BLOG 07 - UPLOADED

Well...I write this as I get ready to board my flight back to Dubai. Complete mixed emotions. As much as I am looking forward to a decent cup of coffee and shower, it is going to be terribly difficult to leave the girls I have been spending the last 30 morning, noon and nights with, not to mention the energy you feel here in Kabul.

Well the last blog from Kabul is up...
(I promised to "keep it much shorter in length"...30 seconds shorter isn't bad eh? ;p)

Now for a little RnR at home in Cairo and then back to Dubai for the challenge of putting together all the incredible footage I have managed to capture over the last month.

Please continue to check this group and invite friends as I will be posting videos that the girls and boys will be sending me. Plus snippets of the doco as it all comes together.

If you know any potential broadcaster interested in such subject matter pls do pass along their details now that I can focus on the next steps.

I am also looking into a potentially MUCH BIGGER project involving educating street kids. Once I have all the information you can be assured you will the first I approach for support :)

I thank you ALL for being so concerned about these children and for keeping such close tabs on this project. I continue to welcome your personal messages or questions.

I wish you all well. Until the next posting...take care!

Natalie Carney

VIDEO BLOG 6A & 6B - Uploaded

2 new blogs up...I do apologize for their length, but I am finding it hard to be objective being so close to the story. I hope you enjoy however and promise that the next one will be much shorter in length :p

Blog 6A (Nangahar, Calatack Village) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5jyiF0m68M
Blog 6B (Nangahar, Calatack Village) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxxhHtGr71o

Natalie

VIDEO BLOG 5 - Uploaded

Sorry again for not having much to write...but by the looks of it, I can't keep quiet!

New video blog up.

Blog 05 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJDztE0Vhpw

...and a pretty "amazing" article about the project too.
http://www.amazingwomenrock.com/myblog/amazing-young-women-making-a-difference-right-now.html

Feedback...

VIDEO BLOG #01!

Hello, I am so very sorry I have not been able to keep up with the writing side of my promised blogs, as I have been just so busy. Plus I am finding the video blogs I have been producing are much more powerful than words. So please watch them as they come through.


Please again if you have ANY questions regarding ANYTHING you see please do not hesitate to ask…Tashakour.

Tuesday - September 01, 2009 - HOW YOU CAN HELP!!

Hello, I am sorry I am not getting a chance to write as much as I would like but early days still so I tend to be grabbing for the camera first rather than the pen.

In any case…will be sharing some of that video with you this evening from an incredibly life changing experience this morning. We helped hand out donations to those desperately in need at one of Afghanistan’s MANY refugee camps…

(Video blogs available for those part of the facebook group as I can not post here – pls contact me if you wish the video blogs but are not a member of Facebook)

Many of you have been getting in touch wanting information on how you can help…well I will be meeting many orphanages throughout the month and will post their details as they come in however the one orphanage supporting me thoroughly is the Mehan Orphanage home to 40-60 girls at a time. Their sister/brother orphanage where the boys stay is Sitar 2. Sponsoring one of these children provides them with not just the basics to survive but a REAL chance at a future that will hopefully CHANGE THIS COUNTRY.

For more info visit http://www.afceco.org/
To sponsor a children visit https://www.charityhelp.org/afceco

If you wish to read more about life at Mehan…check out Ian Pounds blog http://omprakash.org/phpBB/viewforum.php?f=15. He is an American volunteer who has been living with the girls for the last 5 months. He leaves tomorrow so today has been a rather somber one at the orphanage.

Until tonight!

Saturday - The Night Before

Well, it’s the night before the flight. I take off first thing in the morning (Sunday)…all packed and BOY is there a lot to take from batteries to extensions cords, lighting kit (thanks Usman) to microphones, oh and of course a couple head scarves. I also had a few requests for items not available there so that left VERY little room for clothing, a couple pairs of pants and shirts does me. How am I going to carry it all?

I haven’t had much time to let any worry or second thoughts sink in as I have been so busy organizing my game plan. Four orphanages in Kabul, three in the eastern provinces, a possible woman’s prison and a couple Afghan aid organizations…plus all the general B-roll of the country and people in roughly 25 days…all by myself…during Ramadan…I’m about as crazy as those Taliban folk.

Bright and early Monday morning we are off to a refugee camp to distribute supplies to over 1000 families. What a terrific way to kick start the journey. I will write more once I get back from that experience...Good night. I wonder what tonight's dreams will bring...

Facebook Group

OK done...please also join the facebook group called Forgotten Victims - Documentary on Afghan Orphans...it's much easier to post pictures there.

August 25, 2009 - Introduction

Thank you very much for checking out this blog on Afghan orphans.

Well, I will be leaving Dubai early Sunday morning (August 30, 2009) for Afghanistan, where I will stay for a month while filming a documentary on the children made orphans there due to the relentless conflicts.

The adventure begins at the very beginning. I will be traveling to Kabul in an old soviet cargo aircraft with the 2 tons of donations I have collected over the last year from generous people across Dubai. I am told the flight will be very loud and uncomfortable sitting in and amongst all the cargo...I am not to expect first class treatment...darn as I love those little socks you get!

Once in Afghanistan, the itinerary will be thick with interviews all across Kabul and the eastern provinces. I will be staying at the Mehan orphanage, where children are sponsored and therefore live a very nice life inclusive of well-balanced meals, clothing and education. However that is certainly not the case for children at other orphanages across the country.

I will also be visiting the Mermar, Parwarishgah-e-Watan and Omid E Mirmun orphanages in Kabul. As well as the Rokhan and Fatimatuzahra orphanages in Nangarhar and Langhman, two much more impoverished and dangerous eastern provinces of Afghanistan where thousands of children live unsponsored.

Through their words and action, I hope to be able to capture the essence of these children, who live such different lives than the ones we know.

I have also arranged interviews with the many others involved such as those who manage/run the orphanages to members of parliament, educators and ambassadors.

At each orphanage I will enquire about ways you can become involved and post that information on this blog.

Please if you have any questions you may want me to ask the children or those caring for them please post them here. I would love to keep an open channel of communication and debate for everyone through this blog and a facebook group I will create so please utilize them for that. (Will post the group name as soon as it is created)

I will post comments, pictures, audio and video to both as often as I can, but please do bare with me if I do not reply to you right away as I will not always be in areas where internet is available.

Tashakour,

Natalie Carney