http://www.noshaq.org/index.htmlStay updated on our progress.eninfo@noshaq.orgCopyright 2009 Noshaq, Inc.2011-10-09T14:54:50-04:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 Sun, 10 May 2009 14:43:58 -0400info@noshaq.orgHome2011-10-09T14:54:50-04:00http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/2333bdc7a32a4c3c2928f7a299cec738-17.html#unique-entry-id-17http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/2333bdc7a32a4c3c2928f7a299cec738-17.html#unique-entry-id-17
In rural Afghanistan, women live in obscurity. Enshrouded by flowing veils and walls of cultural oppression, they live out their lives in anonymity, far away from the public eye. But their elusive existence matters. Behind every formless burqa is a genuine human being: a lonely girl longing for friendship and opportunity; a widow grieving the loss of her husband slaughtered in the war; a pregnant wife worrying about her baby’s future. And to ignore their presence is to shun 50% of Afghanistan’s precious people.

Afghan women are, and always will be, a crucial part of their country’s economy. Behind high walls and closed doors they faithfully raise kids, keep house, till gardens, and watch over livestock day after day after endless day. Their tenacious spirit keeps communities humming and villages running. Yet they do all this with little recognition or appreciation.

At Noshaq, we feel the time has come to say thank you to these invisible heros. This fall, we began to research project options that provide economic opportunity to women. Our goal is to train women in a trade or skill that they can market in their local economy. But it’s not enough to merely learn a trade. To be truly successful, they must also learn how to successfully market their products in Afghanistan’s centers of commerce. This will require financial literacy training that will prepare them to be successful business owners in their communities.



The first project in sight is a training program to teach women the trade of sewing and embroidery. This training will be fused with financial literacy workshops to teach these women how to benefit economically from their newly acquired skills. We’ve already gained the support of local government officials for this exciting project and are collecting the necessary data for funding proposals. As we gather more details on this project, we’ll do our best to keep you informed.

If you would like to contribute financially towards the development of this project, click HERE.

]]>info@noshaq.orgHome2011-09-06T13:46:17-04:00http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/7ee1952a0e9b2c75af4d6fc50b37f0df-16.html#unique-entry-id-16http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/7ee1952a0e9b2c75af4d6fc50b37f0df-16.html#unique-entry-id-16When we first visited Khermanuk Village in 2010, what shocked us the most was their economic situation. Because the village is so remote, they have no internal economy to make money for their families. Instead, they send 1-2 young men from each household as recruits in the Afghan National Army (ANA) to fight on the front lines against Taliban insurgents. These men then send their paychecks back to Khermanuk to feed their families and friends. This is their sole means of livelihood!

We saw something deathly wrong with this picture. Not only is it an injustice for a community’s sole survival to be based on their young men dying on the front lines. It also puts their village on a path towards economic collapse if more diversified income sources aren’t created. Noshaq set about to change that. First, we built a road to connect Khermanuk to economic opportunities outside their community. Then we began exploring industry opportunities that would set their village on a path towards economic sustainability.

That’s when honey came into the picture. Although many livelihoods are simply impossible due to Khermanuk’s mountainous location, honey bees can thrive off of the wildflowers and grasses growing in the area. So we did a little research and found some exciting news. Not only does honey provide a valuable nutrition source for impoverished diets. It also furnishes a valuable export item that can be sold in local markets. One quart of honey can be sold for a substantial $6 - 8 in nearby bazaars--a significant return on investment!

Noshaq’s staff then traveled to other regions of Afghanistan where honey operations are already running successfully. We met with locals who were knowledgeable about operating honey farms within the Afghan context. Then we made 10 beehives out of locally sourced materials, populated them with busy honeybees, and sent them to Khermanuk. We also hired a local expert to train villagers on the proper maintenance of their new hives.


These hives arrived in Khermanuk on July 17, 2011. But getting them there was a project in itself! The road between the hive’s location and Khermanuk is incredibly rough, filled with potholes, steep drop-offs, and a narrow dirt track clinging to the side of the mountain. Furthermore, the weather in July is hot and dusty. Our fear was that, between the rough roads and hot weather, the bees wouldn’t survive the trip.

We took extra precautions to increase their chances of survival. First, we drove very slowly in an attempt to make the trip as smooth as possible. Second, we agreed to travel only at night when the weather was the coolest. With these precautions, a trip that normally would have taken one day took three! We all breathed a sigh of relief, though, when the bees made it safely to their destination.



A close-up view of the hives reveals a group of worker bees ready for action. Notice the “KH” for Khermanuk written on the front.

We have confidence that this initial delivery of 10 beehives will be the beginning of a thriving industry for this community. Now that villagers are trained in the year-round maintenance of their hives, they can begin harvesting honey and selling it in local bazaars. Bee populations will continue to grow, enabling new hives to be created out of the initial bee population. These new hives can either be sold to nearby villages or added to the existing honey farm. And any excess honey will provide a valuable nutrition source to their impoverished diets.

This project is a first for Khermanuk Village and for Raghistan District as a whole. Now that the honey industry has been introduced to this district, we expect industry knowledge to gradually spread in the region, bringing economic opportunity to even more villages that desperately need it.]]>info@noshaq.orgHome2011-09-05T13:08:28-04:00http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/876e2eb38a1b98ff33145261be58fee6-15.html#unique-entry-id-15http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/876e2eb38a1b98ff33145261be58fee6-15.html#unique-entry-id-15On May 27, at the crack of dawn, an isolated corner of the Afghan mountains was buzzing with excitement. 120 villagers from six communities eagerly hiked up steep trails and converged to begin a day’s work. But this was no ordinary work day. This was the beginning of a road -- a pathway to hope for a region long neglected by aid organizations. It was also the fulfillment of a promise. Noshaq’s promise.

Noshaq’s journey to help this far-flung region of Afghanistan began in the summer of 2010. Our objectives were simple: (1) to find an isolated, impoverished community forgotten by other humanitarian organizations, and (2) to give hope to this community through sustainable solutions. The village of Khermanuk was just such a place. After meeting with local village elders and identifying an access road as the top development priority, we promised to return. And that’s just what we did.

Thanks to your generous donations, our team returned to the Afghan mountains in May 2011 to make our promises to Khermanuk come true. We purchased supplies, hired more staff, and then made the long and exciting journey to Khermanuk.


But getting to Khermanuk was no easy task. Here, our staff took turns riding donkeys and horses as the terrain became more rugged.


As we rode on, we met villagers along the way. It was exciting to see familiar faces and to sense their excitement about the road project.



After reaching the upper part of Khermanuk, we met with village chiefs from surrounding communities to negotiate the logistics of the road project. The support of community elders was an important prerequisite. Not only did we need to hear their advice and opinions. We also needed them to bring back news of the project to their villagers, who would provide the necessary manpower needed to construct the road.


We then re-measured the road route using a meter-wheel for extra precision. Pushing the wheel up and down the steep trail was great exercise. Even better, it provided entertainment for curious onlookers who had never seen such a device before!


Finally it was time to begin! Approximately 120 villagers showed up to help.


Villagers worked tirelessly everyday from 6 AM to 6 PM, using picks, shovels, and even oxen to shape the new road. Their enthusiasm and sense of community was infectious.


Slowly, the road began to take shape as the narrow mountain trail was converted into a 5-meter wide road. There was a tremendous amount of dirt to move, but the workers labored tirelessly to finish in record time.



The road was completed on June 21, a mere 25 days after the project began. This is a true testament to the determination and strength of 120 hard-working villagers and their inspirational leaders.


Abdul Hakim (regional leader) and Sayed Akbar (project manager) stand proudly by the project completion sign.

Let these images sear into your mind and stay with you forever. And then, remember that you, as a generous supporter, made this project possible! Because of your support, over 6,000 people now have a road and a new path to opportunity. This project may seem like a simple one, but it is already making a positive impact. Other humanitarian agencies, previously unable to access this region, have now been able to effectively implement other projects in the area thanks to the new road. This is a life-changer for impoverished villagers long neglected by the humanitarian community. In the future, this road will allow villagers to export and trade products more easily with other communities, and Noshaq has already begun researching viable industry opportunities that will inject much-needed income into this region’s starved economy.

In our most recent visit to Khermanuk, one villager told us, “We thought that building this road was impossible. After all, the terrain is so difficult! But your office came and showed us that it could happen after all, and all of us are truly grateful.” That’s what Noshaq is all about: turning the impossible into possibilities of hope. We may not be able to completely eradicate Afghanistan’s poverty or solve the country’s political turmoil. But we’re creating glimmers of hope in places like Khermanuk, and that makes it all worth it. Thank you for joining us on this journey.




]]>info@noshaq.orgHome2011-08-31T13:55:00-04:00http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/338f38fb8e35a43a64df8ff810d7ec2d-14.html#unique-entry-id-14http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/338f38fb8e35a43a64df8ff810d7ec2d-14.html#unique-entry-id-14Afghanistan might be 6,000 miles away, but on April 3, Noshaq brought it much closer. “A Night in Afghanistan”, a culturally-themed banquet held in Chattanooga, Tennessee, gave 160 attendees a taste of Afghan food and culture. A large, converted warehouse was decorated with vibrant hues reminiscent of Central Asia. Local chefs served up authentic Afghan cuisine while soft Persian music paraded in the background. Stunning photographs on canvas, taken by Noshaq’s photographer Alex Niculaescu, were set out for display. And a bazaar, complete with hand-knotted Afghan tribal rugs, embroidered scarves and blankets, and other authentic souvenirs, gave guests a chance to bring a piece of Afghan culture home with them.

But this event was more than an entertaining dinner or cultural event. It was a valuable opportunity for us to share our vision for Afghanistan’s impoverished villages and to raise the support needed to make this vision a reality. And we weren’t disappointed. Dinner guests caught the vision and gave generously, contributing a total of $17,394 to fund a road project in Khermanuk Village.

Here’s a special thank-you to all of the supporters and table sponsors who made this a successful evening. Thanks to your generosity, over 6,000 impoverished villagers in northeastern Afghanistan now have a road -- a pathway to a healthier economy and a brighter future. Their smiles of gratitude say more than we could ever express.

To read a newspaper article about A Night in Afghanistan, click HERE


Elegant place-settings added to the aesthetics of the evening.



Over 160 guests from the community showed up to express their support for Noshaq.



Authentic Afghan products were auctioned off to raise money for projects.



Photographs from Noshaq’s project area were displayed on canvas throughout the banquet area.

]]>info@noshaq.orgHome2010-12-09T21:11:33-05:00http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/94aa59bfe0e84a7a3ee0d879dad6b64c-13.html#unique-entry-id-13http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/94aa59bfe0e84a7a3ee0d879dad6b64c-13.html#unique-entry-id-13Everyone likes great pictures, and so do we. Just moments ago, we uploaded a fresh batch of images from the last few months in Afghanistan.

Click HERE to see them on our pictures page!

We hope you enjoy seeing more pictures of a place that has riveted our heart and captured our imagination.

]]>info@noshaq.orgHome2010-12-08T23:47:19-05:00http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/7cb14bed763cd60b3ca0c4c7cb1cc2d7-12.html#unique-entry-id-12http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/7cb14bed763cd60b3ca0c4c7cb1cc2d7-12.html#unique-entry-id-12With the New Year just weeks away, we are given a great opportunity to reflect on the things that matter the most. For us at Noshaq, our greatest desire is to serve the people of Afghanistan in the most effective and heartfelt way possible. But we can’t do this alone. We need you to partner with us in this mission.

As you reflect on what matters the most to you this holiday season, we’d like to encourage you to give generously towards Noshaq’s financial needs this upcoming year.


#1. Construction of Dirt Access Road (Village D)
Without access to market centers and trade routes across the country, Village D’s economic future is severely stunted. Noshaq hopes to address this problem through the construction of an access road, which would allow cars and freight trucks to travel in close proximity to the village. This would enable them to transport goods and produce more easily and would open up trade opportunities with urban centers.
Construction of the 2.5-mile road will be done using hand tools and community-sourced labor to minimize cost and provide jobs to needy families.
Fundraising Goal: $18,000

Noshaq will be converting this trail into a road.


#2: Construction of Suspension Bridge (Village D)
Not only is Village D isolated -- it’s also located on the side of a mountain. These conditions make thriving agriculture a dim prospect, with only 30 jerabs (12 acres) of sloped land to grow enough food for 100 families. If Village D is going to improve its agriculture, it is going to need more land.

Across the river that runs below the village is farmable land owned by Village D. Unfortunately, the river is swollen during the growing season, which blocks access to this much-needed land. If villagers could just access this extra acreage, their amount of agricultural land would instantly double, allowing them to increase their crops and better provide for their families.

Noshaq will be constructing a suspension bridge across the river, enabling farmers to grow more crops and setting the stage for future agricultural improvement.
Fundraising Goal: $20,000

The future location of the suspension bridge. Picture taken in the Fall, when the river is at its lowest level.


#3. Honey Farm (Village D)
Village D’s land might be rugged, but in the Springtime, the surrounding mountains light up with high desert wildflowers. These flowers offer the potential for a new industry in their community: honey. Honeybees thrive on these wildflowers and provide villagers the opportunity to produce a product that’s both profitable and full of nutrition.

Noshaq will be utilizing local Afghan trainers from other parts of the country who are already skilled in honey production to spread the knowledge of this industry to Village D. Funds will be needed to provide training and to purchase bees and supplies for the first 10 hives. Villagers will be able to sell this honey at the nearest bazaar for roughly $8 per jar, giving them a valuable source of supplemental income.
Fundraising Goal: $3,300

A honey industry will enrich villager’s lives both
economically and nutritionally.



#4. 4-Wheel-Drive Vehicle
For us, 4WD is not a convenience - it’s a necessity. Our projects focus on villages in the far reaches of Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush mountains, areas often deemed unreachable. We look for rural, isolated communities that have received very little humanitarian attention because of their location. That leaves us with a demanding logistical challenge: getting there. Reaching these places can mean lung-burning hikes up the side of a mountain or multiple-day, brain-jarring drives on tracks of dirt that can barely be called roads. Although numerous villages are only accessible by trail, the drive to the trailhead is a crucial part of the expedition. These trips subject the vehicle to a tremendous amount of stress as it careens over big rocks and gulleys, climbs up steep hills, and plunges through gushing water.

That’s where a strong set of wheels enters the picture. Because Noshaq does not own a vehicle, all transportation must be rented. Rental arrangements are negotiated carefully, but end up being an expensive and often unreliable arrangement. Most of the vehicles available for rent are no match for the roads that we need to travel on.

We can’t emphasize enough our need to own a strong and dependable 4WD vehicle. We’re not looking for frills - just sheer practicality!

Fundraising Goal: $15,000



#5. Field Office Overhead
This isn’t our favorite one to share with you. Anyone who runs a business or organization will grimace when they hear that nasty little word called overhead. It’s what pays the rent, keeps the lights on, and pays the employees. It maintains our baseline operation so that we can focus most of our energy on projects. Paying the bills isn’t exciting or fun, but it is important.

Noshaq operates in rural, out-of-the-way places, and because of this, our overhead expenses can be daunting. In order to operate effectively, we have to run two offices (one in the provincial capital, the other in our project area). We strive to keep overhead expenses as low as possible by minimizing compound comforts and keeping all foreign staff on a volunteer-basis. But expenses still add up. We are looking for people who realize that overhead is just as important as project money. Please consider helping us cover our monthly operating expenses by donating to overhead.

Monthly Fundraising Goal: $3,000
]]>info@noshaq.orgHome2010-12-08T23:43:06-05:00http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/319a4dfa51008dd949a55f6f4941032d-11.html#unique-entry-id-11http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/319a4dfa51008dd949a55f6f4941032d-11.html#unique-entry-id-11Every year, multiple millions of dollars are spent on humanitarian assistance all around the globe. Even so, world hunger rates are still staggering, scores of third world villages are still eking out a primitive existence, and the globe is still awash in poverty. This has left many people scratching their heads and wondering: “Is aid really working?”

We’ve asked ourselves the very same thing. It disgusts us when we hear of federal aid and donated funds being absorbed in graft and deceit. And it’s sad to see thousands of dollars spent on a project, only to find the beneficiaries poorer, less motivated, and more dependent than before. What are we doing wrong?



In an age of disillusionment, what is most effective way to serve?


The condition of today’s developing countries makes it clear that the need for humanitarian assistance is far from over. The question, then, is not “should we proceed?”, but “how should we proceed?”. As a nonprofit organization passionate about genuinely helping people, how can we do so in a way that’s effective, efficient, and enduring? How can we address development needs by building capacity instead of harmful dependencies? And how can our constituents be empowered to eventually fund their own development?

The answer to this dilemma seems to be in identifying the fundamental foundation of development, for once this foundation is laid, all other aspects of community development can be built on top. We believe this foundation is a thriving economy. When a community’s economy is healthy, the standard of living increases, poverty is reduced, and new infrastructure is built and maintained. As a result, many families are enabled to transition from a subsistence lifestyle to one where education, health, and community enrichment are tangible opportunities. When taken in the proper context, economic development can begin a chain reaction that will inherently work to solve many other needs in the community, thus fostering an environment where the community can fund their own development and take responsibility for their future long after Noshaq is gone.

With this realization, Noshaq has made economic development its primary mission. We don’t claim to have all the answers, and neither do we believe that all other aid groups should “think like us”. Rather, we’ve made a personal commitment to strive for development solutions that are effective, efficient, and enduring. To do otherwise would be a waste of our time and destructive to the communities we love and serve.]]>info@noshaq.orgHome2010-12-08T23:38:25-05:00http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/804664c7e13de1f2c4f21280a1c96723-10.html#unique-entry-id-10http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/804664c7e13de1f2c4f21280a1c96723-10.html#unique-entry-id-10Following a productive few months of project selection and gaining government and local support, Noshaq is happy to announce three exciting projects for 2011. This project area is a fascinating one indeed. Located among terrain that looks like it walked out of a topo map and positioned in an area largely shut off from the rest of Afghanistan, it is truly out in the middle of nowhere. But it’s not just the mountains and scenery that rivet us. It’s the people. People who live grueling lives of poverty. People who need hope. And people who we now call friends.

Village D
Objective: To enable Village D to become economically self-sufficient over the next 5 years.

Ongoing Projects: Construction of access road, construction of suspension bridge, and development of honey industry.

Total Budget: $41,300

Meet Village D. Although we’re not able to reveal its name or specific location data due to security precautions, this village truly encapsulates Noshaq’s mission and gives us a thrilling opportunity to partner with their community for a better future.

Our team initially made contact with Village D following consultations with local government officials, who backed our endeavors through official introduction letters and security escort. This village was chosen because it closely matched pre-determined criteria, which included no road, mountainous terrain, high poverty levels, little or no NGO involvement, and reasonable security.


Villagers enjoy a community moment as they pose for the camera.

Just getting to Village D is a challenge in itself. After many hours of 4-wheel-drive on an eroded track, the road ends and the hike begins. It’s not until several hours of vigorous hiking and roughly 5,000 ft. of elevation change that Village D finally comes into view. This village isn’t just at the end of the road. It’s beyond the end of the road.

Village D has many needs which we won’t bog you down with. But the most prominent need of all is its complete lack of an internal economy. Because of the village’s isolation and challenging terrain, it has been unable to engage in commerce or trade with surrounding areas. Instead, it relies entirely on repatriated income sources. To survive, each family sends one or two young men to find work in other parts of the country. Some even travel as far as Iran in hopes of finding a job to support their family back in Village D. This complete reliance on external income puts the community on a shaky course for economic collapse.


An elder from Village D smiles during a Noshaq planning session.

Our Objective: To enable Village D to become economically self-sufficient over the next 5 years.

Whenever we begin working with a village, our biggest priorities are friendship and community acceptance. Village D is no exception. We didn’t arrive there with a host of pre-conceived project ideas. Instead, project selection developed organically after assessing the needs ourselves and holding open conversations with the village chief and community elders. The results revealed three key needs in the village:

1. Access
2. Agriculture
3. Income

To begin tackling these three challenges, Noshaq and village elders identified three projects to begin our efforts in Village D.

Project 1 - Access: Construction of Dirt Access Road
Without access to market centers and trade routes across the country, Village D’s economic future is severely stunted. Noshaq hopes to address this problem through the construction of an access road, which would allow cars and freight trucks to travel in close proximity to the village. This would enable them to transport goods and produce more easily and would open up trade opportunities with urban centers.
Construction of the 2.5-mile road will be done using hand tools and community-sourced labor to minimize cost and provide jobs to needy families.
Estimated Cost: $18,000

Noshaq will be converting this trail into a road.


Project 2 - Agriculture: Construction of Suspension Bridge
Not only is Village D isolated -- it’s also located on the side of a mountain. These conditions make thriving agriculture a dim prospect, with only 30 jerabs (12 acres) of sloped land to grow enough food for 100 families. If Village D is going to improve its agriculture, it is going to need more land.

Across the river that runs below the village is farmable land owned by Village D. Unfortunately, the river is swollen during the growing season, which blocks access to this much-needed land. If villagers could just access this extra acreage, their amount of agricultural land would instantly double, allowing them to increase their crops and better provide for their families.

Noshaq will be constructing a suspension bridge across the river, enabling farmers to grow more crops and setting the stage for future agricultural improvement.
Estimated Cost: $20,000

The future location of the suspension bridge. Picture taken in the Fall, when the river is at its lowest level.


Project 3 - Income: Honey Farm
Village D’s land might be rugged, but in the Springtime, the surrounding mountains light up with high desert wildflowers. These flowers offer the potential for a new industry in their community: honey. Honeybees thrive on these wildflowers and provide villagers the opportunity to produce a product that’s both profitable and full of nutrition.

Noshaq will be utilizing local Afghan trainers from other parts of the country who are already skilled in honey production to spread the knowledge of this industry to Village D. Funds will be needed to provide training and to purchase bees and supplies for the first 10 hives. Villagers will be able to sell this honey at the nearest bazaar for roughly $8 per jar, giving them a valuable source of supplemental income.
Estimated Cost: $3,300

A honey industry will enrich villager’s lives both
economically and nutritionally.]]>info@noshaq.orgHome2010-11-23T19:21:55-05:00http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/90b603217052d0493ae2b6d2a3176124-9.html#unique-entry-id-9http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/90b603217052d0493ae2b6d2a3176124-9.html#unique-entry-id-9It has been several months since we updated our blog (or our website, for that matter!) and many of you are probably wondering: Is Noshaq still alive? The answer is a resounding YES! Not only are we alive -- we’re pushing forward as passionately as ever. The last few months have found us in rural Afghanistan, where we have been working with the government and local villages to gain support and consensus for future projects. The problem is that our internet connection over there is slower than the prodigal snail, making website updates, picture uploads, and the like a sad impossibility. We want to sincerely apologize for our lack of communication during this period, something that has greatly frustrated us as well.

We’ve been back in the States for a few days now, and now that we’re back in the land of abundant technology, there’s no excuse for faulty correspondence. So from now on, we will be doing our best to send you more frequent updates, both through our blog, our Facebook page, more frequent website updates, and an e-newsletter that will be commencing shortly.

Stay tuned for these things and more!

Thank you for your patience, support, and passion for service. We couldn’t do this without you.

]]>info@noshaq.orgHome2010-03-21T20:45:01-04:00http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/c38415b6e40c984ab99da71a1f8f02be-8.html#unique-entry-id-8http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/c38415b6e40c984ab99da71a1f8f02be-8.html#unique-entry-id-828 market surveys later, Noshaq has now capped off its market research in Herat City--the last of three cities involved in this data collection program. Along with the data already gathered from Kabul and Mazar-e Sharif, this information will prove invaluable to us as we seek to gain a better idea of the product markets existing within the country. The bustling city of Herat has long been a cultural epicenter for the country of Afghanistan and its proximity to Iran has made it an important trade route for Afghanistan’s western border. ]]>info@noshaq.orgHome2009-12-28T17:26:15-05:00http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/d5597505270ef2505b82a3f36b80be97-7.html#unique-entry-id-7http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/d5597505270ef2505b82a3f36b80be97-7.html#unique-entry-id-7

Name and location data

Infrastructure

Congestion levels

Consumer demographics (gender, age, ethnicity, economic status, shopping time, etc.)

Products available (including %'s and price ranges)

Vendor space

Surveying has been completed in Kabul and Mazar-e Sharif and will move to the city of Herat this spring. We're excited about this groundbreaking research and the valuable information will continue to provide us. The data received will be indispensable as we partner with the Afghan people to form small businesses that are both viable and sustainable.
]]>info@noshaq.orgHome2009-12-02T16:47:24-05:00http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/0885af036c66c6267dded64e79068d95-6.html#unique-entry-id-6http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/0885af036c66c6267dded64e79068d95-6.html#unique-entry-id-6Those of you who remember our previous website will remember its outdated design and graphics. Starting today, we’ve decided to make that a thing of the past. With a newly designed website, we hope that our organization will be better able to communicate with our valued supporters in a more effective and visually appealing way.

We’ll be adding lots of new material to our website in the next few weeks, so keep checking back! Comments and suggestions are always appreciated.

]]>info@noshaq.orgHome2009-10-02T17:00:54-04:00http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/6467913b00ca4f5639cb5e5e3a233714-5.html#unique-entry-id-5http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/6467913b00ca4f5639cb5e5e3a233714-5.html#unique-entry-id-5
What does this mean for you? It simply means that now there are even more reasons to donate to Noshaq. Besides the fulfillment that comes from helping others, you'll now receive a tax break from Uncle Sam every time you donate to our organization! Once we receive your contribution, we will promptly mail you a tax-deductible receipt to use in your tax return.

Spread the word, and thanks for your generous support.

]]>info@noshaq.orgHome2009-05-28T23:16:09-04:00http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/838c709bd764687a14fd1a5652ee5c9c-3.html#unique-entry-id-3http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/838c709bd764687a14fd1a5652ee5c9c-3.html#unique-entry-id-3
The IRS will be mailing us a letter confirming their receipt of our application within the next couple of months. Although this letter does not assign us 501(c)3 status, it does allow us to give tax-deductible receipts to our donors with the understanding that a final ruling on our status has not yet been issued by the IRS. We will be sure to let you know once we receive this letter!

Thanks for your financial support and patience during this process. We’re working hard to make your donations tax-deductible as soon as possible.

Any questions about your donations may be emailed to info@noshaq.org]]>info@noshaq.orgHome2009-05-11T22:26:09-04:00http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/1d51797736ee4bb1a0783ba21eb63add-2.html#unique-entry-id-2http://www.noshaq.org/newsandviews/news/files/1d51797736ee4bb1a0783ba21eb63add-2.html#unique-entry-id-2