Coalition makes a difference for Afghans
Otis Willie
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Aug2004/n08272004_2004082705.html.
{EXCERPT} By Sgt. 1st Class Matthew A. Fearing, USA Special to
American Forces Press Service
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Aug. 28, 2004 The convoy crested a
dusty hill and the riders could see Shah Wali Kot below. The village
is nestled in a small valley with brown hills that reach skyward on
either side. Children in the village stopped to look as vehicles
rolled into town. They turned and waved.
This was not the first time the Americans had come to their village,
and their faces displayed the eagerness with which the visit was
welcomed.
Shah Wali Kot is slightly larger than many rural villages in the area.
At least 20 buildings dot the town's landscape. Some homes sit on the
hillsides, while others line the road that follows the valley.
More than 50 volunteers from Kandahar Airfield came to help on the
recent "Make a Difference Day" organized by the soldiers of 3rd
Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment. Getting up early and riding more than
two hours to reach the village north of Kandahar, the volunteers
descended on Shah Wali Kot's school to fix up the building and give
the classrooms a fresh coat of paint.
Under Taliban rule, the school had been used as a jail. While
observing the work being done to repair the school, Lt. Col. Mike
McMahon, the regiment's commander, pointed out the improvements being
made.
"Those windows were full of bricks from when the Taliban used the
building as a jail," he said. "We're here to help (clean up the
school) and make this a community project." The improvements were a
joint effort between the American volunteers and the people of Shah
Wali Kot.
Along with the civilian and military volunteers from Kandahar
Airfield, McMahon noted all the children working on the school.
"They're the future of Afghanistan. They're the ones that jump in and
join us," he said smiling. Some children were pushing brooms, sweeping
away the dust. Some had paint brushes and were painting walls, the
green and white paint dripping on their hands and spatters going into
their hair. All of them grinned widely as they worked.
Running from room to room to check on the progress, 2nd Lt. Jamie
McNamara was the task organizer for the school project. She only
slowed down to share a smile with a small Afghan girl, Negeba, who
followed McNamara nearly everywhere she went. The relationship between
the two began two weeks prior, when a smaller group of volunteers from
the unit came to start the work on the school.
The first trip was scheduled to clean up the building and get it ready
for painting. Both days, McNamara coordinated the worker's efforts
while jumping into the work herself.
"Jamie!" a very young Afghan boy called. He smiled and beckoned for
her to come see what he had accomplished. The scene was repeated with
different children calling the lieutenant to talk to them or see what
they had done.
Capt. Nelsa Caceres-Agosto, commander of the Arrival/Departure Airport
Control Group, also brought eight servicemembers out to help. Her
group, a mix of soldiers and airmen, were glad to share in the
experience. Each of them indicated they wanted to help the Afghans and
see more of the area around Kandahar. "I wanted to see what
Afghanistan looked like," said Air Force Staff Sgt. Annette D. Garcia,
376th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron radio operator.
They weren't the only ones glad to have an opportunity to see more of
the countryside.
"This was something the (Soviets) never did here to approach and
take care of the people," said Staff Sgt. Darrell Osborne.
Wahdat, an interpreter for the mission, grabbed a paint brush and
joined in the work.
"I am volunteering since I have to be here anyway," he said jokingly.
He walked over to Agosto and pretended to paint her head. They laughed
and the two resumed painting the walls of one of the larger
classrooms.
In the afternoon, as the clean-up and painting continued, McMahon met
with the village elders and school officials. He listened to their
concerns and needs as Wahdat translated the conversation. They seemed
pleased.
All the work on the school would mean that the children of the Shah
Wali Kot district would have a place to study and learn. Teachers
would no longer need to search for space to hold classes.
The inability to hold regular classes made it difficult to assess the
number of students that might attend the school. Through the work of
the community and volunteers, young people will now have a place to
attend school regularly.
After the school was cleaned up and the rooms painted, the villagers
and the volunteers gathered on the porch of a nearby building.
Everyone shared the local bread, watermelon and grapes offered by the
villagers. Tired from the work and heat, the volunteers were ready to
get back to Kandahar.
Spc. Folet Dussault, captured the group's mood. On the way out of the
village he said, "It was a long, tiring day. But it was a good day."
With that, the convoy crested the hill and Shah Wali Kot dropped from
view.
(Army Sgt. 1st Class Matthew A. Fearing is assigned to the105th Mobile
Public Affairs Detachment.)
NOTE: View the original version of this web page on DefenseLINK, the
official website of the U.S. Department of Defense, at
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Aug2004/n08272004_2004082705.html.
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Otis Willie
Associate Librarian
The American War Library
http://www.americanwarlibrary.com
(310) 532-0634