1. Afghanistan

2. *Afghanistan is about the size of California and Oregon combined. There is about one car for every 500 people and onl 1/4th of all roads are paved. *Afghanistan is 99% Muslim (84% Sunni and 15% Shia). There is only one doctor per every 5,000+ people. *Afghanistan has about 1/4 of its people in the city (1/3 of them in Kabul and the rest in the countryside) *There is only one doctor per every 5,000+ people. *There is only one telephone for every 333 people *There is only one television for every 85 people

3. 44 years is the average life expectancy rate for women in Afghanistan ******** Every 30 minutes, an Afghan woman dies during childbirth ******** 30 percent of girls have access to education in Afghanistan ******** 1 in every 3 Afghan women experience physical, psychological or sexual violence ******** 87 percent of Afghan women are illiterate ******** 70 to 80 percent of women face forced marriages in Afghanistan Every 30 minutes, an Afghan woman dies during childbirth 87 percent of Afghan women are illiterate 30 percent of girls have access to education in Afghanistan 1 in every 3 Afghan women experience physical, psychological or sexual violence 44 years is the average life expectancy rate for women in Afghanistan 70 to 80 percent of women face forced marriages in Afghanistan

4. The Taliban In the middle 90’s the Taliban, a Islam extremist group seized control of two major cities in Afghanistan. With that total dictatorship came gender apartheid and women and girls were stripped of their human rights. What does this mean? *Banished women from the work force *Closed schools to girls and women and expelled women from universities *Prohibited women from leaving their homes unless accompanied by a close male relative *Ordered the publicly visible windows of women's houses painted black and forced women to wear the burqa (or chadari) - which completely shrouds the body, leaving only a small mesh-covered opening through which to see *Prohibited women and girls from being examined by male physicians while at the same time prohibited female doctors and nurses from working Taliban law is in opposition to Islam Before the insurgence of the Taliban woman were a predominant part of Education, Medicine and Politics in Afghanistan.

5. Under Taliban rule before the United States became involved, fundamental Islamists kept young girls and women from getting any kind of formal education. With the help of the United States, schools for girls began to form and there was hope for the future. November 14, 2008 …. A resurgence of the Taliban “KANDAHAR, Afghanistan – No students showed up at Mirwais Mena girls' school in the Taliban's spiritual birthplace the morning after it happened. A day earlier, men on motorcycles attacked 15 girls and teachers with acid. The men squirted the acid from water bottles onto three groups of students and teachers walking to school Wednesday, principal MehmoodQaderi said. Some of the girls have burns only on their school uniforms but others will have scars on their faces.” ~By Noor Khan and Heidi Vogt, for the Associate Press The resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan marks a return to the horrors of the past, for girls who want an education. Under Taliban rule before the U.S. became involved, fundamental Islamists forbade girls and women from obtaining any formal education. When the Taliban was eliminated, schools cropped up and young girls had hope for a real future for themselves.

6. A little about me….. My name is Michelle and I am a sophmore at MSUM majoring in Social Work. I live in Detroit Lakes with my amazing, supportive and loving family… Dan, my husband of 15yrs and 2 beautiful daughters Addie Kay (12) and Elizabeth (10).

7. My Hobbies and Interests... *I love to read novels…Textbooks, not so much! *Piano is a great stress relief for me *I play Sax with a “Big Band” in Detroit Lakes *Love spending time on the lake and camping *Love to watch my girls play sports! *Quilting *Taxiing my girls to and from activities…here there and everywhere!