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potter wanted - afghanistan

updated sun 29 apr 07

 

Frank Colson on wed 25 apr 07


Judy- GOOD LUCK! Judy- We may have exchanged posts on your endevors in
Afghanistan within the last year. I was in Kabul for a short while when
going across the Middle East some years ago, when it was "safe" ! I also
gave potters some tips along the way in Northern India and a few other
countries along the way to London!

If you really expect any really qualified potter to volunteer for this
offer, you should think twice! You haven't even touched what it is like to
live in Afghanistain and, Kabul in particular!
Even when the country was stable, we found crossing over the boarder from
Iran (overland) was like a time warp! One day you are in the 20th century,
at least, the next, you find yourself in the 16th century on every level of
living! In Kabul, one can be breathing feces in the air from the hot desert
winds sweeping in from outside the area.

Be realastic in your descriptions is my advise because it ain't what you are
describing!

Frank Colson
www.R2D2u.com










From: "Judy Musicant"
To:
Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2007 5:30 AM
Subject: Potter wanted - Afghanistan


Hello Potters, I am forwarding the below message to our Guild. An
interesting opportunity for an adventuresome potter?
Regards,
Judy Musicant
Potters Guild of NJ
PottersGuildnj.org


Dear Potters,



I am writing to you from Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan.

I am from Singapore and my main occupation is working for a government
agency which promotes and services foreign investment to Afghanistan in
order to boost the economy to sustainable levels.



In my spare time, however, I have a vision to carry out a project which
would benefit a community some 50 kilometres north of Kabul:



The pottery village of Istalif has been famous for its unique pottery items
for over 100 years.

30 years of conflict since the Soviet invasion until the fall of the
Taliban, however, reduced the skills, materials and outputs to the lowest
levels they have ever been. As a result the potters of Istalif today only
sell limited amounts of mediocre ware in the local markets.



The community has particularly suffered from the hands of the Taliban when
they destroyed to village almost completely following their ideology that
all creative arts are anti-islamic.

The anti-taliban resistance, then, after capturing the village back, rebuilt
it as much as they could, but the quality of the outputs has remained poor.



The project I have in mind requires me to find a volunteer expert potter to
come to Istalif and teach a selected number of families high quality pottery
techniques so as to bring the production up to export levels. My job,
concurrently, would be to source a market in both Europe and US to sell
these high quality wares as uniquely Afghan artefacts. I would also take it
upon me to organise the trade routes and logistics.



I would much appreciate to hear back from a sincere volunteer who would be
interested in coming to Istalif for some three months at a time for intense
training of the potters. Travel costs and all expenses in Afghanistan would
have to be borne by your organisation or the individual, lodging and food
will be provided in the village in exchange for the training.

80% of Afghanistan are safe to come to and are a beautiful place to
experience, particularly the north of the country. I personally warrant for
that. The international media does not paint an accurate picture at all!

This not being a commercial project it still offers to the volunteer the
experience of a life-time and the fulfilment of having contributed to
capacity building and livelihood of an entire community.





I am much looking forward to your replies!



Simran Kaur Lohnes

Kabul, Afghanistan



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Kathi LeSueur on thu 26 apr 07


Judy Musicant wrote:

>Hello Potters, I am forwarding the below message to our Guild. An interesting opportunity for an adventuresome potter?......
>
>Dear Potters,
>I am writing to you from Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan....
>
>The project I have in mind requires me to find a volunteer expert potter to come to Istalif and teach a selected number of families high quality pottery techniques so as to bring the production up to export levels. My job, concurrently, would be to source a market in both Europe and US to sell these high quality wares as uniquely Afghan artefacts. I would also take it upon me to organise the trade routes and logistics.
>I would much appreciate to hear back from a sincere volunteer who would be interested in coming to Istalif for some three months at a time for intense training of the potters. Travel costs and all expenses in Afghanistan would have to be borne by your organisation or the individual, lodging and food will be provided in the village in exchange for the training.>>
>

I would be interested to find out how this individual got to your
organization. It sounds like a variation of a scam to me. I can
envision an organization paying lots of money up front for expenses to
this person only to find out that no such position exists.

Kathi

>
>

Judy Musicant on thu 26 apr 07


Hello Potters, I am forwarding the below message to our Guild. An =
interesting opportunity for an adventuresome potter?
Regards,
Judy Musicant
Potters Guild of NJ
PottersGuildnj.org


Dear Potters,

=20

I am writing to you from Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan.

I am from Singapore and my main occupation is working for a government =
agency which promotes and services foreign investment to Afghanistan in =
order to boost the economy to sustainable levels.

=20

In my spare time, however, I have a vision to carry out a project which =
would benefit a community some 50 kilometres north of Kabul:

=20

The pottery village of Istalif has been famous for its unique pottery =
items for over 100 years.

30 years of conflict since the Soviet invasion until the fall of the =
Taliban, however, reduced the skills, materials and outputs to the =
lowest levels they have ever been. As a result the potters of Istalif =
today only sell limited amounts of mediocre ware in the local markets.

=20

The community has particularly suffered from the hands of the Taliban =
when they destroyed to village almost completely following their =
ideology that all creative arts are anti-islamic.

The anti-taliban resistance, then, after capturing the village back, =
rebuilt it as much as they could, but the quality of the outputs has =
remained poor.

=20

The project I have in mind requires me to find a volunteer expert potter =
to come to Istalif and teach a selected number of families high quality =
pottery techniques so as to bring the production up to export levels. My =
job, concurrently, would be to source a market in both Europe and US to =
sell these high quality wares as uniquely Afghan artefacts. I would also =
take it upon me to organise the trade routes and logistics.

=20

I would much appreciate to hear back from a sincere volunteer who would =
be interested in coming to Istalif for some three months at a time for =
intense training of the potters. Travel costs and all expenses in =
Afghanistan would have to be borne by your organisation or the =
individual, lodging and food will be provided in the village in exchange =
for the training.=20

80% of Afghanistan are safe to come to and are a beautiful place to =
experience, particularly the north of the country. I personally warrant =
for that. The international media does not paint an accurate picture at =
all!=20

This not being a commercial project it still offers to the volunteer the =
experience of a life-time and the fulfilment of having contributed to =
capacity building and livelihood of an entire community.

=20

=20

I am much looking forward to your replies!

=20

Simran Kaur Lohnes

Kabul, Afghanistan



-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
-------
Find singles in your area!

Marcia Selsor on thu 26 apr 07


This is the same place Esther is working and the Turquoise Mountain
Foundation has a project for economic growth already in place.
Strange competition.
Marcia
Marcia Selsor
http://marciaselsor.com

On Apr 26, 2007, at 7:30 AM, Judy Musicant wrote:

> Hello Potters, I am forwarding the below message to our Guild. An
> interesting opportunity for an adventuresome potter?
> Regards,
> Judy Musicant
> Potters Guild of NJ
> PottersGuildnj.org
>
>
> Dear Potters,
>
>
>
> I am writing to you from Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan.
>
> I am from Singapore and my main occupation is working for a
> government agency which promotes and services foreign investment to
> Afghanistan in order to boost the economy to sustainable levels.
>
>
>
> In my spare time, however, I have a vision to carry out a project
> which would benefit a community some 50 kilometres north of Kabul:
>
>
>
> The pottery village of Istalif has been famous for its unique
> pottery items for over 100 years.
>
> 30 years of conflict since the Soviet invasion until the fall of
> the Taliban, however, reduced the skills, materials and outputs to
> the lowest levels they have ever been. As a result the potters of
> Istalif today only sell limited amounts of mediocre ware in the
> local markets.
>
>
>
> The community has particularly suffered from the hands of the
> Taliban when they destroyed to village almost completely following
> their ideology that all creative arts are anti-islamic.
>
> The anti-taliban resistance, then, after capturing the village
> back, rebuilt it as much as they could, but the quality of the
> outputs has remained poor.
>
>
>
> The project I have in mind requires me to find a volunteer expert
> potter to come to Istalif and teach a selected number of families
> high quality pottery techniques so as to bring the production up to
> export levels. My job, concurrently, would be to source a market in
> both Europe and US to sell these high quality wares as uniquely
> Afghan artefacts. I would also take it upon me to organise the
> trade routes and logistics.
>
>
>
> I would much appreciate to hear back from a sincere volunteer who
> would be interested in coming to Istalif for some three months at a
> time for intense training of the potters. Travel costs and all
> expenses in Afghanistan would have to be borne by your organisation
> or the individual, lodging and food will be provided in the village
> in exchange for the training.
>
> 80% of Afghanistan are safe to come to and are a beautiful place to
> experience, particularly the north of the country. I personally
> warrant for that. The international media does not paint an
> accurate picture at all!
>
> This not being a commercial project it still offers to the
> volunteer the experience of a life-time and the fulfilment of
> having contributed to capacity building and livelihood of an entire
> community.
>
>
>
>
>
> I am much looking forward to your replies!

Marcia Selsor
http://marciaselsor.com

Dinah Steveni on thu 26 apr 07


What kind of money is involved? When I see "have a vision" my buttocks
clinch.

They've got the skills right there on the ground but they just need to have
a safe ring-fence where nobody is playing silly buggers in politics with
them (read as religion). Or vice-versa. Tricky-woo stuff there; I mean, for
instance, are women accepted as makers? Are menstruating women accepted as
makers? Or women who don't take up the "veil"? Can men who shave be
accepted as makers? And so the detail rolls inexorably on and on taking
its toll on innovation and creativity.

With all due respect to your plea, I suggest that you approach Ms Oprah W,
USA tv personality who seems to have had a recent aesthetic bypass according
to some of the recent posting, or should we put the blame on her cadre of
young and hip producers? What do they know anyway, having received degrees
in media studies or heaven knows what to land them in her camp. Shall we
persuade OW to put some money where her foot seems to be firmly planted, as
in dealing with people who are practicing a craft. Not a huge fan. Can you
really tell? Her eyes are dead these days. It's over.
Dinah Steveni
----- Original Message -----
From: "Judy Musicant"
To:
Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2007 5:30 AM
Subject: Potter wanted - Afghanistan


Hello Potters, I am forwarding the below message to our Guild. An
interesting opportunity for an adventuresome potter?
Regards,
Judy Musicant
Potters Guild of NJ
PottersGuildnj.org


Dear Potters,



I am writing to you from Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan.

I am from Singapore and my main occupation is working for a government
agency which promotes and services foreign investment to Afghanistan in
order to boost the economy to sustainable levels.



In my spare time, however, I have a vision to carry out a project which
would benefit a community some 50 kilometres north of Kabul:



The pottery village of Istalif has been famous for its unique pottery items
for over 100 years.

30 years of conflict since the Soviet invasion until the fall of the
Taliban, however, reduced the skills, materials and outputs to the lowest
levels they have ever been. As a result the potters of Istalif today only
sell limited amounts of mediocre ware in the local markets.



The community has particularly suffered from the hands of the Taliban when
they destroyed to village almost completely following their ideology that
all creative arts are anti-islamic.

The anti-taliban resistance, then, after capturing the village back, rebuilt
it as much as they could, but the quality of the outputs has remained poor.



The project I have in mind requires me to find a volunteer expert potter to
come to Istalif and teach a selected number of families high quality pottery
techniques so as to bring the production up to export levels. My job,
concurrently, would be to source a market in both Europe and US to sell
these high quality wares as uniquely Afghan artefacts. I would also take it
upon me to organise the trade routes and logistics.



I would much appreciate to hear back from a sincere volunteer who would be
interested in coming to Istalif for some three months at a time for intense
training of the potters. Travel costs and all expenses in Afghanistan would
have to be borne by your organisation or the individual, lodging and food
will be provided in the village in exchange for the training.

80% of Afghanistan are safe to come to and are a beautiful place to
experience, particularly the north of the country. I personally warrant for
that. The international media does not paint an accurate picture at all!

This not being a commercial project it still offers to the volunteer the
experience of a life-time and the fulfilment of having contributed to
capacity building and livelihood of an entire community.





I am much looking forward to your replies!



Simran Kaur Lohnes

Kabul, Afghanistan



----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Find singles in your area!

____________________________________________________________________________
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org

You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/

Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.

A Kettner on fri 27 apr 07


also does anyone know how much it cost to fly into Kabul? I did a
quick search and from ohio it would cost you about $4000.00. Sounds
like a good deal to me (ha).

Arthur

On 4/26/07, Kathi LeSueur wrote:
> Judy Musicant wrote:
>
> >Hello Potters, I am forwarding the below message to our Guild. An interesting opportunity for an adventuresome potter?......
> >
> >Dear Potters,
> >I am writing to you from Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan....
> >
> >The project I have in mind requires me to find a volunteer expert potter to come to Istalif and teach a selected number of families high quality pottery techniques so as to bring the production up to export levels. My job, concurrently, would be to source a market in both Europe and US to sell these high quality wares as uniquely Afghan artefacts. I would also take it upon me to organise the trade routes and logistics.
> >I would much appreciate to hear back from a sincere volunteer who would be interested in coming to Istalif for some three months at a time for intense training of the potters. Travel costs and all expenses in Afghanistan would have to be borne by your organisation or the individual, lodging and food will be provided in the village in exchange for the training.>>
> >
>
> I would be interested to find out how this individual got to your
> organization. It sounds like a variation of a scam to me. I can
> envision an organization paying lots of money up front for expenses to
> this person only to find out that no such position exists.
>
> Kathi
>
> >
> >
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
>

ester svensson on sat 28 apr 07


Hello,

My name is Ester, like Marcia wrote i'm working for an organisation called
Turquoise Mountain Foundation. We already have a project in place working
with the potters in Istalif. In the past year our organisation has set up a
school and resource centre, where we are working to improve the quality of
the traditional pottery.

It would be great to meet with you here in Kabul, Simran Kaur Lohnes, as it
sounds you are hoping to do the same thing we are already doing. We are in
Kart-e-Parwan; please get in touch if you would like to come and see us.

All the best,
ester
www.turquoisemountain.org

Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2007 08:30:38 -0400
From: Judy Musicant
Subject: Potter wanted - Afghanistan

Hello Potters, I am forwarding the below message to our Guild. An =
interesting opportunity for an adventuresome potter?
Regards,
Judy Musicant
Potters Guild of NJ
PottersGuildnj.org


Dear Potters,

=20

I am writing to you from Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan.

I am from Singapore and my main occupation is working for a government =
agency which promotes and services foreign investment to Afghanistan in =
order to boost the economy to sustainable levels.

=20

In my spare time, however, I have a vision to carry out a project which =
would benefit a community some 50 kilometres north of Kabul:

=20

The pottery village of Istalif has been famous for its unique pottery =
items for over 100 years.

30 years of conflict since the Soviet invasion until the fall of the =
Taliban, however, reduced the skills, materials and outputs to the =
lowest levels they have ever been. As a result the potters of Istalif =
today only sell limited amounts of mediocre ware in the local markets.

=20

The community has particularly suffered from the hands of the Taliban =
when they destroyed to village almost completely following their =
ideology that all creative arts are anti-islamic.

The anti-taliban resistance, then, after capturing the village back, =
rebuilt it as much as they could, but the quality of the outputs has =
remained poor.

=20

The project I have in mind requires me to find a volunteer expert potter =
to come to Istalif and teach a selected number of families high quality =
pottery techniques so as to bring the production up to export levels. My =
job, concurrently, would be to source a market in both Europe and US to =
sell these high quality wares as uniquely Afghan artefacts. I would also =
take it upon me to organise the trade routes and logistics.

=20

I would much appreciate to hear back from a sincere volunteer who would =
be interested in coming to Istalif for some three months at a time for =
intense training of the potters. Travel costs and all expenses in =
Afghanistan would have to be borne by your organisation or the =
individual, lodging and food will be provided in the village in exchange =
for the training.=20

80% of Afghanistan are safe to come to and are a beautiful place to =
experience, particularly the north of the country. I personally warrant =
for that. The international media does not paint an accurate picture at =
all!=20

This not being a commercial project it still offers to the volunteer the =
experience of a life-time and the fulfilment of having contributed to =
capacity building and livelihood of an entire community.

=20

=20

I am much looking forward to your replies!

=20



Kabul, Afghanistan



-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
-------
Find singles in your area!

-----------------------------

Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2007 08:07:14 -0500
From: Marcia Selsor
Subject: Re: Potter wanted - Afghanistan

This is the same place Esther is working and the Turquoise Mountain
Foundation has a project for economic growth already in place.
Strange competition.
Marcia
Marcia Selsor
http://marciaselsor.com