Comments on: Today I Was Left Speechless – World Refugee Day http://katewalser.com/2009/06/world-refugee-day/ Usability . User Experience Design . Web 2.0 . Accessibility Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:36:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: kwalser http://katewalser.com/2009/06/world-refugee-day/comment-page-1/#comment-9 kwalser Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:36:36 +0000 http://katewalser.com/?p=102#comment-9 Thanks, Fay! I'll have to check out that book as well. Besides donations, telling other people really goes far. My friends' reactions to Rose Mapendo's story and Greg and Khaled Hosseini's books have ranged from jaw-dropping to horrified looks. Most are surprised to hear even second-hand stories of just how bad the refugees have it. Thanks, Fay! I’ll have to check out that book as well.

Besides donations, telling other people really goes far. My friends’ reactions to Rose Mapendo’s story and Greg and Khaled Hosseini’s books have ranged from jaw-dropping to horrified looks. Most are surprised to hear even second-hand stories of just how bad the refugees have it.

]]> By: Fay Gunn http://katewalser.com/2009/06/world-refugee-day/comment-page-1/#comment-8 Fay Gunn Fri, 26 Jun 2009 04:46:28 +0000 http://katewalser.com/?p=102#comment-8 I have been trying to follow the story of refugees in Pakistan and Afghanistan for some time. As you say, the news media doesn't give it the focus that it should. Even tonight, I turned to CNN at 10:00 to find it doing a 2 hour tribute to Michael Jackson following a one hour tribute by Larry King. Has nothing else happened in the world? Is this truly what people care about? I read Greg Mortensen's book when it first came out and was so impressed. After that, I had the good fortune of meeting a young Afghani woman who was a grad student at UMass Amherst. We met a couple of times and she's now returned home. I am trying to stay in touch with her by email, but her access to the web is limited. I wish there were something I could do personally to help besides donating money. I'm currently reading a book entitled The Blue Sweater by Jacqueline Novogratz. It deals with microlending ultimately, but at the moment I'm "in" Rwanda and dealing with the refugees after the genocide. It's another example of us turning our collective backs on our brothers and sisters until it was too late. I will hope to stay informed and try to interest my friends in the tragedy of refugees. Sincerely, Fay Gunn I have been trying to follow the story of refugees in Pakistan and Afghanistan for some time. As you say, the news media doesn’t give it the focus that it should. Even tonight, I turned to CNN at 10:00 to find it doing a 2 hour tribute to Michael Jackson following a one hour tribute by Larry King. Has nothing else happened in the world? Is this truly what people care about?

I read Greg Mortensen’s book when it first came out and was so impressed. After that, I had the good fortune of meeting a young Afghani woman who was a grad student at UMass Amherst. We met a couple of times and she’s now returned home. I am trying to stay in touch with her by email, but her access to the web is limited. I wish there were something I could do personally to help besides donating money.

I’m currently reading a book entitled The Blue Sweater by Jacqueline Novogratz. It deals with microlending ultimately, but at the moment I’m “in” Rwanda and dealing with the refugees after the genocide. It’s another example of us turning our collective backs on our brothers and sisters until it was too late.

I will hope to stay informed and try to interest my friends in the tragedy of refugees.

Sincerely,
Fay Gunn

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