Brewing Tea in a Kettle of War (BTKW), a film in development, will look from Afghan villagers’ perspectives at the impact of outsiders coming into their communities trying to help them. Specifically, international audiences will experience what it is like when foreign soldiers, contractors and the Afghan government arrive with aid. Through these stories the benefits of bottom up versus the costs of top down development approaches and the impact of local versus foreign ownership will be revealed. These parallel stories will allow the international community a unique insight into the sustainability of these different approaches as both external and internal forces struggle for peace in war-weary and self-determined Afghanistan.

The following three stories of conflict and development are the current focus:
• Water: The challenges facing communities due to flash flooding, conflict over water access and drought.
• Women’s Poverty – the poorest of the poor: Alleviation of women’s poverty through community engagement, such as the formation of women’s CDCs, and the resultant income generation programs undertaken by the communities.
• Conflict Resolution: Villagers coming together against insurgents in defense of their development projects.

Watch the trailer:

Primary Source, an organization that connects educators with history and humanities resources from around the world, has developed an educational curriculum using Brewing Tea in a Kettle of War. BTKW’s trailer is used as a springboard to analyze post-conflict reconstruction in Afghanistan, drawing comparisons between the top-down approach of the Provincial Reconstruction Team and the bottom-up approach of the National Solidarity Program. Click here to see more.