What do I do here

So I’ve been here for a good 8 or so weeks now, and, while all of the cultural excursions and experiences have been very exciting, I thought I’d share with you what I’ve actually been doing.

As it turned out, when I arrived there was not a lot of AIESEC work going on. University was, and still is on holiday and many of the AIESEC members left to Germany as part of a special exchange project.

So I was left to make some work for myself. After one week, I began to have the idea of running some kind of project or event, and over time, this has grown into a Networking and Careers conference for Kabul University students.

I told the idea to a friend of mine, Daud, a young German/Afghan you runs a marketing and events (among other things) company here in Kabul and he agreed to help me put the whole thing together by putting me in contact with possible sponsors and presenters, as well as actually helping me to promote and produce the event.

It will be a 2 day event in mid April. The careers fair will be held over both days. The first day will be some speeches by young professional Afghans followed by a series of practical workshops run by companies and aid agencies. Then there will be a bbq and some music and a chance to look at the careers stalls.

The second day will be held at a hotel function centre and it will be more like a leadership development seminar where the top students can interact with business leaders, engage in discussion and debate and listen to speeches about obstacles to business development in Afghanistan.

So right now I am working hard with my friend Connie, who works for this marketing and events company, to get the right speakers and sponsors for this event. We’ve met with The European Commission, The US Embassy, who is putting us in contact with USAID, the UNDP, Afghan Investment Support agency, Afghan Chamber of Commerce, Afghan Finance Company, television stations, telecoms and numerous other companies and organizations.

I can’t tell you what an amazing experience this is. To package our product individually for each company, to negotiate financial and inkind sponsorship. For example, we have agreed with one TV station, that they will promote the conference by giving us advertising minutes, an interview on a business program and by covering the whole event in the news. We have agreed with one telecom, that they will have exclusive rights from that sector and provide us with mobile phone give aways. We set up the contracts and agreements with all of these organizations.

I’m also putting together the agenda for the event. Slotting in the speakers and trying to make the event flow. This has meant that I’ve had to learn very quickly the who’s who of what in Kabul and Afghanistan and given me a bit of an insight into the culture and hierarchy of businesses here. Who won’t speak if someone else is going to be there. Who should be before who on the agenda and so on.

Then there is all the logistical stuff to be taken care of like designing and printing posters, fliers and banners. Even designing the TV commercial with slide and voiceover!!! Booking the hotel, writing press releases, registering the students, liaising with the venues, on campus promotion!!! The list goes on forever.

I’m terribly excited with the news that the President of AIESEC International is planning a trip here so that he can also attend the conference!! So his the agenda for his visit will have to be arranged as well.

As I get closer to the event, there are more and more things that pop up that need to be done. But finally being so busy is great. I’m really getting stuck into work and I can’t believe that I only have 4 and a half weeks left here!