Zarif Design Clothing For Sale

Zolaykha Sherzad, lead designer of Zarif Design in Kabul Afghanistan (with boutiques in New York and Dubai) has been kind enough to consign some pieces of her latest collection to offer my readers. Her inspiration comes from traditional Afghan clothing styles and materials but with a modern spin. Each item was designed and hand made in Kabul, Afghanistan. Many of these items have been featured in recent runway fashion shows during London and Paris Fashion Week 2010. If you would like to order a piece or would like more details, such as measurements, please email me at afghanblogjapan@gmail.com .
Zarif Design

Silk asymmetrical dress with scarf and calligraphy design (Item # 5002)  32,000 JPY (Out of Stock)

Long red silk Chapan (overcoat) with antique embroidery. Very heavy and warm material. (Item # 2001) Size M 40,000 JPY

Long green silk Chapan with antique embroidery on the belt line, neck and cuffs.  (Item # 2000) Size M 40,000 JPY

Short red silk Chapan material vest with antique embroidery on the back (Item # 3002)
Three available. Sizes: S, M 11,000 JPY

Silk pleated sleeveless shirt. Available in gold and red. (Item #4009) Size M 7,500 JPY

Blue one button mandarin collar jacket with embroidery (Item No. 1014) Size S 20,000 JPY 

Blue and silver silk one button mandarin collar Chapan material jacket (Item #1008) Size S 20,000 JPY

Silk Nassima Scarf, available in many colors 3500 JPY

Silk Zarif Scarf, very fine and light weight. Available in blue/gold, dark purple/gold 4500 JPY

If you would like to order a piece or would like more details, such as photos or measurements, please email me at afghanblogjapan@gmail.com

Kabul 'safer for children' than UK cities: NATO envoy and Peace progress

Found this in the Telegraph newspaper recently:


Safety of kids in Kabul


Children may be safer in Kabul than in London or Glasgow, according to Mark Sedwill, former British ambassador to Afghanistan and now NATO's top civilian representative there.

Sedwill’s comments that "The children are probably safer here than they would be in London, New York or Glasgow or many other cities," were made on the BBC children's television news program Newsround.

Sedwill added that there are "very few of those bombs," meaning landmines and other explosives that may harm children, in Kabul and other major Afghan cities.

"Most children can go about their lives in safety. It's a very family-orientated society. So, it is a little bit like a city of villages," he added


Pentagon Report Cites Gains in Afghanistan 
New York Times, November 23, 2010

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/24/world/asia/24military.html


In findings that mirror recent statements from Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top American and NATO commander in Afghanistan, a Pentagon report to Congress this month titled “Progress Toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan,” the sixth in a series that the Pentagon is required to submit twice a year, said that there were signs of progress in security, governance and development in “operational priority areas.” It covers the period from April 1 to Sept. 30 this year.

The report also said that the growth and development of the Afghan security forces “are among Afghanistan’s most promising areas of progress,” and that the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police met their target numbers for expansion three months before a deadline of Oct. 31 this year.

On the negative side, the report cited Pakistan’s reluctance to go after insurgents operating from havens on its border with Afghanistan. The report said that while it recognized the “tremendous effort” Pakistan was making against some insurgents inside its country, “insurgent safe havens along the border will remain the primary problem to achieving a secure and stable Afghanistan.”

Report from the Afghan Elections

Overcoming adversity, Afghanistan’s long awaited election results were released. Originally postponed from May until September to institute anti-fraud safeguards, votes went through a rigorous review to verify authenticity. Though there have been claims of fraud, they are being reviewed by the government for validity. The U.S. Embassy said in a statement, “…millions of men and women went to the polls and exercised their democratic right to vote.”
Though met with various difficulties of fraud and security, the focus here should be on the fact that just one decade ago, simply holding a public dialogue of democracy and voting would be met with punishment and/or death from the Taliban. The fact that within a decade Afghanistan has been able to institute a democratic government and give the people a voice is incredible. While still in its’ infancy and learning how to develop; it is important to note that the democracy within Afghanistan is growing and is being used by her people.

World Bank to give $35 million for water management in Afghanistan

This recently came up in a news article on Good Afghan News so I did a bit more research into it on the World Bank's website. The water management program is centered around helping farmers. More specifically the $35 million are aimed at improving the irrigation systems to be less wasteful with the goal of increasing farm yield and supplying more farmers with water. 

The Afghan Ministry of Agriculture is developing about fifteen new farms around the improved irrigation systems the World Bank project. The goal is to showcase and physically test the new systems to find the most cost effective and feasible system for use on a mass scale in the country. Aside from these pilot farms, the money will go into rejuvenating the existing infrastructure. In all the project will take about three years to be completed.

The WB has taken into account all possible detrimental environmental and social impacts of this proposal and determined methods to avoid any. Orders have been put in place to deal with pollution by integrating silt collectors and special washing areas to keep animal waste out of the water supply. Also measures have been taken to avoid deforestation and deterioration of the soil. Of course the World Bank realizes for this plan to be effective they will have to integrate the community into the new development. Plans have been made to train the farmers, and women of the community, in how to use the new equipment and preserve water and developing a secure payment system for sharecroppers.

With the implementation of this new program, more farmers will be able to access the water supply they need to produce a bigger harvest.

Culture Event Review: Akasaka Monozukuri

On November 5th and 6th I attended another culture event. This one was held at Akasaka Circus for the Akasaka Monozukuri neighborhood festival. The booth for the Afghanistan Embassy was much smaller than previous events, but they made it work. On Friday many Elementary school students attended the festival and could have their names written in Arabic script.

 

The crowd at this even was much more interested in the Afghan booth and many stopped to have a look at the goods for sale and to pose for a picture.

Culture Event Review: Tachikawa Sekai Fureai

On October 31st the World Friendship Festival was held in Tachikawa in Northwest Tokyo. Unfortunately the first day of the even, October 30th, was canceled due to a typhoon.

 The Embassy of Afghanistan was there. They were selling kilim (hand made Afghan rugs), hats, and lapis-lazuli jewelery. The booth received a lot of foot traffic and it seems a lot of people were stopping to find out more about Afghan culture and to take a look at the goods for sale. The Afghan hats (Pakul) were a very popular item. 

As before, they were letting any visitors to the booth try on Afghan clothes and have their picture taken. 

 All in all, it was a fun day. In addition to the Afghan booth there were many other ones representing countries from around the world. Many kinds of food were for sale at the booths. I had a chance to try some African donuts and Samosas. They were quite good.