Victoria

Contact: Victoria@cw4wafghan.ca

Report for 2010-11 for the Victoria Chapter of Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan.

Highlights of the year are the young people’s group formed in Sooke under the leadership of Aliya Poirier; wonderful table at the VIDEA Christmas Fair; and St Aidan’s Breaking Bread in March with Lauryn as speaker.  

The Sooke group started in November 2010 with a table at the Sooke Christmas Fair staffed by girls in grade 5 to 8, selling crafts made by themselves and friends, as well as some of the Afghan crafts and books from the Victoria Chapter.  They modelled the burqa and the Afghan girl’s outfit which was donated by an Afghan student at Pearson College.  In March the girls spoke to Brentwood Bayside Elementary School, about girls in Afghanistan and they hope to do more speaking in the future.  They are planning to have a craft table at the Christmas Fair this year, also.

November was also the date for the VIDEA Christmas Fair in Victoria and Ruth set up a beautiful table that generated lots of interest and sales.  We sold more on that day than we have ever sold at a single event.  We were also pleased to be part of the St Aidan’s United Church Fair Trade Christmas Fair.

In March members of St Aidan’s United Church, led by Audrey, Vivian and Cherie, put on a spectacular Breaking Bread potluck with over 70 attendees.  It was great that Penny Christensen was in town to give the introduction of the speaker, Lauryn, who did an awesome job as always.  Our great thanks go to the St Aidan’s congregation for their wonderful support for Afghan women.  The next day Lauryn spoke to Claremont High School’s social justice classes, providing a model for Catherine and Laura who are planning to give more talks in schools.

This year we had (fairly) regular meetings for the first time with around six or seven people coming each time.  We hope this will be the basis for growing the number of active members of the Chapter. Pauline has taken over as Treasurer and Laura is dealing with the crafts while Ruth takes a well-earned break.  Catherine is looking into school speaking possibilities and Tara is coordinating the Sooke group.  There are 20 people on the core group list and 88 on the extended list.   Several of these are up-island or off-island and we are all grateful to Corinne and the Nanaimo Zonta Club, plus the people at Malaspina, who run their own fundraisers. 

Thank you to everyone on Vancouver Island who supports the cause of education for Afghan women.