People ask me, "So why are trying to help disabled kids and in Afghanistan of all places?" Here is what I tell them:

In addition to raising a daughter with special needs, I have advocated on behalf of other children with special needs in my 15 years of volunteer work with a variety of support groups and foundations. I also spent those years volunteering in classrooms assisting teachers, aides, and students.

But in the end I suppose, I’m just a mom on a mission, who also happens to have an academic background in foreign relations and a Masters thesis on Afghanistan and conflict management. So I know with certainty that the best answer for Afghanistan is a bottom-up approach to development in helping this war-torn country rise from tyranny. We need to better address the needs of everyday Afghans and give them something to fight for because in the end, this is their fight, not ours.

And I can’t imagine a better way to do this than through creating greater educational opportunities for all Afghans, including those with disabilities. Afghans with disabilities, and children especially, have very little available to them in the way of resources and supports to help them live a life filled with hope, instead of one filled with despair. One where they have schools and jobs to attend everyday, instead of spending time on the streets or shut-in with nowhere to go. I’m hoping that my words here will persuade you to help me make it happen for children with special needs in Afghanistan. http://igg.me/at/OpExChild/x/2782967

And please check out RobinBondMedia.com – Robin, an emmy award-winning producer will be producing the documentary for OpEx Child.  She’s so very talented and a compassionate supporter for women and children’s issues.  With her assistance, we will tell a compelling story about the everyday lives of these children and will show another side of Afghanistan that is never shown; one of hope and possibilities. Thanks for joining us in our mission so far, and please keep watching OpEx Child!