Interview with RAWA member Sohaila on ABC Radio National, 8 August 2007

Australian radio host Philip Adams interviewed RAWA member Sohaila during her Australian tour in July/August 2007. The interview was broadcast by ABC Radio National on its Late Night Live program on 8 August.

The interview was recorded and is available in mp3 format. To listen to the interview or download the file click here.

Interview with RAWA member Sohaila on Radio New Internationalist, 7 August 2007

Chris Richards interviewed RAWA member Sohaila during her Australian tour in July/August 2007 for the online radio website of New Internationalist. The interview can be found on the site as "Another Afghan Postcard".

To go to the New Internationalist website and listen to the interview or download the file click here.

Press article on the occasion of Sohaila's talk at the Australian Education Union Hall in Adelaide, 4 August 2007

An article by Sohaila was published by The Advertiser, Adelaide's major newspaper, in the weekend edition 4-5 August 2007.

To see the newspaper article - click here.

Public address of RAWA member Mariam Rawi at the Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre, 27 April 2006

A short version of Mariam Rawi's speech was published by The Advertiser, Adelaide's major newspaper, in the weekend edition 6-7 May 2006.

To see the newspaper article - click here. To read the complete speech - click here.

Interview with RAWA member Amena Shams on ABC Radio National with Sarah Macdonald, 10 October 2005

Sarah Macdonald (SM): While the world is focused on Iraq it’s been easy to overlook Afghanistan. Towards the end of the Taliban era we began to hear much about how life was for the women of the country. But has life changed that much since the Taliban fell?

Amena Shams is a member of the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan, an organization working for democracy and secularism in the country. And she is in Australia at the invitation of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission and International Women’s Development Agency to give us an update on the current situation.

Tell us about yourself, how you came to be involved in RAWA.

Amen Shams (AS): I know RAWA since my childhood. When I was a kid of three years old we migrated from Afghanistan to Iran and we settled into a refugee camp in Iran. My mother, she was an uneducated woman, she got her education in a RAWA nursery course in Iran, so my family and other neighbors we were in contact with RAWA through a RAWA member, and we read the magazines and RAWA publications.

To read the full interview - click here.

Virginia Jealous’ association with asylum seekers from Afghanistan has completely changed her life…

In an interview with SUNday, Published June 20 2004, World Refugee Day, our SAWA contact in Fiji, Virginia Jealous, said she and a few other local people became involved in the plight of the Afghans and since it was impossible for these refugees to have visiting rights, they assisted wherever possible.

To read more of this excellent interview - click here

Fellowship honor recognises service to others

Sunraysia Daily 24.04.05

Mildura Rotary Club bestowed its highest honor, A Paul Harris Fellowship, to Robyn Smythe at a surprise ceremony last Thursday.
Mrs Smythe received the award for "service above self" after spending six months in Afghanistan working as a mid-wife and setting up home birthing procedures.
Mildura Rotary president Merv Lincoln said he nominated Mrs Smythe after she was a guest speaker at a Rotary function.
"Robyn spoke to us about her experiences in Afghanistan and it was a very moving experience. She had us all enthralled.
"She was nominated for the award because everything she achieved fitted the criteria. The award is about "service above self" and this years theme was "Lend a Hand".
"Robyn managed to achieve a great many things, and sometimes she placed herself in great danger to help others," Mr Lincoln said.
Mrs Smythe went to Afghanistan last year after being accepted to the humanitarian group MSF. During her time there she was involved in midwifery and taught women about home birthing and how to care for their babies including how to breast feed.
After six months she returned to Mildura and in a few weeks takes up a 12 month position at Balgo Aboriginal Settlement in Western Australia, accompanied by her husband Bruce.
Mrs Smythe received a certificate, medallion and badge for recognition of her status as a Paul Harris Fellow. She becomes one of only 30 Fellows in Mildura and is the third woman in this area to be given the honor.