Airman assists Afghan orphanage

Published Jan. 13, 2012
By Staff Sgt. David Carbajal
451st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- "I just wanted to help others."

This is not an uncommon quote from a service member. After all, federal government employees have given more than $55 million to organized fundraisers in 2011. One Airman here has found another way to help the less fortunate.

Airman 1st Class George Keenan, a 495th Expeditionary Intelligence Squadron member, has been helping provide supplies and gifts for children in an all-girl orphanage in Kabul.

"It all started when I read '3 Cups of Tea'," said Keenan. "The book was one of 14 on the 2011 Air Force Chief of Staff reading list. After I read the book, I was definitely motivated to get some of my squadron members involved."

In the book, a homeless mountaineer, following a 1993 climb of Pakistan's treacherous K2, was inspired by a chance encounter with impoverished mountain villagers and promised to build them a school. Over the next decade he built 55 schools--especially for girls--that offer a balanced education in one of the most isolated and dangerous regions in the world.

With this motivation, Keenan looked for an outlet to begin helping--he found a Canadian-sponsored 5K/10K run that supported the Afghan Women's Organization's Omid-e-mirmun orphanage in the Koshalkhan district of Kabul.

"In total, the run raised $22,000 for the orphanage," Keenen added. "Of that, we (Keenan and members of the 495th EIS) raised $275."

According to Adeena Niazi, executive director for AWO, it costs about $116 per day to run the orphanage, which equates to about $3,500 a month.

"When you think about how much it costs to house the girls, feed them, clothe them and educate them, it gets expensive," said Keenan, a Cleveland, Ohio, native.

The orphanage is solely supported by the Afghan Women's Organization, which depends on group supporters and friends to keep the organization running.

After the 5K/10K run, Keenan started corresponding with Niazi via email to learn more about the orphanage and see how he could continue assisting.

"Once I learned more about the girls and their situation, it motivated me even more to help," said Keenan, who is deployed from the 24th Intelligence Squadron at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. "They seemed like a great group of kids."

In casual conversations with his family and friends, Keenan began recruiting people to aid him with his project.

"I called family one day and was talking with my dad. He started asking questions about how I was doing and what I was doing to keep busy," said Keenan. "So, I told him 'I've been trying to help out some kids at a local orphanage' and he asked how he could help."

With the help of his father in Ohio spreading the word, Keenan began receiving offers to help from different directions, such as schools, churches and friends, Keenan added.

Keenan and his aiding stateside counterparts have teamed up to provide gifts for the girls in the orphanage.

"Just the other day, I received five or six boxes of school supplies, games, clothes and things like that for the girls," Keenan said.

Currently, 29 Afghan girls between the ages of 5 and 18 are in the orphanage.

"Once we receive everything from the States, I hope to get everything to the orphanage," Keenan added.

On top of the gifts, supplies and clothing, Keenan and his father are also collecting donations for the orphanage.

"We've raised about $1,500 for the orphanage since the 5K/10K run in November," said Keenan. "Right now, my dad is collecting money from families, friends and even friends of friends. Once he receives the money, he wires it to the AWO."

To streamline the operation, Keenan is also working on other ways to link donators with the Afghan Women's Organization directly.

"I'm working with Niazi to get a process where people can wire-transfer money to the orphanage, making it a lot easier for both ends," he said.

Keenan hopes the support for the orphanage will continue even after he departs Kandahar Airfield.

"It's a great organization with a great group of kids," said Keenan. "So, I hope to see everyone continue to pitch in and help them."

For more information, contact Keenan at georgekeenan21@gmail.com or visit the AWO website at www.afghanwomen.org.