Mahboba’s Promise is a small NGO (non-government organisation) which raises funds in Australia to help widows and orphans in Afghanistan.  It was founded ten years ago by Mahboba Rawi, herself an Afghan refugee, who is now an Australian citizen.

In 2007 with funds raised in Australia, Mahboba was able to realise her dream and build Hope House, a permanent community and training home and centre on the outskirts of Kabul for the work of Mahboba’s Promise in Afghanistan.  

Last year Permaculture Across Borders in cooperation with the International Monetary Fund awarded Hope House a small grant to build some compost bins at Hope House to service the community garden.  This was the start of gardening in earnest and this year we have a grant again from them to plant fruit and shade trees in the grounds.

The value of the garden goes much further than food for the day, it is essential that we reintroduce skills to the widows, and make sure the orphans find growing vegetables productive and fun, so that when they leave us, they can be knowledgeable and grow their own food.

We are hoping that in 2009 or 2010 we will be able to get the expertise to Afghanistan to establish a Permaculture Training Centre.  In the meantime, we feed through concepts and ideas to Hope House so that they continue with their garden in a sustainable way.

The Bega Valley Loomgrowers, a special interest group of the Sapphire Coast Producers' Association, regularly holds fundraising events for Mahboba's Promise.

Carole Broadhead
loomgrowers.org
www.mahbobaspromise.org