ParsaCommunityFoundation

Afsariyeh is an Iranian non-governmental organization home to 22 boys aged between 13 and 18. The center is located in southern Tehran, home to many impoverished families who rely on Afsariyeh for aid. The center's funds are very limited and they cannot afford many of their major repair projects.

For the past several years Afsariyeh's heating system has not been working properly and last winter these young boys had to survive the harsh weather without heat. In addition, the center's plumbing system has been deteriorating to the point of total disrepair. To ensure that these young boys and the staff would not have to endure another winter without heat or hot water, Afsariyeh began renovation work.

The cost of the projects was $18,000 and the renovation began in February 2009. With the support of generous donors, they were able to raise $11,000 and completed the first two phases of these projects. The third and final phase has now begun, but there are insufficient funds remaining to cover the cost of this last phase. The center needs to raise $7,000 to complete the work.

These projects could not have been undertaken without the continued support and generosity of donors, and as they enter this final stage of their renovation project, Afsariyeh asks that you spread the word among friends and family and ask for their support. Every dollar counts toward improving the living condition of these young boys who call Afsariyeh home. For more information about Afsariyeh, please contact Delfarib at delfarib.info@yahoo.com or call (650) 271-7178.

USA Today: Anderson M.B.A. student Shahrouz Golshani, 34, has an ambitious goal: to build 1,000 homes for the homeless.

"I have been called naive many times this year," he conceded. But considering he admitted that in a speech at a crowded conference kicking off a competition to actually design those 1,000 homes, it's clear that people can no longer dismiss the idea as an idealist's dream.

A homeless person seeks shelter on the sidewalk under cardboard and a blanket.In fact, it's no longer just his plan – it's now in the hands of the 1,000 Homes Coalition.

The 1,000 Homes plan is starting relatively small, with a competition between teams of graduate students, including two UCLA teams, who will work with local cities to design feasible supportive housing. The students will have to overcome political and financial realities, from obtaining permits and overcoming community opposition to building quality homes on a budget. The student's solutions will form the basis for legislation and real housing projects.

Golshani obtained a $25,000 grant for the plan from the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Foundation — he's a member of ULI's Los Angeles branch, one of the sponsors of 1,000 Homes. In fact, the plan is sponsored by a slew of local agencies, from homeless services provider Shelter Partnership to UCLA's Ziman Center for Real Estate, which hosted the conference on campus April 10.

Click here to read the full story.

The House of Flowers was founded in the fall of 2002 by Mostafa Vaziri, an Iranian physician, and Allison Lide, an American teacher, who had just transferred their independent service work with their organization MEPO (Medical, Educational and Peace Organization) from Nepal to Afghanistan. Just three months after moving to Kabul they rented and furnished a house, hired a staff trained in child psychology, health and education, and opened the doors of the House of Flowers orphanage to children coming from destitute family backgrounds.

Since that time, the House has expanded, matured, and evolved into an oasis of peace. Today, nearly 30 children receive an in-house academic education that strongly supplements their local school education. In addition, they learn about their own rich literary and cultural heritage, becoming intimately acquainted with Persian-language and Pashto poets and writers. The children perform science experiments, discuss social issues, and offer seminars on countries they research while also learning how to cook, sew, and do first aid. Allison and Mostafa’s goal for the House of Flowers is to enable each child to become the best person he or she can be, and in this way contribute towards the harmonization of Afghan society as a whole.

The House of Flowers is supported 100% by private donations made to MEPO. There is zero overhead, as all donations are forwarded directly to the House of Flowers to meet the needs of the children and maintain the functioning of the House. All MEPO staff outside of Afghanistan, including Mostafa and Allison, are entirely volunteer-based. For more information about the House of Flowers, see the website at www.mepoonline.org. Anyone wishing to be added to the email list to receive periodic updates about the House or to share any comments or questions may email Allison and Mostafa at mepo_hope@yahoo.com.