roots, Tender Shoots: The Uncertain Fate of Afghanistan's Women.
Sally Armstrong is someone who exhibits great moral and social courage by taking a stand against the unjust and evil in the world. Through her remarkable clarity of vision, intelligence, patience, conviction-- and warm friendships-- she challenges Canadians to take individual and collective action and responsibility for bettering our world. CW4WAfghan is honoured by her many hours and many years of support to CW4WAfghan.
Awards:
CW4WAfghan members were honoured with the YMCA Calgary Peace Award in the International category for their long-standing contribution to supporting peace and human rights for Afghan women and their families in November 2002.
CW4WAfghan members and supporters
meeting in Kingston 2008
Co-Founding member Janice Eisenhauer, Executive Director, is the recipient of the Alberta Centennial Medal in recognition of her outstanding service to the people and province of Alberta. She has also been awarded with the Soroptimist International Calgarys MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR WOMEN AWARD 2007 for her part in the work of CW4WAfghan and her dedicated efforts to improve the lives of women and girls in Afghanistan. Janice was also recognized in March 2001 as one of the National PostLOreal Canada Women of Influence. She was also nominated for the Volunteer Calgary - Heart of Calgary Award in 2006 and 2007. In March 2007, Janice was again honoured as one of thirteen recipients of the annual Rotary Calgary INTEGRITY Award.
Co-Founding member of our affiliated group, CSAW, and member of our CW4WAfghan Project Selection committee, Linda Middaugh was awarded the Humanitarian Award from the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario and the Queen's Jubilee Medal. She was featured in 2006 on ETFO's Women's History Month poster produced in collaboration with the Women's Future Fund.
Co-Founding member, Carolyn Reicher is the recipient of the Global Television Woman of Vision Award for her work with human rights and Afghan women. She is also the recipient of the 2006 Literacy Alberta Award of Excellence in the Practitioner category for her work in adult literacy.
Co-Founding member, Lauryn Oates is the recipient of numerous awards and distinctions, including the 2000 Chatelaine Women of the Year, the March 8th 2001 National Post/LOreal Canada Women of Influence and a YTV Achievement Awards finalist for Public Service.