Andeisha speaks at Kennedy Center in WashingtonOn Wednesday, March 10th, Vital Voices in conjunction with Goldman Sachs 10,000 women project held their 9th annual awards ceremony to “honor the innovators -- women on the front lines of creating new and effective strategies to remove so many of the roadblocks to advancing the roles of women worldwide.” The event was held at the renowned Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. in front of an international audience comprised of dignitaries and celebrities as well as average volunteers who had come to support an honoree they had worked with. Among the recipients of the awards was none other than Andeisha Farid, founding director of AFCECO. It was difficult to imagine, entering this prestigious venue adorned with flowers and complimented by specially produced tribute films projected onto a huge on-stage screen, that one year ago AFCECO was a relatively unknown organization working against all odds to bring hope to Afghan orphans, their relations, and their country.

Standing before movers and shakers in the most powerful country in the world can be unsettling. It is a testament to Andeisha’s poise that she did not disparage this group of people nor place them on a pedestal. She simply approached them with humility and strength of purpose. Her co-honorees were equally true to heart. The feeling in this theater was tinged with the imperative that the strengths of women in the world must be the centerpiece of the next human rights revolutionBrain williams and senator Hutchison presents award to Andeisha.

Andeisha was fifth to be introduced. There was great anticipation in the audience, seeing as she is the youngest of the honorees. She approached the stage and took a deep breath. Understandably, she was nervous. Because of the power of the word Afghanistan in the imagination of the media and people everywhere the theater was extra charged to hear what this Afghan woman had to say. She had determined to memorize her speech, of course in English. After three breathless sentences she straightened her back, held her head high and spoke to the audience with conviction. An involuntary gasp of surprise rose up in the audience when she reported that there are 1.6 million orphans in Afghanistan. It was important to her that she not sugar-coat the challenges before her and the international community. She spoke of universality, that we are all in this together and as such must work together. Thus, Andeisha finished her speech by giving thanks to a variety of people who have helped her along the way.

Following the ceremony everyone gathered for a buffet dinner. Each of the honorees was in high demand. Andeisha could hardly be pulled aside in the midst of all the well-wishers and interviewers. It is important, of course, to remember what is real. Accolades and awards and smiling admirers are only real in the moment. Sometimes these things lead to avenues of further support, but oftentimes it is simply a celebration of spirit.

The night was dreamy. Spring was in the air. Seeing those women on stage who for all their lives have been changing their world in isolation, and then seeing them united, hand in hand, soaking the affection and appreciation and admiration of such a large audience was breathtaking. Soon, though, the pause in this journey would be over. There was work to be done.