reflection

Ever since I took a human course here at RISD my life and the things that I care about completely changed. For the first time I really chose to take a hard look at what’s outside of myself and what I’m used to. It was a starting point. I had grown up comfortably in the U.S. and didn’t necessarily know what my role was going to be on any kind of international level, but it put it on the table, and it’s been there ever since. The reasons why I chose to work with the International Institute are mixture of timing and just that they really needed help. I started working with the daycare there, kids ranging in age from about 6 month to 3 yrs. The kids l got to work with are children of refugees and in some cases refugees themselves. I’ve done some work as a babysitter and a nanny in the past so I was fairly comfortable with these kids, but with that said, they amazed me. They were warm and welcoming, and just excited to have someone new to play with. The room was always a mixture of cultures, and the children were just beautiful. I didn’t have any trouble getting to know them, or fitting in, they made it easy.
When I decided I wanted to really look at the daycare program, and in essence create one, I went to the man who had first interviewed me and surprisingly he had been hoping for opportunity like this. He was thrilled that I was going to be able to put time and effort into making something worthwhile for the kids, so that exactly what I tried to do. He warned me that the directors might not be willing to hop on board, but with a little persuasion they were willing to take a look at what I was doing. The project has been in full swing every since.
The problems that I have come across in designing something for these kids, has been to understand that I can do something outside of just provided things for them. And to understand that there is a bigger picture, and something that these kids can provide us and their families.
The Institute made it clear from the start that they were placing this task on my shoulders, and that they didn’t have the resources to make my dreams come true, I would have produce my own project on my own. But with that said they were helpful and grateful for what I was doing, which made it easier to do my work, it was motivating to see the dialogue about the daycare start to ignite around the facility.
All in all, I’m glad I got involved, I think the kids really need an advocate. And I’m doing my best to make changes for them, and then some.

wednesdays

Every wednesday I get out of bed at eight to catch bus #20 and travel to the International Institute on the lower East Side South Side of Providence. There I volunteer at the Refugee Resettlement Program, helping to look after the kids, while their parents take resettlement courses. I look after kids mostly from Liberia, Cote d'Iviore, Burandi, and Iraq. There are not a lot of resources or money flowing into the Institute, so the kids are kept in a makeshift daycare. One room not very big, but made to seem bigger by the lack of things to fill it up with other then kids. There are about 12-16 kids in the room at a time, and unfortunately, half of them have figured out that they can open the door, run across the hall, and find their mommies or daddies. The kids themselves are amazing, they were so open and friendly within five minutes of meeting me, hugging me, kissing me on the cheek, asking me to play with them. Only about two speak good english, and the others either speak french or can hardly speak at all. The kids dont have a lot of toys to play with, so a lot of the time they fight over what they do have. Not surprisingly when they get mad the resort to their native tongue, probably out of instinct, but maybe so I cant understand them. None of them can read, or write in english, and because they are such a handful already, not a lot is being done about this.
So far I really love it, the kids are wonderful, and I can't wait to get the chance to help them.

blanket society

In class we have been working on learning about Millenium Development Goals, and problems developing countries are experiencing. I personally have been focusing on Afghanistan, because as you probably I am very active and vocal about my political beliefs, so looking at Afghanistan was very important to me. The effects of the Taliban, civil wars, and of course the current war have had an obvious and detrimental affect on the country. When I was doing research I found that the province of Badakhshan currently has the highest maternal death rate in the world. It is thought that 6,500 women die out of 100,000 live births. For the rest of the country the rate is around 1,600, which is high, but is low in comparison to Badakhshan. To give some perspective the rate is around 17/100,000 in the U.S. The effects of a rate this large are devistating. For each woman that dies there is a 75% chance that the child will die as well. The reasons are numerous, the war, and local militant groups are influencing the women's lifes, the men are leaving their families more frequently, drug use is increasing, along with food prices, the cost to live in Afghanistan is climbing.

I pinpointed the main problems I wanted to address; a need for education of new mothers, family planning, and a source of income.
My idea for a solution is what I am calling a "Shadow House".

Its a building that is directly connected to a clinic, or a hospital in the Badakhshan province. That would serve as a place were women could go to learn about traditional Afghan embroidery, by making blankets. The blankets would be sold in the U.S., and would come with an insert. So for each blanket purchased in the U.S. it would cover the cost of two blankets, and two inserts. One blanket would be flown to the U.S. and an insert printed in the U.S. would be placed inside, the insert would have a personal message on it that is determined by the buyer. The second blanket staying in Afghanistan has a standardized insert printed in the U.S. that describes the basics to delivering a child.

Some of the benefits of working in a Shadow House, is that they would be able to learn about childbirth and family planning. They would be able to work closing with the clinic, and get training in medical procedures. Also with the money being made selling blankets they would be able to recieve daily rations to help support their family. And after they complete a blanket they would be able to take it home and use it, pass it through the family, or give it to a neighbor. And because the insert is completely hidden it is up to the women as to how they use it.

Problem Statement In the Afghan province of Badakhshan it is estimated that 6,500/100,000 women die when giving birth. That would be the highest maternal death rate in the world. This is due to their poor location, the raise in food prices, lack of education, recent and current wars.

Mission Statement To provide a safe place women could go to learn about maternal health and family planning, without judgement or persecution. With a goal of creating a product, making a profit, and distributing the wealth appropriately, as well as to educate the Afghan women in Badakhshan and reduce maternal death.

some images for my latest project

whats on my mind