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A public library for young adults and children in Afghanistan. Rob Elphinstone is trying to raise money for a Kids can Read program to build a library project near Herat, Afghanistan. For more information see: http://www.acagallery.com/afghanistan.html http://femaid.org/shirin.html Rob Elphinstone's Photography of Afghanistan More than a library, this should be a place for exchange and communication, study and active workshops, in collaboarations with other efforts to build up a civil society.

Rob Elphinstone travelled with Doctors without Borders (MSF) into the Hindu Kush Mountains to the northern tip of the province of Badakhshan. All artist's profits from the sale of these limited edition photographs (series of 50 each) will be donated in support a public library for young adults and children in Afghanistan. This is a project organized with Malalai Joya, elected representative in the parliament of Afghanistan in association with the ACA Gallery, Toronto and FEMAID, France. If you buy a digital image from FeaturePics.com, FeaturePics profits from these 2 images ("Buzkashi, Afghanistan" and "Earthquake, Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan") will be donated in support of this project.

Buzkashi, Afghanistan
At the end of our stay in Badakhshan province, the mujahideen invited us to a 3 day game of Buzkashi involving the various commanders from the whole province. The game entails trying to pick up the dead calf seen in this photo while as many as 40 horsemen try to stop you. Then you must carry the calf around a distant pole and back to a circle to score some points. This photo shows Pir -e-Baseer (which means "the great one's Saint") carrying the calf while other horsemen try to intercept him.
A few days after this photo was taken, a Soviet offensive killed this wonderful man.

Earthquake, Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan
	After travelling all night, we arrived at a large plateau where we were bombed by Soviet aircraft. One person and one donkey died and one person was wounded. We buried the dead and spend the day recovering. We walked all that following night to bypass an army outpost and had just settled down about 6AM to sleep in a mud hut. We were awakened shortly thereafter as a large earthquake (>6.5 Magnitude) hit the region shaking and damaging the hut.
We ran outside where I took this picture just as the mountains were "smoking" from the rock avalanches cascading down the mountains. The grass is moving presumably in assovcation with the earth moving. To the upper left can be seen the trail leading to a large Lapis Lazuli mine for which Afghanistan is world renowned

About Rob Elphinstone

Rob Elphinstone grew up in Calgary, Canada, and spent his youth travelling about the world. He went to Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation of the country acting as a photographer with "Doctors without Borders" (MSF). For months he wandered through the Hindu Kush mountains with the mujahedin experiencing first hand what it feels like to be under attack in a war. He worked in space physics for many years, researching the Aurora Borealis (the Northern Lights) both from the ground and from satellites in space. He has authored more than 50 publications on the northern lights including review articles and has lectured extensively throughout the world. The beauty of the northern lights allowed some artistic interpretation to overlap into his scientific work. Rob lives with his wife and two children in Nanaimo on Canada's west coast where they cherish the beautiful climate and scenery that inspire his paintings. He divides his time between being a stay-at-home dad and an artist.

About the Project

Project description The Public Library will be situated in the ancient city of Farah, south of Herat, one of Afghanistan's poorest regions. Population estimates vary through lack of official documentation and the sheer difficulty in undertaking any such research, but 200 000 inhabitants make up a conservative estimate. This library will be the first of its kind; furthermore, girls have been attending massively school since the fall of the Taliban. There is a 8000 strong student population in the city. The future library is located near the nearby Melman Nazo girls' school. There are 3000 female pupils there, studying in shifts, many of them former refugees, of which half of them are married and many mothers (marriage takes place quite often at 13 or 14 if not before). With the help of a committee that includes experts on Islamic law and Afghan custom, careful thought will be going into the choice of works and films to be sent, in order to avoid any adverse reaction, all of which should be catalogued and approved beforehand: fiction and non fiction, world literature, works covering the fields of sciences, history, technology, practical medicine, first aid, childcare, home economics social sciences, gender in an accessible form will be sent, as well as reference works (encyclopaedias, dictionaries and teaching aids). More than a library, this should be a place for exchange and communication, studies and workshops. Through computers and Internet facilities, links with other schools and cultural youth groups worldwide could be established. This library, situated in one of the key areas of Afghanistan could be at the centre of many cultural exchanges between young people and schools East and West. Furthermore, for a society emerging from over a quarter of a century of war, a special area within the library with learning activities designed for young children will contribute to enrich perceptions of childhood generally. There are a number of young mothers and older sisters in the Melman Nazo school so the idea is that they could come to the library with the children they care for. Playing does not exist, because the concept of childhood as a period of discovery, learning and development is inexistent. Just as in pre-Enlightenment Europe, a child is considered just an incomplete, immature non-sexual adult who has to train for future hardship, especially girls. An area devoted to an Early Learning Centre,with creative games and toys will certainly advance the cause of childhood here. Partnership   The Afghan partner in this venture is Afghan member of parliament for Farah, Malalai Joya. The success of any kind of aid project, however well-intentioned, is dependent on the local partners, especially in such a difficult context. Malalai Joya is without a doubt one of Afghanistan’s most courageous and outspoken members of parliament. She is becoming well known to the English-speaking public through her tour of the US and Canada this year. As a most vocal champion for women’s rights in her country, she enthusiastically hosts host this project and her charity OPAWC, registered in Afghanistan will be the implementing partner in charge in Farah. Needs and problems We have established a preliminary list of essentials which could be bought over from France and Canada. Budgets for specific needs are required. These will be communicated upon request. The Persian and Pashto language books should be bought in Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. Encyclopaedias, visual books could be donated, with reconditioned computers and other electronic material. We are hoping that schools could be involved in such a project. The French and Canadian sides of the project, FemAid and ACA Gallery are coordinating such donations. It seems essential to provide for the running costs for the first three years of this project as well as free English courses for the young people who attend the library. The major problem will be freight, government involvement is essential at this level. In order for this project to succeed, we need the highest level sponsorship and support. Project management This project is the brainchild of FemAid, a registered charity in Paris and ACA Gallery in Toronto. Both Carol Mann and Carol Mark have been to Afghanistan and working in the humanitarian field for many years. Carol Mann is a sociologist, with a PhD on the subject of 'Traditions and transformations in the life of Afghan women in Pakistani refugee camps' and has written a paper on the UNESCO website on the 'woman question' in Afghanistan ACA Gallery was founded in June 2004 by Carol Mark to create an incubator for art and social change. ACA Gallery is involved in humanitarian grassroots projects and donates a percentage of gallery sales. Creativity and innovation is our lifeline to sustaining communities locally and globally in the everyday. www.acagallery.com The photographs A Journey into Afghanistan with Doctors without Borders (MSF) A  presentation by Rob Elphinstone What is it like to live in one of the most remote parts of Afghanistan during a time of war? In 1985 during the Afghan war with the Soviet Union, Rob Elphinstone had a unique opportunity to accompany  a number of doctors and nurses from "Doctors without Borders (MSF)" on one of their journeys into the northeastern Afghan province of Badakshan. The trip included walking for weeks over high altitude passes with magnificent scenery in the company of a mujahideen caravan. After arriving, the medical team spent their days meeting  patients who came on foot, donkey or  mule from the surrounding countryside for treatment. Photographs of the local people and culture convey what it is like to live in an  underdeveloped country under the constant threat of bombardment as well as to show the kindness and the hospitality accorded to the medical team. The spectacular countryside and colorful people make photography in this region a delight. All artist's profits from the sale of these limited edition photographs (series of 50 each) will be donated in support a public library for young adults and children in Afghanistan. This is a project organized with Malalai Joya, elected representative in the parliament of Afghanistan in association with the ACA Gallery, Toronto and FEMAID, France.