Great! I was the editor for the Journal of Mine Action for 
over five years and covered many articles on the topics as 
well as woman's issues in Afghanistan-it has always been a 
personal interest of mine as well.

Best Regards,

Maggie Buse`

---- Original message ----

>Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2005 06:56:15 -0500

>From: "Brenda Bell" <BBell at edc.org>  

>Subject: RE: [WomenLiteracy] More on literacy programs in 

Afghanistan  

>To: "The Women &amp; Literacy Discussion List" 

<womenliteracy at dev.nifl.gov>, <womenliteracy at dev.nifl.gov>

>

>   Hello Maggie --

>    

>   From my Afghan colleagues, I know that there has

>   been a very active landmine education program in

>   primary and secondary schools -- and a couple of

>   people are trying to find out if these materials

>   have been used in literacy classes.  Your question

>   prompted a discussion about trying to get these

>   materials (including a chart and a simple booklet on

>   mine education and avoidance) to distribute to the

>   village learning centers, where learners are

>   clamoring for more reading materials. 

>    

>   So -- thanks for asking!   

>    

>   Brenda

>

>     ------------------------------------------------

>

>   From: womenliteracy-bounces at dev.nifl.gov on behalf

>   of busems at jmu.edu

>   Sent: Tue 11/22/2005 3:05 AM

>   To: womenliteracy at dev.nifl.gov

>   Subject: Re: [WomenLiteracy] More on literacy

>   programs in Afghanistan

>

>   Hi Brenda,

>

>   Has there been any attempt to meld this training

>   with Mine

>   Risk Education?

>

>   I worked that issue and landmines for a number of

>   years.

>

>   Maggie Buse`

>

>   ---- Original message ----

>   >Date: Mon, 21 Nov 2005 16:04:31 -0500

>   >From: "Daphne Greenberg" <ALCDGG at langate.gsu.edu> 

>   >Subject: Re: [WomenLiteracy] More on literacy

>   programs in

>   Afghanistan 

>   >To: <womenliteracy at dev.nifl.gov>

>   >

>   >Brenda,

>   >I am wondering whether you see an equal amount

>   (more or

>   less) of women and men in the literacy programs. Are

>   the

>   classes co-ed? Do the men and women express similar

>   literacy

>   goals?

>   >Daphne

>   >

>   >>>> BBell at edc.org 11/21/2005 4:57:25 AM >>>

>   >

>   >

>   >Hello all -

>   >

>   >

>   >

>   >I'm in the midst of an interesting discussion with

>   some of

>   the lead trainers for the Literacy and Community

>   Empowerment

>   Program.  I posed some of David's questions about

>   the

>   history of literacy in Afghanistan - starting a

>   discussion

>   that has sent several women off to get more exact

>   information, which they should have by tomorrow.

>   >

>   >

>   >

>   >Meanwhile, in the interest of keeping a discussion

>   going

>   with you on this list, here is a summary of what a

>   group of

>   older Afghan women and one younger man had to say: 

>   >

>   >

>   >

>   >"The early literacy courses for adults were called

>   'elder

>   literacy.'  The courses lasted for 3 months and the

>   methods

>   used were memorization and drill.  While the classes

>   were

>   mostly for men, there were courses for women in

>   basic

>   literacy and some that were related to vocational

>   skills. 

>   >

>   >

>   >

>   >"During the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, the

>   number of

>   literacy courses increased, but according to the

>   discussion,

>   the level of learning dropped.  "Really they were

>   using

>   literacy for political objectives.  Literacy groups

>   were

>   formed but not much learning took place.  They were

>   used to

>   implement the objectives of the government.  Not

>   many people

>   became literate."  

>   >

>   >

>   >

>   >They also said that during the 'mujahadeen time'

>   when the

>   U.S. backed the mujahadeen fight against the

>   Russians,

>   literacy texts were also politicized. They cited the

>   now-

>   famous (in some circles) example of numeracy

>   activities in

>   which the items to be counted were guns. 

>   >

>   >

>   >

>   >"Now when we go into villages with our literacy

>   program,

>   some people are very suspicious.  They want to make

>   sure

>   that our program is not going to be like other

>   literacy

>   programs that 'misled' the people. We tell them no,

>   it is

>   not the same.  You can look at our teaching

>   materials and at

>   our lesson guides and see that this is a program

>   that will

>   help villagers get the skills they need to develop

>   their

>   communities. We are promoting peace and empowerment.

>   And we

>   include quotations from the Qu'ran in our

>   materials.  This

>   helps us."

>   >

>   >

>   >

>   >Perhaps some other members of this discussion list

>   know

>   some of this history and can add more!

>   >

>   >

>   >

>   >Brenda

>   >

>   >

>   >

>   >----------------------------------------------------

>   >National Insitute for Literacy

>   >Women and Literacy mailing list

>   >WomenLiteracy at dev.nifl.gov

>   >To unsubscribe or change your subscription

>   settings, please

>   go to

>   >http://dev.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/womenliteracy

>   Margaret Buse`

>   Project Coordinator

>   Learning Technology and Leadership

>   Education/Workforce Improvement Network

>   JMU HELPS/Workforce Development Campus/

>   Career Development Academy/Reel to Real

>

>   ----------------------------------------------------

>   National Insitute for Literacy

>   Women and Literacy mailing list

>   WomenLiteracy at dev.nifl.gov

>   To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings,

>   please go to

>   http://dev.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/womenliteracy

>________________

>

>----------------------------------------------------

>National Insitute for Literacy

>Women and Literacy mailing list

>WomenLiteracy at dev.nifl.gov

>To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please 

go to 

>http://dev.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/womenliteracy

Margaret Buse`
Project Coordinator
Learning Technology and Leadership Education/Workforce Improvement Network
JMU HELPS/Workforce Development Campus/
Career Development Academy/Reel to Real