No one needs to remind us about the sad state of affairs in the world today. Those images are everywhere.
While war rages in many countries and countless refugees are constantly on the move from turmoil and strife, we have to realize how fortunate we are to live in this part of the world. It’s also hard to imagine living somewhere without the freedoms we enjoy.
This is still a horrible reality, particularly for women. The lack of progress toward equality in many places is so archaic it’s impossible to understand.
In the big picture, there’s not much any of us can do to rectify these situations. On a smaller scale, there are ways to offer support that can make a difference.
A group of residents from Chemainus, Ladysmith, Nanaimo and Duncan is thinking that way. They are but little fish in a huge pond but that’s not stopping them from assisting one Afghani woman from the chance of a better life.
The process to aid a refugee is enormous and that would deter most individuals from carrying it through to fruition.
But this group has made the commitment to take those steps and is now close to realizing its goal.
The woman in question is highly-educated, speaks English well and can be a tremendous member of society – just not in her native Afghanistan. It’s appalling to think someone of her credentials can be so persecuted essentially just for being a woman who wants to stands up for herself and enjoy a better life.
So many others like her won’t get a chance to realize their full potential with the rigid limitations imposed by the ruling Taliban.
We can’t save everyone, obviously, but our humanitarian nature makes it worth the effort to do our best even in one case.
All going well, the woman being sponsored is due to arrive before the end of the year. And people who attend Sunday’s An Afghani Afternoon can learn more about the conditions she comes from and comprehend what that would be like.
It’s not a pretty picture, but some who’ve taken the initiative in this case can take satisfaction from doing their part to make the world even a tiny iota better.