Field Trip to Band-e Qargha Lake
By Susan Hall
23 March 2008
ASCHIANA (meaning "the nest") is an Afghan Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that provides services, support and vocational training to street working children in Kabul. In addition to vocational training ASCHIANA offers programs in art, music, drama and storytelling.
Most of the youngsters have never been outside of their neighborhood let alone Kabul. Students in the art program create work by copying images from postcards and photographs. Volunteer English teacher Elinor Edmunds decided to do something about this. She rented two somewhat dilapidated Pakistani buses for the bargain price of $50 which included the drivers. A new supply of pencils, sharpeners, brushes, paper and Russian watercolors were purchased from the local stationary store. Two days later, 44 boys and girls from ASCHIANA's art program set off on a hastily organized field trip to Band-e Qargha Lake. The students spent the morning sketching and painting. The teachers bought beef kabobs, bread and soda for lunch. By afternoon temptation got the best of the kids. They skipped stones into the lake and rolled up their pants legs and waded. A brief respite from daily life in a country that has been at war for two decades.
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