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Afghan Women Speak Out through Theatre

Help Afghanistan’s first women’s theatre troupes promote women’s rights by presenting performances for women across the country.

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Afghan Women Speak Out through Theatre

Afghan Women Speak Out through Theatre

Afghan Women Speak Out through Theatre

Afghan Women Speak Out through Theatre

Afghan Women Speak Out through Theatre

Help Afghanistan’s first women’s theatre troupes promote women’s rights by presenting performances for women across the country.

Help Afghanistan’s first women’s theatre troupes promote women’s rights by presenting performances for women across the country.

Help Afghanistan’s first women’s theatre troupes promote women’s rights by presenting performances for women across the country.

Help Afghanistan’s first women’s theatre troupes promote women’s rights by presenting performances for women across the country.

Joanna Sherman
Joanna Sherman
Joanna Sherman
Joanna Sherman
1 Campaign |
New York, United States
$10,333 USD 104 backers
103% of $10,000 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal

Bond Street Theatre has been working for women in Afghanistan for more than ten years. Now we are helping our all-female Afghan theatre troupes bring their original performances about voter rights to women's homes, shelters and shuras (councils) in preparation for the 2014 presidential election. 

Worldwide, theatre is recognized as an effective means to bring practical information to isolated communities. Our all-women’s performances address the right of every woman to vote, as well as how to register, why each vote counts, signs of voter fraud, and where to report it.  

We are asking for your support to help our all-women’s theatre troupes bring information to women who are isolated by tradition, location or incarceration.

This is a critical time for women in Afghanistan and you can make a huge difference

The Project and What's at Stake 

Afghanistan faces a crucial election on April 5, 2014.  A new generation is voting for the first time (nearly one quarter of the population is between 18-24 years of age!) – and half of them are young women.

Yet many women are still unaware of their right to vote, or believe their husbands or fathers can vote on their behalf.

Meanwhile, conservative policymakers continue to erode women’s hard-earned rights. Just months ago, the Afghan Parliament voted to reduce women’s guaranteed representation in Parliament.  This generation of young women must now fight harder to maintain a role in their government! 

Women’s participation in the elections and in government is essential to protect and advance their rights.  Change can only happen by improving women’s voice in their community, in government, and in elections.

Over the last two years, Bond Street Theatre has formed four new all-women’s theatre groups dedicated to bringing important information to women through performances presented across the country.  

Our project addresses the issue by spreading the word about women’s voting rights, presenting role models of women speaking out, and encouraging women's and girls' civic involvementReaching men with the same information is also essential, and our all-male groups bring information on women’s rights to male audiences.   

Our women's theatre groups in Kandahar and Jalalabad face particular challenges. Since women do not congregate in public spaces, in the past, our women’s teams went door to door to gather women for performances in local homes. The troupes reached women who would otherwise have no access to the information! For most audience members, it is the first time that they have seen live theatre.

Many fear that the 2014 military withdrawal will provide an opportunity for the Taliban to regain political power, causing a serious reduction of women's rights and reversing the progress made from our decade-long investment.  Fair and legitimate elections, inclusive of women’s equal participation, are crucial for the country to move forward in a secure and democratic political environment.  You can ensure that women have a voice!

"This theatre project has given me new courage to speak out!"   (Ayesha, member of Nangarhar Women's Theatre troupe in Jalalabad.)

Nangahar Women's Theatre performs at women's shura (council).

Where Your Money Goes

All donations for this project go to the women’s groups for the election program.  The theatre work provides the women with personal income that gives them status in their family and the personal freedom of having their own funds. The donations give the women significant stipends for their work performing and teaching, while they gain valuable experience in public speaking, teaching, and preparation for other leadership jobs.

Each show costs only $300. Our goal for each group is to present 50 performances between now and the elections on April 5, 2014.

  • Performance Fees: $60 per artist/show (4-5 actresses/show)
  • Travel to performances: $50 per trip

All donations will receive tax deduction receipts.

Why Theatre?

Worldwide, theatre is recognized as an engaging and effective means to disseminate practical information, especially in isolated communities that are frequently excluded from civic participation. Theatre gives voice to the voiceless and provides women and youth with a safe environment and creative tools to directly improve their community.  

Theatre is being rediscovered in Afghanistan. The Afghan art of storytelling has been a tradition through the ages and is being revived again. Audiences love the performances. The shows include comic elements -- a funny uncle or gossipy neighbor -- and audiences look forward to the actors’ new shows.   

Why not radio and TV?  Live theatre is direct and interactive, and more in keeping with Afghan tradition. Performances are easily adapted to local dialects and customs. Electronic media is often seen as foreign and government-influenced. Large areas of Afghanistan lack electricity. Live theater is far more engaging.

Our women’s theatre groups are trained in interactive post-performance techniques that include the audience in finding alternate solutions to the issues presented in the play. Audience members are invited onto the stage to act out their ideas with the actors, preparing women to speak out in public and to address these issues in their lives. Theatre shows like these have huge impact with a ripple effect through the community.

Theatre is excellent training for public speaking and communication. The theatre groups’ performances in schools and universities are followed by workshops in leadership and communication.

Other Ways You Can Help

Spread the word!  Post on Facebook and Twitter.  Engage in face-to-face interaction with your friends, colleagues, strangers.  Tell 'em all about it!

Thank you for supporting Afghan Women Speak Out through Theatre!

Every amount over our $10,000 goal helps reach more women!

Simorgh Women's Theatre tries daring feats of acrobatics

Risks and challenges

- Women risk daily threats or physical attack for speaking their minds. Just attending the university can incur the wrath of male students or teachers. Women in public office brave the worst dangers. 
- Our women's teams perform solely for all-female audiences for two reasons: first, women performing for other women is a safe activity, and second, the groups can reach women who have been isolated from information about their rights. 
- Our theatre partners have learned to take precautions. Wherever the troupes perform, they first talk to the local elders, mullahs, and other authorities to get approval. Since the women are performing solely for audiences of women, their shows are accepted even in the most traditional communities. 
- In each province, we have local partners who make recommendations regarding safety. Often the audiences themselves, appreciative of the artists’ work, help the performers avoid dangerous situations. 
- While female actors know the risks, they are committed to reaching women with essential information about women’s rights. Gathering audiences in local homes and women’s shuras protects their visibility and allows their audiences to feel comfortable expressing their opinions and ideas. 
- Bond Street Theatre and our Afghan Theatre Partners are fully committed to the success of this project!

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Choose your Perk

Shout Out

$20 USD
$20 pays for one copy of the BST Training Manual for each Afghan theatre group. Backers at the $20 level receive a huge thank you and personal shout out on the BST blog and social media!
Estimated Shipping
January 2014
21 claimed

Performance Photo

$50 USD
$50 covers the travel cost for the Afghan actresses to perform in a rural village. Backers at the $50 get a shout out on the BST blog, and a performance photo from the Afghan Women’s Theatre groups!
Estimated Shipping
January 2014
8 claimed

Transformation DVD

$75 USD
$75 covers a full day of work for our Afghan Project Director to organize performances. Backers at the $75 level get the above, plus Bond Street Theatre’s DVD "Transformation Through Theatre"!
Estimated Shipping
January 2014
3 claimed

Original Script

$100 USD
$100 pays one Afghan actress for a full day of performances. Backers at the $100 level get the above, plus a signed copy of the original script the women use in their shows!
6 claimed

Personal Feature

$300 USD
$300 pays the full cost of one performance. Backers at the $300 level get the above, plus a personalized "thank you" photo from the Afghan Women's Troupe, and a personal feature on the BST website!
Estimated Shipping
January 2014
0 claimed

Signed Photo Book

$500 USD
$500 pays the full cost of two performances in the same village. Backers at the $500 level get all of the above, plus a signed photo book of our work in Afghanistan, and exclusive updates from the field!
Estimated Shipping
January 2014
1 claimed

Donor's Dinner

$1,000 USD
$1000 pays the full cost of three days of performances. Backers at the $1000 level get all of the above, plus a special Donor's Dinner with the BST Directors, and a personal Skype conversation with the Women’s Theatre Director in Afghanistan!
Estimated Shipping
January 2014
2 claimed
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