B4 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, April 26, 1995 Terrace resident heads to the east to help Afghan refugees ACCORDING TO the United Na- tions, Canada is the best country in the world in which to live, Facts like that drive some Cana- dians to try and help others, living in less fortunate countries. Earlier this year, Terrace resi- dent Heather Bellamy travelled to Pakistan to work for the Reconstruction and Development Association or RDA. The RDA works for the United Nations, assisting refugees of the Afghan civil war that started in the late 1970s. Bellamy’s job in Pakistan is to help Afghan refugees in the vil- lage of Peshawar resume a normal life. She recently sent the Terrace Standard a letter which describes some of the problems and dangers she is facing, The follow- ing are excerpts from this letter: The weather here is mercifully cool right now, but every day seems to be quickly warming up. The orange trees are in fragrant blossom, but it makes a strangely nauseating odor when mixed with the smell of the open sewers that line the roads and alleys. TERRACE LITTLE THEATRE PRESENTS A SPECIAL DINER THEATRE PRODUCTION OF ORM FOSTER _WENDFALL } oo PARDON ATES WHATS FUNTY ABOUT TONE? APRIL GOL2o/ AY 4. .6/ RV) 1c.13 AT THE TERRACE CURLING CEU AIO SCHON STREET -COCHTRULG AT BeSL/DIMOER AT 7/ THE SHO PM TICHETD ‘ont ycon CRATERS JEU ELLER Beaded Histevtad ial Vin wetune TS one Ly at hr fete ey veer yk oy APATRON OF THE ARIS. NORTHERN HEALTHCARE % OPENING OF Zewa School in the Khoigani Valley in Afghanistan. That's Terrace’s Heather Bel- tamy on the far right in the black shawl, She's helping Afghan refugees try to rebuild their schools and their lives. This school was rebuilt through community labour in a food-for-work program coor- dinated by the Reconstruction and Development Association, About a month ago I arrived at the Peshawar RDA office to see what administrative needs I could help with. [t quickly became clear that the office was being run the way a Village in Afghanistan would be mun, The money was being doled out for salaries al- ost at the whim of the director. That means to date, many people are awaiting several months in backpay. The finance department is a tangled mess and the kitchen (which feeds 25 staff for lunch and six of us on off times) is out of money for food. This means that J am already up to my nose in rewriting budgets, and attempting to suggest changes in each department. The cook (we call him Baba, which means father) is thrilled that a regular budget for the kitchen has been drawn up. Baba is one of many sad stories I have heard since my retum. He is an older widower with young children. They five alone in Islamabad where the kids have found jobs running errands for a hotel. Their father could only find work cooking here in Peshawar so they don’t see each other for months at a stretch. The kids can’t afford school tuitions and are only a step away from beg- ging on the streets, I hope to be able to raise some money to purchase a sewing ma- chine for his girls, o give them | an income-gencrating potential, Afghanistans have been fght- ing for so long now, I think it has become a ‘‘sickness’’ with them. Even here in Peshawar, where so many refugees live, they fight and devour cach other. Today a woman was “‘let go’’ from her department ia a cross- RDA sweep and she was furious. But she had no professional leg ta stand on, because she had accom- plished nothing in the last elght months. However, her connections to communist Afghan leaders are very cozy and on her way outshe threatened and blustered and gen- erally left behind some very un- easy office workers. Assassina- tions and car bombs are un- fortunately too common! I have to admit I was scared, but I swallowed my pounding heart and tried to reason with her as to why we were making changes... I think we parted peacefully. We are busy here crealing proposals for income gencrating projects for displaced women. They have to be home-based, as the culture docsn’t allow women to work outside their homes, Most projects have to do with empowering them with skills such as soapmaking, candlemak- ing, and food preservation tech- nologies. In addition, as schools are being rebuill, our office is excited about rebuilding a production centre for school furnishings. Young men would be trained to do metalwork and carpentry to produce the needed tables, chairs and desks. Getting the schools going again is very ifmportant, because Afghanistan stands second towest in the world right now for school enrollment. Only 16% of children now attend primary school, Regaining the ‘orcen memory’” of their beloved coun- try will be a long, hard road for Afghanistans. Well, I hope this paints a bil of a picture for you both as to the life here and my bit part in the Greal Drama that is Afghanistan. Business Cards Logo Design Menus Forms Design ~ Presentations Newsletters Resumes and more .. 635-1904 Call us TODAY | Desktop Publishing |i TERRACE ART _ ASSOCIATION Spring Arts & Crafts Sale at the Terrace Art Gallery Friday, April 28 7 p.m.- 9 p.m. Saturday, April 29 Telephone cables are the lifeline of your community. If these cables are cut during excavation or construction projects, everyone pays in one way or another. The public could be cut off from emergency F services. The cost of restoring the cable is high (particularly for fibre optics cable). And the persons responsible for the damage will be charged with the repair and associated costs, BC TEL can help you avoid this unnecessary expense. Call 1-800-474-6886 before you dig, and we will provide you with the location of buried telephone cables. BC TELis ready to serve you. PLEASE CALL 1-800-474-6886 (CELLULAR *6886) BEFORE YOU DIG. BC TE L yy | Improving the quality of life At a time when life seems so complicated, there are still ways for you to help others and improve the quality of lifa in your community. Whether on the front line at a food bank or shelter or as a member of a community committee or the board of directors of a charity, volunteering gives you the opportunity to become per- sonally involved and make a difference. With so many choices and ways to help, you can choose an organization that matches your interests, talents and schedule with its own needs. The volunteer centre or bureau in your com- munity can help, Call today 638-1330. . Would like to Thank All Volunteers! Benson Optical — ~~‘ Loboratories Lt. |! * Frame repaits * Same day service * On site lab * Wide variety fashion frames 4608 Lakelse Ave. 638-0341 Darlene’s Country 24 Antiques 4459 Lakelse Hours: LO am - 6pm Monday to Saturday 635-3213 We don't have the Crown Jewels but we do have our volunteers! ee es Saye Yi ed nS = 3G: \ acy aA $i, Volunteers- Our national treasure Celebrating Canada’s national treasure From April 23 te 29, 1995, Canada celebrates the ongoing work of the largest work force in our nation - a work force that thrives on satisfaction and pride. National Volunteer Week is a change to say thanks to our “na- tional treasure” - the men, women and youth from all back- grounds who volunteer their time to improve the quality of life in our communities. From schools to amateur sport, from hospitals to international relief, over five million Canadians give their skills selflessly to voluntary organizations, often at the end of busy day or while they look after their own families. Big Brothers/Big Sisters 4619C Lakelse Ave., Terrace, B.C. V8G 4B8 or call Lois at 635-4232 Volunteers - Our national treasure “Volunteers, our national treasure” is the theme for National Volunteer Week this year, This theme can be well docu- mented, Some 13 million Canadians volun- teer their time to help individuals, commu- nities and causes, either on their own or through an organizations, Over 5.3 million Canadians give an overage of 191 hours each year to volun- tary organizations and community groups. Translated inte economic terms this is an addition of over $16 billion.to the gross national product. - : a Volunteers come in all shapes and sizes, ages and stages of ‘life. They represent diverse. backgrounds and ,cultures . Collectively, they have hada profound impact on every aspect of our society. Ev’s Mens Wear 4605 Lakelse Ave, 635-5420 y Tae Gi [> dovery €Sosiy Group THANKS VOLUNTEERS #200-4721 Lazelle 635-4631