the afghan women's photography class

I have a friend who is working in Afghanistan as a reporter.  She is posted in a remote area and does amazing things for the women in that area.  One endeavor she is heading is to teach a photography class just for women and girls.  She gave me permission to share the following e-mail and photos.

Enjoy!

"December 25, 2009 - Even though today is Christmas, we still held our photography class for Afghan women. Last week we gave the girls their cameras and sent them away with an assignment to photograph people. We gave them no lessons in photography, just some basic camera operating instructions. We just wanted to see what kind of photos the girls would take. I am blown away by the photos taken by one of the girls in particular, Nadia. This is a girl who lives a sheltered life in an extremely remote and rural corner of Afghanistan. Since women are not allowed out without a male relative, the three girls came to the PRT today accompanied by one of their 10 year old male cousins. I have attached six of Nadia’s photos to show you what she produced with no photographic training, and probably never having held a camera before, other than during the disposable camera project we ran through Loyalist College. I am so impressed already, and we are only just beginning to teach these girls. What is also wonderful, from my point of view, is that these girls are able to show us inside their world, a world normally closed to outsiders. Nadia was able to catch the personalities of her subjects so well because they were comfortable with her. They did not see her as an outsider. Once again, Merry Christmas to all."