permaculture

[sfram@citycom.com (unruLEE)]

I want to thank everyone who has contributed to the discussion about pc in
Afghanistan.  I went backpacking for the weekend and this huge dialogue
sprouted up!

Nick R. wrote: "So, I'm gonna try and get resources/a team into Kabul" (see
"pc in Kabul" thread).  I get the impression from looking at the Food Not
Lawns website that y'all up there in the Whiteaker are into jumping into
things with both feet.  Are you thinking of heading into Kabul and
improvising, while things are still hot?  It would be daring, and could
potentially cause somewhat of a splash in terms of people there wanting to
meet atypical Americans, and Americans wanting to hear why you went there
and what you discovered.  I know some non-Pc people who are talking about
doing something of an anti-war delegation along these lines.  However,
anything like this would be quite a feat to pull off.  What do you think of
the alternative of working with refugees in Pakistan being discussed, and
of the "tread carefully" advice by Robyn Francis (10/15) - the only one
writing here, apparently, who has been to Afghanistan?

For my part, I have been only peripherally connected to official Pc
activities for several years, and don't feel I have that much to offer a
big relief aid campaign in terms of skills.  (It's not beyond me to go
racing off into volatile situations, though).  I have a couple friends who
I think visited the project in Macedonia and will try to contact them -
finding people with the combination of war-refugee-camp/permaculture
experience and familiarity with Islamic culture does sound like a promising
place to look.

If any of these sorts of projects takes off, we could at least throw a
benifit event for it and spread the word where I am (Oakland, CA).  Again
it's great to see all the info and ideas that have coalesced since I threw
in my little inquiry.

It's unfortunate the circle of people here does not already have contacts
in Afghanistan, as it would be interesting to hear their perspective on the
food shortages, the affect of the opium trade and the draught, as well as
on everything else there.  Do people perhaps have contacts in ANY of the
neighboring countries?

Cheers, Lee