Visible Footprints

A study of social networks in Kabul could without a doubt present fascinating results. With donors and organizations from approximately 37 countries, Kabul has become a hub of cultural diversity and global perspectives. In addition to the various ethnic groups residing in Afghanistan such as Hazaras, Tajiks, Pashtuns and Uzbeks, Kabul does manage to be home for a large community of internationals as illustrated by my colleagues working in civil service management and the justice sector from Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, United States, Sweden, Australia, Belgium, Korea,
Norway, Pakistan, India, New Zealand, Denmark, Finland, Scotland and Ireland – to name a few.

Although security restrictions in Kabul may prevent us from walking the streets; may limit us to a few select restaurants, shops, medical facilities and amenities or close us down entirely for 2 to 3 days at a time, networking is a thriving activity kept alive by mobile telephones and the internet. So as to support Afghanistan’s development, linking to a social network is absolutely essential for all internationals. It helps co-ordinate our work, avoid duplication, leverage development efforts and instil some continuity and progress over the years. With each international having connections to other social worlds - mostly in their home country – the connections made in Kabul also introduces us to new ideas, knowledge, opportunities and incredible possibilities.

Although perhaps unnoticeable and rarely acknowledged, the day to day interactions, the exchange of experiences, the interpretations of events, the exposure to various languages, cultural patterns, mannerisms and beliefs do have an impact on each and everyone of us – no matter how loose the network connection; no matter how brief the encounter and no matter how much we believe that this adaptability is just a temporary thing. Actually, in my opinion, I suspect that what we do to adapt broadens our thinking permanently.

Although social networks may be invisible to the eye – they do leave visible footprints.

The Fourth Estate

Journalism is said to be a critical component of a “civil society” – a term used to distinguish societies which allow for collective action around shared interests, purposes and values without threat, intimidation or retribution. Contributing to this emancipation of a society are institutions such as the Kabul University. The Faculty of Journalism (14 faculties in total) is one of the oldest at the Kabul University. Next year, it will be celebrating its 45th anniversary. Other journalism and communication departments exist at Balkh University, in northern Afghanistan, and Herat University in the western part of the country.

To summarize, we are provided with 3 newspapers written in English in Kabul:

The Kabul Times: established in 1962, was the first English language printed newspaper in Afghanistan. One of the stories in Thursday’s paper includes an announcement that Dr. Abdul Latif Jalali, one of the country’s greatest journalist, died at the age of 81 on October 13th. He was a lecturer at the Kabul University, worked on National Radio and TV as newscaster and political analyst, all in Afghanistan.

The Daily Afghanistan is the first independent English newspaper throughout the history of Afghanistan, published from Kabul and available for 10 Afs. (.25 cents CAN). The circulation of this paper is 7000 and it is distributed to 32 (out of a total of 34) provinces in Afghanistan. It is also published in Dari – a language spoken mostly in Kabul and in northern provinces and Pashto, a language spoken mostly in southern provinces. Dr. Hussain Ali Yasa is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief.

The Afghanistan Times provides Afghan World News from a comprehensive international network of journalists. The editor, Mr. Ali Ahmad Pasoon produces the only coloured newspaper in Afghanistan containing local, provincial, sector and international news and events. Thursday’s paper highlighted everything from the Global Hand Washing Day events to protect people from diarrhea and pneumonia to a seminar on Peace and Conflict Resolution in Islamic Thought to overcome the violence of war years and make a “peaceful sphere”.

Seeking Simplicity

Simplicity is essential when entering a period of change. We reduce, abbreviate, merge, categorize, breakdown, centralize, divide, codify, graph, model, synthesize and generalize – all with a view of building a common thread of understanding of where we are, where we want to go and how we will get there. Framing a change in simplicity facilitates performance.

However, there are risks to seeking simplicity:

Where we are:
Surface surfing: Seeking simplicity can result in a collection of information that muddies the waters and brings the analysis to false conclusions. To reach the quality and quantity of information required is to know how to manage tensions between simplicity and complexity.
Fear factor: Seeking simplicity often caters to information on what should be heard instead of what needs to be heard. Informants fear change or the truth and their repercussions; collectors fear scope creep and often cannot see what they can’t recognize. Ostensibly, the information collected is easy to explain but nevertheless, erroneous.


Where we want to go:
No appetite: A diet of simplicity will not nourish engagement. If there is no leadership engagement, there is no traction for change and things will stay as they are no matter how effortless the solution looks on paper. Simplicity does not replace belief in a vision.
Easy fit: Simplicity will not have built in comfort. Change pushes people outside their comfort zone no matter how simple it looks. Simplicity does not replace empathy.


How we will get there:
A frame is just a frame: Framing implementation in simplicity doesn’t mean that the implementation is simple. It will bring resistance, realignments, additional costs, skill gaps, and all that change incites within and around us. To quote from historian and philosopher, Mr. Will Durant "Change is certain; progress is not.”
Less is not more: Removing complexity does not necessarily bring about an under expenditure. The costs of any change are not regulated by complexity but rather by “readiness” to change.