Afghanistan

 Our hearts feel so heavy, and there are layers of grief and sadness.

As the stories emerge from Afghanistan,  I feel deeply and achingly sad for the many women and girls facing who knows what. I feel scared and horrified. I feel so very helpless, and yet no hopeless. 

I wanted to touch something real and hopeful and beautiful and I reached for my book Two Trees.  It is a collaboration between a number of women book artists and some women in Afghanistan.  I purchased a copy several years ago; but it has always resonated as a beautiful connection of cultures; and the solidarity of women across the globe.

There are many, many people involved; but one touch point is the group SAWA (Support Association for the Women of Afghanistan) in Australia.  It is here that I purchased the book all those years ago.

The idea was that the Australian artists would make concertina books; and then through as series of wonderful people and relationships with organisations, women in Afghanistan would choose a book and respond to it by adding words. And then the books would be returned to Australia.

I sat quietly and went though the book from start to finish again; reading in more detail the stories behind the works; and behind the workers and artists who made it happen.

And I was thrilled to be reminded, that the books had been purchased by the State Library of Queensland for their collection. One day I hope to visit them.

And on the website I discovered a new book had been produced, after a new collaboration.

And more tears - the works that were exchanged and collaborated on were handkerchiefs.

Some hankies were sent and didn't make it back as the women's lives changed and they weren't able to participate or complete them. But many did and it is so beautiful to see how they added to the handkerchiefs in stitching. Sometimes minimally; sometimes in bold sweeps of colour and thick, dense stitches.

So if you can. Please go to the website and purchase one of these books (or make a donation). Three of the key women involved (including Gali the lead artist) have been working all the hours of every day to try to get a visa and safe passage for one of their colleagues in Afghanistan - a women's rights advocate whose life is in danger.

Having secured a visa; they wait desperately for her to be evacuated somewhere safe, as the opportunities for that close by the hour.

Go gently.