Handing Out Passports While Handling Corruption

For Colonel Abdul Fatah, a regular day in the office doesn’t just mean stamping papers and holding meetings. He also undertakes the responsibility of training people to wipe out corruption from the system. And since he is in charge of one of the busiest passport offices in the country, he has to be extra cautious and put in a lot of effort. And this he does with a passion. He genuinely thinks corruption can be pushed out of the system and so he educates his staff about this on a regular basis.

The task is not always easy for the Colonel as without proper backup systems, he finds it difficult to check the malpractices. For instance, there is no computerized storage of data and everything is done manually. As a result, it becomes very difficult to stop people from having multiple passports. Colonel Abdul Fatah realizes this is a very potent problem and hopes someday there will be computers available to make his job easier. He however wants every Afghan to have a passport and see the world. He believes that it is only through travel and exposure to different cultures can the people of Afghanistan rebuild their lives and society after the bitter battles that have torn them apart.

The colonel is putting in a commendable effort and this has even been recognized by the officials after he was overheard lecturing his staff about the ill-effects of corruptions by a high-ranked anti-corruption official who was waiting outside the office for his passport. It is only hoped now that his efforts are successful and more and more people and sectors in Afghanistan are declared corruption free.

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The Slow yet Steady Rise of Rugby Popularity in Afghanistan

When Mohammad Mansoor Majid returned to Afghanistan from the UK, he brought back with him, among other things, the game of rugby. It was he who introduced rugby to the country and helped form a national team for the sport. Today the game is played fervently in the country and also has a representation internationally.

Before the official introduction of rugby in Afghanistan, there were many young athletes who followed the game on television but never got an opportunity to play it. However, now with the introduction of the game, the young players are not only getting the chance to play the game, but they also are representing their country in international tournaments. With having played in tournaments and Pakistan and Dubai, the young athletes are getting good amounts of exposure. However, the players believe they have a long way to go still and need to improve their game. And to do this they need better facilities like larger playgrounds and a coach. The national team doesn’t have a coach yet and this is causing a lot of problems for the players. With the help of the proper facilities, the team believes they can win the world cup one day.

With athletes having represented Afghanistan in the recently concluded Olympic Games in London, it is heartening to see players take to the rugby field as well. With the war having receded and normal life having returned to Afghanistan, one can surely hope that sports will play a huge role in ensuring the return of peace in the lives of the Afghani people.

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Learning to Diffuse a Bomb

Camp Shaheen in Mazar-e-Sharif is no ordinary camp. It has been built to train Afghan security personnel to diffuse bombs. This is an essential part of the security system as bombs are commonly known to have torn apart lives in mainland Afghanistan, especially since the Taliban turned rebel in the recent past. So with a constant threat of explosions looming over, students at Camp Shaheen in Mazar-e-Sharif are trained about how to diffuse a bomb when they come across one.

For the students of this camp, it is a chance to serve their country. Nothing gives them as much pride as being of service to their motherland and their fellow citizens. As a result, a young student, Lal Mohammed (seen here) is risking his live to diffuse a bomb in order to ascertain whether or not he is an established specialist in the department. With proper training and guidance, the students are able to tackle even tricky situations where the Taliban insert additional firing mechanisms in bombs to ensure a successful impact. The authorities have collaborated with foreign experts who personally come and train the students at the camp.

With the war-like conditions drawing to an end, normal life is slowly crawling back in Afghanistan. Unfortunately though, incidents of violence continue to act as potholes on the road to peace and harmony. However, with the help of people like Lal Mohammad, the citizens of this war torn can live in peace and hope for less instances of bomb blasts and bloodshed.

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Educating Young Minds with Sports

Apart from war, the other enemy of Afghanistan’s development has been corruption. Listed as one of the most corrupt countries in the world, the Afghan authorities are trying their best to cope with the mess. To ensure that the problem is tackled soon, the education ministry is training young children to become corruption free with the help of sports. It is believed that sports trains a person in a wholesome manner and teaches them to follow rules properly.

In a recently concluded event, girls from schools across the country took part in a volleyball tournament. This was done to encourage young women to participate in the sport to become physically and mentally empowered and also to spread awareness about corruption. The organizers also wanted to provide a platform for the girls who have long been suppressed in the country. According to Showkat Hassan, Chief of the USAID Anti Corruption Program, no country can progress unless the women are empowered and enjoy equal rights like the men do. As a result, the tournament was organized to give the young girls a sense of empowerment. It also aimed to teach them to walk on the path of life honestly.

With the introduction of such novel and unique methods, the Afghan authorities are indeed waking up to the need of stopping corruption in the country. Simultaneously, the women are benefitting too. This is very essential as in the past, with the Taliban in power, women were not only oppressed, but they were ill-treated and tortured to inhuman levels as well.

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