Stories of war inevitably focus on the men who go off and fight. Almost never do they talk about the heroines who stay behind and make sure there’s a home to come back to once the fighting is over.
I wanted to change that. And that is why I went to Afghanistan for the first time in December 2005 in search of a story.
As a girl raised by a single mom who worked two jobs to support me, I had grown up around tough women who took hits and got back up because people were counting on them. And I had seen how hard it was for them to make ends meet and how rarely anyone ever stopped to thank them for their work. By the time I left ABC News for MBA study at Harvard, I felt determined it was my turn to pay them back.
So I took off from Boston and headed to Kabul with no idea what I had gotten myself into but with every intention of telling a story that mattered so much, though it was so often ignored. The story of women entrepreneurs in war zones. Because in tough times women who live through war do the same thing that women in the US do every day – they find a way to support their families because they have to – because those they love count on them to provide.
The Dressmaker of Khair Khana is the product of this five-year quest to share untold stories about the power of women to change their world. The book tells the true story of a teenager who, armed with only a needle and thread, started a dressmaking business under the Taliban that created jobs and hope for women all around her neighborhood. It’s a war story that talks about family, faith, and the power of inspiring entrepreneurs. And it is a celebration of unsung heroines -- women who rarely receive thanks for the hard work they do every day to make sure their children have a shot at something better.
I hope this Mother’s Day you join me in celebrating these women who make a difference, and I hope you will enjoy The Dressmaker of Khair Khana
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
Harper Collins is being extremely generous in allowing me to hold a giveaway for up to 5 copies of the book. Let's make it interesting and start with two (2) copies up for grabs if 15 separate people enter. I'll add another copy for every ten people after that up to the 5 copies. Tell your friends to come visit with Gayle and learn about her book. Open to US only and the deadline to enter is May 18th at 5 PM (est). As always, bonus entries available:
+2 for being a new or old follower. Just remind me how you follow and under what name.
+3 for tweeting or posting about contest (sidebar is preferred)
Be sure to include an e mail address. Good luck!
