Working life The Afghan youth exchnage By Masako Yamada	フレームで見る  英文をプリントする  脚注をプリントする
科学者転じてＮＰＯの代表に 雅子さんの元同僚が、Afghan Youth Sports Exchange というNPO を発足させました。アフガニスタンの少女たちを米国に招いてスポーツキャンプを開催し、少女たちがその中でチームワークやリーダーシップを会得することを目的としています。この活動はマスコミで大きく取り上げられ、政界からも注目されています。

Afghan Youth Sports Exchange のスポーツキャンプに参加しているアフガニスタンの少女たちはラムズフェルド国防長官(左上)を訪問し、記念撮影を行なった。右端は主催者のAwista Ayubさん (KATHLEEN T. RHEM PHOTO [American Forces Press Service])

Awista's situation was different. She was willing not to have a comfortable future to start this organization. Undoubtedly, the new job would be more stressful, not less. Moreover, she was still in her 20s and committed to helping others, when most people her age are interested in their own success and their own happiness.

It didn't completely surprise me that Awista came up with this idea. She already spent a year doing volunteer work after graduating from college. What I didn't know was that she had been thinking about the idea even while working in the lab. One reason she never had lunch in the cafeteria is because she spent most of her lunch break on the phone, trying to get the organization started.

NPO、Afghan Youth Sports Exchange のホームページ(http://www.afghansports.org/)

Now, it's one thing to want to help people, and another thing to run an organization: applying for NPO status, submitting paperwork to get visas for the participants, reserving their plane tickets, organizing food and lodging, finding soccer coaches, getting soccer balls, uniforms, shin guards, cleats, supplies for rainy days, etc.

Awista started this inaugural year with only nine girls. She says if she can help change even just one life, it's worth it, but I know she'd eventually like to have boys and girls. She'd also like to have Americans and Afghanis together. My colleagues and I have been so moved by her vision that we decided one day to visit the camp to host a "Science Day."

We showed the girls how to do a few hands-on experiments, but mostly we did "fun" activities including riding bicycles and making origami earrings. For this one afternoon, we let Awista take a break. Only six of us visited, but many others supported the effort. One colleague accompanied me to a toy store, electronics store and a discount store to buy supplies. Another, who rebuilds broken bicycles, donated nine bicycles. Another collected T-shirts, notebooks and Frisbees with the company logo.

Awista's commitment was apparent the moment we arrived. Being on-call 24/7 to oversee nine sensitive adolescent girls from a faraway land cannot be easy. There are the mundane tasks of daily life to be considered, too. As we walked through the dorms, I noticed there was a laundry room. I asked Awista who does the laundry for the girls. She said, "I do ... but some of the girls help."

One common question is: Where does the money come from? Any NPO is dependent on donations and volunteers. Awista has managed to secure sponsorship from companies large and small. She has caught the attention of the offices of Senator Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. She has been featured in several national media outlets. It's impressive, but it doesn't mean money flows in like a river, nor does it mean she now has a full volunteer staff. She said it's been difficult because there are so many charities, and when people see how young she is, they assume she's not serious. For now, she has been willing to sacrifice her own money and time for the cause.

My big question is: What keeps her going? One idea I believe is common among Americans is that one should share one's blessings with the less fortunate. Many people at work are involved in volunteer activities and the company encourages people to donate money to charities. When I told my colleagues about Awista and the AYSE, one of them said: "Thank goodness people like her exist." I immediately sympathized and knew that what he really wanted to say is: "Thank goodness people like her exist, because I couldn't do it myself."

Shukan ST: Sept. 3, 2004

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