Quit comparing Afghanistan and Ukraine in terms of bravery

I'm so tired of reading "Why are Ukrainians fighting but Afghanistan gave up?"

Ukraine has been a relatively stable country, even with the 2014 revolution, for quite a while. Decades. It has a culture where neighbors know and trust each other and its institutions - bodies that, while having a BIG problem with corruption, do actually get things done, enough that they are functional. Ukraine is a country that has been quite functional for decades - mass transit, public utilities, roads, etc. Women have full access to most roles in society, including the workplace - they are a critical, integral part of the society. Upward mobility, while difficult, is possible. And it takes a society that is functional and trusts each other and where a lot of people have opportunities to make their lives better through hard work to be able to mount an effective defense against invaders or insurrectionists. Not that Ukraine doesn't have a range of critical issues - if it didn't, the United Nations wouldn't still be working there. 

By contrast, Afghanistan has long been fractured, for many decades, and its institutions haven't been stable without an extraordinary amount of propping up by other countries, primarily the USA, for decades. It is a society where neighbors don’t trust each other, where people retreat into tribal identities and loyalties, and where women have been regularly marginalized - they had access to jobs and education because of the will and force of foreign powers, and once that left, so did their access. There are incredibly smart, wonderful people in Afghanistan who really wanted their country to stay on the path of the last 20 years, and who are very capable of running their country, who have great ideas, work hard, are innovative…but corruption, outdated traditions and entrenched internal power structures keep them marginalized. You can’t unite people for a cause when they can’t even agree what the cause is.

And let’s remember that women have been incredibly brave in Afghanistan, protesting in the streets even when they know they could, and often will be, imprisoned or murdered by the Taliban. 

Both countries welcomed me. Both countries had people eager to work with me for the greater good of their country. Both have people eager to make their country better. I respect and love both immensely. One is not "braver" than the other.  

Does Ukraine have lessons for Afghanistan? Yes. But that's for another blog. 

Volunteers in Washington County, Oregon needed to help newly-arrived Afghan families

The Portland Refugee Support Group helps newly arrived refugee families in the greater PDX metro area, including in Hillsboro, Beaverton and Tigard. PRSG is committed to creating a bright future for refugees in our community. Recently, there has been a large influx of families in Afghanistan, and they need a great deal of guidance. Volunteers from Western Washington County, including Banks, Forest Grove, Cornelius, Gaston, Gales Creek, North Plains and surrounding areas are welcomed.

If you would like to volunteer to help these families, there is a new Core Volunteer orientation coming up on March 15th. Here is the official announcement:

several new Afghan neighbors have been living in various hotels throughout the Portland and surrounding areas as they wait for long-term housing. We've been working with the community to provide supplies that help them have some of the home comforts they were forced to leave behind. During our conversations with them, it is clear that matching those families with Core Volunteers would help them adjust and navigate the new and changing environment they are in.

To learn more about why Core Volunteers are the backbone of PRSG, we invite you to check out the short video below. We hope it will inspire you to explore becoming a Core Volunteer for one of these new families. Our next Core Volunteer orientation will be March 15th.

Contact Angela Swan <angela@pdxrsg.org if you would like to sign up to attend the orientation and understand more about what being a Core Volunteer is all about. If you decide it's too much of a commitment, you can still volunteer - they have much shorter term/lower commitment tasks you can help with - like helping a family move. All volunteers are required to go through the orientation (it's online) and undergo a background check.

Also, PRSG will be starting a monthly Conversational English virtual meetup for female volunteers and refugees. These meetings will be a great way for women refugees to practice their English skills, meet other refugees, and connect in a fun, practical way. It's also a relaxed opportunity for volunteers to get to know each other and provide a safe environment for refugees to learn more about American idioms, phrases, and casual conversation. But many of our families lack the devices necessary to participate.

Please feel free to share this message with others.

Full disclosure: I'm a volunteer with PRSG. But I'm not a Core Volunteer.