Flash back from my stay in Herat, Afghanistan

Whilst, I was working in Afghanistan with WFP, I got the opportunity to station in different region and cities like Jalalabad, Kandahar, Mazar, Faizabad, Herat and Kabul. I am so fortunate that I could work inside Afghanistan during Taliban regime too. It was 2001, when I was stationed in Herat and still Taliban regime. In our WFP Area Office, there were only two International Staffs including me and my colleague, Ms. Silanda from Tanzania. It was so difficult to work for women during those days inside Afghanistan. I used to work for Food for Education. We had to employ women staff for food monitoring and they should be placed inside the public hospital compound and they were not allowed to talk and see men and other strangers. Our office had employed two women staff and they are stationed in one city Hospital to perform their duties. It is very strange, no male staff can visit them and all the administrative works had to complete through their Muharram or the female international staff. It was really a challenging job! During this period, Afghanistan was facing drought and no rain at all for 6 or & years and thus no enough snow to melt in the summer resulting no food production. People were leaving their villages to other villages or relatives with the hope of water like Kuchis (local nomads). Later, they became internally displaced people (IDPs). We were once evacuated from the country after 2/3 days after the 9/11 (2001) incident . We were then stationed in Islamabad for sometime and we worked remotely from Islamabad office. .......(will fill up later)




I became so happy when I received one email from my Afghan colleague, Bibi DIl Siddiqi.

From: BiBiDil_saddiqi200 saddiqi <saddiqi_dil@yahoo.com>
To: "devakish@yahoo.com" <devakish@yahoo.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 24, 2013 3:48 PM
Subject: Hello

Dearest Devaki Jan,

Hope to be fine with your respected family and lovely husband and Daughert. So happy to find you on Facebook and watch your nice and cute pictures.

My dear sister, how are you and how is life? have you working somewhere?  after long time I saw your message and picture believe me I was totally changed and more happy to you. I and my family are fine my oldest son Tamim now in Germany my daughter Morsal has  gotten married with her aunt's son and another two daughter Sunbol graduated from Low and Political faculty and Sahar is in Law faculty. Fahim is third class of Art and Beauty faculty Graphic section and the last Maten is in the 8th class of school.My husband is good when I told him  I got message from Devaki Jan he was so happy and sent best regard to you.

currently I am working with USAID project as M&E Coordinator and it is the result of your assistance and working with you that I reach in this position thanks a lot.

Dearest Devaki Jan, if I write books about your qualification,  personality, kindness and wonderful  behavior truly it is not enough.hope to consider me as your students and really friend. I don't know within this period you came to Afghanistan or not.

Any time you needs some thing from Afghanistan or any people come from you please call me.

wish you more happiness ,success and more prosperity

best of luck

your sister

BiBiDil Siddiqi