I.
Introduction: Response to this Twitter:
Show how $6B will solve world hunger, and I'll donate it: Elon Musk to United Nations | CBC News
If WFP can describe on this Twitter thread exactly how $6B will solve world hunger, I will sell Tesla stock right now and do it.
This is my response offered with gratitude and humility because of exceedingly dangerous political and socioeconomic circumstances and the indescribable horrific fates awaiting girl children as young as 5 years of age that we witnessing. We must collectively reason together and avert the horrifying impact of the expected famine that will devastate not only this generation of Afghani men and women and potentially several Afghanis who are born after spending their gestational term in mothers who were wracked by hunger and feeling totally famished and bereft.
II.
What is being Proposed.
A.
Mr. Elon Musk, Sir I do not know how $6B will solve World’s hunger. I offer a proposal to eliminate famine in Afghanistan for $1Billion depending on the numbers of the population of girl children who are being preyed-on relentlessly and must be protected in midst of food, employment, financial insecurity, and fear of being subjected to extralegal punishment and even death.
1.
Afghan families are selling their children so they can eat as the economy crumbles (msn.com)
CNN witnesses 9-year-old being sold for marriage to 55-year-old man
Ms. Ann Coren reported on three 9–10-year-old girls who were sold for $1,000 each by unemployed wage earners, to the equivalent of $1,000 feed their families literally to keep their body and soul together
B. Why I am proposing a $ 1 Billion dollar investment in the future health and wellbeing of the current population of Afghanistan and to prevent devastating consequences for generations of Afghani persons who will be born to mothers wracked by hunger and terror during the looming all-encompassing famine.
Impact of Traumatic experiences that were being driven by the political and military struggles that have riven and fragmented the body politic and capacity of the Govt or society to protect their interests, safety of their children right to life, access to food and housing resources, Health care, Education, Vocational opportunities which have left multi-generational Afghani persons demoralized, and impoverished to the extreme degree of commoditizing their girl children as young as 9 -10 and abandoning to the mercies of the highest bidder leaving her in a deep well of despair and ever encircling terror.
1.For the past 4-5 decades since the mid 70’s when the Govt of Afghanistan was characterized many coups and the invasion of the Nation by the Soviet Union in 1978, There have serious threats to the lives of Afghani People of all ages. It was during the first in the 1990 an especially 1996 -2001and more recently in August 2021 when The Taliban took over there reports of destructive effects on the lives and hopes/dreams of Afghani girls: Afghanistan: Where Girls’ Dreams Die Young – The Diplomat. However, for Adults and Children during these four decades, traumatic life experiences have been transmitted from generation to generation, including the especially cruel abandonment of the parents and families of little girls who were sold off as commodities to support the lives of more valued members of the family. The adverse consequences of atleast two generations of Afghanis being subjected to dire and fraught circumstances when they were children could have resulted in dire Medical, Medical, Behavioral sequelae.
2.I fear for the future consequences of traumatic experiences of this generation of children which can have grave consequences for the society as a whole and the ability of the Nation to manage the consequences of the Childhood trauma from way back in th 1970s.I have worked on these major health concerns with individual persons and in programs providing care as well as in the community as the Founding member of Community Resilience collaborative fo Mx County. I could offer you my own notes but for this important project I have decided to offer authoritative source documents and You Tube presentations by Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk, MD who wrote a Landmark Book, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma- September 8, 2015
3. Dr. Van der Kolk has succinctly describes what Trauma is and its pervasive and destructive effects that shorten lives and cause much pain and further disruption of life and wellbeing especially if the Country was wracked with invasions, Insurgencies, and illicit drug trade as well as total lawlessness and social order for nearly 40 years except for the past 20 years from 2001 -Aug 2021 when several provinces of Afghanistan had a semblance of a functioning democracy. What these research findings establish is that all the factors that impact life , wellbeing, and longevity such Psycho- Neuro- Endocrinological- immunological- Biological Environmental,[Poverty, Racism, Food insecurity, Health care access, Food insecurity and Social, interpersonal relationships and Behavioral factors much must assessed and addressed over time with great care and precision. Trauma changes how your brain is structured in terms of networks that mediate stress responses involved in the General Adaptation Syndrome that subserves- Fight, Fright and Freeze responses.
4.These effects can be mitigated and the Epigenetic Changes that can shorten life can be ameliorated substantially., and Childhood Trauma and Stress is one of most profoundly impactful influences on the person on an ongoing basis over time. How this happens and the sequalae are well documented in these research reports.” Trauma Isn’t what happens to you, but how you respond to the Traumatic circumstances. Something that is traumatic to one person may be no big deal to the next. Whether something becomes Traumatic or not has a great deal to do with who’s around you while you experienced these events. Were you comforted by friends and family. Bessel Van Der Kolk.
“The Biological Effects of Childhood Trauma” Michael D. De Bellis, MD, MPH and Abigail Zisk A.B. Child Adolescent Psychiatry Clin N Am. 2014 Apr; 23(2): 185–222.Caveat: This was published in 2014. Much research has been conducted and published since 2014 which is well documented and explained by Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk in his book, “The Body Keeps the Score, Brain-Mind-and Body in the Healing of Trauma. He describes some of his research findings in two Video clips in You Tube. Trauma in childhood is a grave psychosocial, medical, and public policy problem that has serious consequences for its victims and for society. Chronic interpersonal violence in children is common worldwide. Developmental traumatology, the systemic investigation of the psychiatric and psychobiological effects of chronic overwhelming stress on the developing child, provides a framework and principles when empirically examining the neurobiological effects of pediatric trauma.
Despite the widespread prevalence of childhood trauma, less is known about trauma's biological effects in children as compared to adults with child trauma histories; and even less is known about how these pediatric mechanisms underlie trauma's short-term and long-term medical and mental health consequences. This article focuses primarily on the peer-reviewed literature on the neurobiological sequelae of childhood trauma in children and adults with histories of childhood trauma. We also review relevant studies of animal models of stress to help us better understand the psychobiological effects of trauma during development. Next, we review the neurobiology of trauma, its clinical applications and the biomarkers that may provide important tools for clinicians and researchers, both as predictors of posttraumatic stress symptoms and as useful tools to monitor treatment response. Finally, we offer suggestions for future researchers.
a.Preventing ACEs can help children and adults thrive and potentially:
Lower risk for conditions like depression, asthma, cancer, and diabetes in adulthood.
Reduce risky behaviors like smoking and heavy drinking.
Improve Education and Employment potential.
Stop ACEs from being passed from one generation to the next.
b. Preventing ACEs could reduce a large number of health conditions:
Up to 21 million cases of depression, Up to 1.9 million cases of Heart Disease, Up to 2.5 million cases of Obesity.
c. Potential reduction of negative outcomes in adulthood:
Depressive disorder, COPD, Asthma, Kidney Disease, Stroke, Coronary Heart disease, Cancer, Type II DM, and Obesity from about 44% to 2 % across this spectrum of Illnesses.
d. Reduction Risky Health Behaviors::
Heavy Drinking by 24 %, Current smoking by 33%,
e. Socio- Economic Challenges mitigated:
Unemployment reduced by 15 % , Less than High School education reduced by 5% , No health Insurance by 4%
f. Raising Awareness about ACES [ Adverse Childhood experiences] can help:
b. Shift the focus from individual responsibility to community solutions.
c. Reduce stigma around seeking help with parenting challenges or for substance misuse, depression, or suicidal thoughts.
d. Promote safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments where children live, learn, and play. There are scales to measure the severity of the ACES history affirmed by an individual as well as a Resilience Scale which can inform the formulation of mitigation strategies.
The ACE Study also found that it didn’t matter what the types of ACEs were.
- An ACE score of 4 that includes divorce, physical abuse, an incarcerated family member and a depressed family member has the same statistical health consequences as an ACE score of 4 that includes living with an alcoholic, verbal abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect.
- Subsequent research on the link between Childhood Adversity and Addiction corroborates the findings from the ACE Study, including studies that have found that people who’ve experienced childhood trauma have more chronic pain and use more prescription drugs; people who experienced five or more traumatic events are three times more likely to misuse prescription pain medications.
- https://youtu.be/d_YApSkqsxM [22 minutes] Bessel Van Der Kolk and Benjamin Fry
In this exclusive conversation with psychotherapist and author of The Invisible Lion, Benjamin Fry, Bessel fuses insights from the cutting-edge of neuroscience with the weight of decades of experience as an active therapist, and discusses how both adults and children can reclaim ownership of their bodies and their lives. Bessel discusses how the body keeps the score, how our brain's responses align with our body's, and how time and trust are key to recovering from trauma.
- https://youtu.be/BJfmfkDQb14 -[8 minutes] Author of Body Keeps Score explains what Trauma is and how it impacts the lives of persons who experienced trauma
- https://www.moonbokers.com/The-Body-Keeps-the-Score-Brain-Mind-and-Body-in-the-Healing-of-Trauma_p_165.html The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma (moonbokers.com) Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, one of the world’s foremost experts on trauma, has spent over three decades working with survivors. In The Body Keeps the Score, he uses recent scientific advances to show how trauma literally reshapes both body and brain, compromising sufferers’ capacities for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust. He explores innovative treatments—from neurofeedback and meditation to sports, drama, and yoga—that offer new paths to recovery by activating the brain’s natural neuroplasticity. I want to introduce links to my statements about Nutrition, Exercise, Meditation and making a personal commitment for restoring health and promoting a sense of well-being which includes enhancing neuroplasticity, that I developed and have been updating over the past 15 -20 years. I offer you these links to two recent books by Sanjay Gupta who provides specific recommendations to keep, Sharp and stay well. Gupta spent hundreds of hours speaking with experts and he came away believing that, as audacious as it may sound — especially in light of where we are today — that it is possible for a society to become essentially “Pandemic-proof.” The acronym I use is SENSS and Dr Gupta uses the word PROOF to denote the strategies to build resilience and recover from the impact of Trauma, loss and inescapable stress over years.
5WaystoPreventDementiaSaysDrSanjayGupta.
This link will inform you on the concepts Dr. Sanjay Gupta, MD and I are advancing to promote heath and restore well being
There is great overlap between these concepts and what I have been teaching in the Health Promoting Education materials I have written and distributed to my patients and staff for over a decade.ARC Health promotion Materials Please see page 2,3,4,5 above and page 10-11 How do I provide connection to my work?
Past Trauma May haunt your future health, Feb 12, 2021.
Adverse Childhood Experiences, in particular, are linked to Chronic Health Conditions
A rocky childhood. A violent assault. A car accident. [Consider impact of thousands of car bombs] If these are in your past they could be affecting your health now. When you are in trapped in inescapable situation which makes you believe you are in danger of being seriously injured or losing your life. These dire circumstances can trigger emotional and even biological responses that can increase your vulnerability to be affected serious medical disorders- Type II DM, Coronary heart Disease, Stroke, Metabolic Syndrome, Obesity, Cancer and prone to Addictive disorders.
C. Rationale for implementing a well – planned, adequately resourced plan informed by local communities and implemented with collaborative strategies to ensure each and very Afghani person adults, girl and boy children, men and women, has equal access to the nutritional resources that provided in safe environments.
1. There is another enormous Tsunamic disaster that is looming on the horizon in the near term that can last for an indeterminate period of years affecting an indeterminate number of generations in one way of another for the Afghani children and adults alive now and the children born to Afghani women when the famine wreaks its multi- pronged devastation. I will explain this impact on future generations conceived and born to term once the famine has set into place.
The World Food Program says Afghanistan will face catastrophic hunger in the coming months. 14M face severe hunger in Afghanistan amid conflict: World Food Program (msn.com)
The World Food Program's (WFP) Country Director Ms. Mary Ellen McGroarty said that 14 million Afghans could face severe hunger following the Taliban takeover of the country, The Associated Press reported.
2. When this catastrophic hunger arrives, children will die, and pregnant mothers can expect to deliver unhealthy babies with epigenetic changes that can cause mental illness in the next generation as shown in the observations from the studies of the Dutch Famine Winters of 1944-1945.
http://www.pnas.org/content/107/39/16757.full.pdf
The Dutch Hunger Winter and the developmental origins of health and disease
3.If your munificence of $1Billion could be earmarked for the purpose of preventing famine in
Afghanistan. This could save 1,000,000 Afghani girls from being sold into slavery and would feed their families and prevent trans-generational inheritance of epigenetic changes caused by famine. The actual number of girl children who are at grave risk may be higher or lower and the total number will have to be adjusted accordingly
D.
1. I believe the Afghanis are “my people” because the Queen of the Emperor of India in Ancient times was Gandhari, who was from Kandahar in Afghanistan. The story of Gandhari and the Dynasty she co-lead is in the Epic Maha Bharata. Gandhari - Princess of Gandhara and Mother of Kauravas (vedicfeed.com). Until 1947 India had contiguous border with Afghanistan for millennia
2. The Mahabharata- It is written in Sanskrit and consists of 18 sections and is constituted by over 100,000 verses. In the same epic is included the 18 chapters of the Srimad Bhagvad Gita SBG- which many consider as authoritative a scripture as the Veda and is referred to as the Fifth Veda.
3. This verse [Verse 47. Discourse II of the Srimad Bhagvad Gita ] is key precept from the vast compendium of teachings on Ethics, Duty, and must inform and guide like the North Star our actions in everyday life especially in this noble, magnificent and transformative endeavor as to prevent little girls from being sold into slavery at ages 9-10 and to prevent their families from being devastated by famine and resulting disease among all the people of Afghanistan and even worse and more tragically because of the Trans generational epigenetic changes caused by the effects of famine future generational of Afghani people will be ravaged by mental illness and neurodevelopmental disorders: “Thy Concern is with Action alone, never with results. Let not the Fruit of alone be thy motive, nor let thy action be for inaction. [“The Bhagvad Gita’ with commentary of Sri Adi Guru Sankaracharya- Samata Books]
III. How can this Proposal be implemented:
What models can serve as templates to create a nation-wide plan, work on building allyships to create sustainable bidirectional collaborative relationships for the short- and long-term benefit of the Afghani People especially prevent Transgenerational transmission of adverse Epigenetic changes which would have profound debilitating impact on the whole nation.
A.
1. It is very clear that the task in front of us is enormous and terrain is very fraught which requires us to identify and form alliances with organizations that have exemplary record of sustained sterling services to girl children and people of the mountain communities. I have immense respect for the work of the Central Asia Institute which provides educational opportunities for girl children and assistance to their communities: This Map shows you were they have established deep and life sustaining roots.
Home - Central Asia Institute Educate a girl. Change the world. TN
For nearly 25 years, Central Asia Institute has been supporting education in some of the most remote, impoverished, and insecure pockets on Earth. Our vision is a world where all people – regardless of sex, age, income, ethnicity, or nationality – have access to education to help them achieve their aspirations and realize their full potential. With the dedicated support of our donors, we are making that vision come true, one child at a time. Their credibility is so secure they are providing risk mitigating services to contain Covid-19 in Remote Mountainous areas.
CAI programs seek to make a lasting difference in the lives of girls, boys, women, and men of all ages. We do so by developing platforms that holistically support the full spectrum of education — from students and teachers to school infrastructure and career development. We focus on remote areas, often high in the mountains, where other organizations can’t or won’t go and where literacy rates are shockingly low.
From the very start, CAI has taken a community-based, grassroots approach. Working through local implementing partners (local non-profit organizations) and with communities, we’ve ensured our programs are responsive to local needs, culturally and socially appropriate, and human-centered. We focus on hard-to-reach communities where few other international organizations work, and government services are often scarce.
CAI believes that the changes they are seeking to achieve is only possible where their support is targeted at specific geographic areas, focused on the most impactful interventions, and sustained. CAI avoids reactive, short-term, one-off programs. [This Famine mitigation program MUST Not be visualized and implemented as a one – off intervention.] CAI sees building the capacity of their local implementing partners and communities where we work as inherent to our work. As two decades of experience has proven, our approach is impactful and sustainable.
2. CAI was started by Mr. Greg Mortensen who wrote the transformative book Three Cups of Tea. Three Cups of Tea: Symbols | SparkNotes. It is replete with much symbolism that important to Balti People. A key ally of Mr Mortensen. Hajji Ali described this process of engagement and affiliation which turned to benefit both Hajji Ali’s people but all the others in Neighboring Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Haji Ali makes the meaning of having tea clear when he tells Mortenson, “The first time you share tea with a Balti, you are a stranger. The second time you take tea, you are an honored guest. The third time you share a cup of tea, you become family.” Hajji Ali explains to Mortenson that he must be available to share three cups of tea, by which he means Mortenson needs to build relationships with the Balti people if he wants to accomplish his goals in the region.
B. I don’t think the American Military adopted these methods with the leaders of the local people in specific regions of Afghanistan. But General Petraeus who was impressed by the work of Mr Greg Mortenson and decide to adopt his ideas, adapt, and improvise to make it work in Iraq. The US Marines adopted these strategies in their successful campaign in Al Anbar Province. I have good knowledge of what the I BN, II, Mar Division were able to achieve in the Al Anbar province by embracing the concepts that infused the Awakening Counter insurgency. They were able to suppress the uprising and were able to establish a courthouse in one of the towns to facilitate legal processes. I offer these links to
Iraqi Report: Gen. Petraeus on Iraq, Anbar Rising - The Long War Journal
IV.
Crucial Spiritual and Building blocks that can serve as a sustaining supportive matrix to this extra-ordinary Act of grace that can transformational changes for Afghani people who have been literally under the gum and totally at the mercy of military groups for several decades including Foreign invaders.
A.
Intercessory Prayers and benedictions.
1. I offer this prayer to children who like Parwana, Zaitan and Magul and countless others tragically fated for the despicable conditions of being a bought and paid for slave from very tender ages. We must surely stop the sale to the two year old girl mentioned in this report: Afghan families are selling their children so they can eat as the economy crumbles (msn.com)
Numbers 6:24-26 KJV;NIV - The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The - Bible Gateway
24 The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:
25 The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
26 The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace.
2. I have been able to work through many difficult challenges by being totally committed to living according this precept offered by Prophet Micha 6-8 Micah 6:8 NKJV - He has shown you, O man, what is good; - Bible Gateway
He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love [a]mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?
By serving people, I am serving God in humility.
3. I have almost always dedicated everything I undertake and the results of my actions to God Almighty much as the Knights Templars during all their successful campaigns defending their faith and creed: Non Nobis Domine - Knights Templar of All Britain, Wales, and England (knightstemplar-wales.org)
“Not unto us O Lord, not unto us, but to Your Name give Glory.” Psalm 115:1
4. Traditionally at the close of hopefully at its best a bidirectional teaching and learning experience, we close this fortunate encounter with this benediction:
a. Shanti Mantra- Prayer for Peace [Sanskrit]
Sahana Vavatu - In Sanskrit, English with Translation, Meaning and Notes (shlokam.org)
”May the Lord protect both of us. May He nourish both of us . May we work together with great energy. May our Intellect be Illuminated/sharpened. Let no animosity emerge amongst us. Let there be peace in three spheres Body, Mind and Soul. Let there be freedom from three key inimical forces a. [Adhi daivika] These are beyond our control, from creatures all around us [Adhi Bhautika ] and from the deeply seated forces within us [Adhi atmika]
This is Shanti mantra from Taittiriya, Katha Upanishad and Shvetashvatara Upanishads.
b. Shanti Mantra [Sanskrit Prayer]
Sarvesham Svastir bhavatu - In Sanskrit, English with Translation, Meaning and Notes (shlokam.org)
Sarveshaam Svastir bhavatu…
Aum, let there be well-being for all, let there be peace for all, let there be completeness for all, let there be auspiciousness for all. May prevail in mind body and soul as well as on the Land, waters, and the limitless sky.
B.
Touch stones of Inspiration, deep and abiding faith, and vibrant hope.
While pursuing this advocacy effort I am reminded of these inspiration words of Ms. Helen Keller.
Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence
When we do the best that we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another.
The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt within the heart.
The marvelous richness of human experience would lose something of rewarding joy if there were NO Limitations to overcome.
I close with these memorable words of Mr. Nelson Mandela and Mr. Robert Ingersoll
It always seems impossible until it is done. Nelson Mandela.
"We rise by lifting others." ~ Robert Ingersoll
What you, Mr. Musk, Sir, are proposing to do is a transcendent act of love and of truly amazing grace:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails … And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13, NIV). Building up a person [or a family or a society or a whole nation.VM] with any of the other ways mentioned is only made effective when done so together with love. Care for others based on how you would want to be cared for. Build up one another how you would like to be inspired. As a result, you will move up to a whole new level of breakthroughs in life.
We Rise by Lifting Others - a Misunderstood Concept ~ The Akashic Library
One day when peace and tranquility, comity and amity , safety and security are restored may be you Sir and others who worked with you to lift the Afghani people and restore them to their rightful place in the Community of Nations like the Phoenix that is rising from the fire will be invited by the Balti people and others such as the Pashtun’s who are like the Spartans of Central Asia will invite to stay on have the heartwarming third cup of Tea that Hajji Ali spoke about with Mr. Greg Mortensen because that is when you know you have become part of the family-their family that you helped to conserve and nourish.
I trust the Almighty God will enlighten us and lead us from darkness to light and despair to buoyancy and wellbeing, “ In Lumine Tuo Videbimus Lumen,” Psalm 36.9. By your efforts Mr. Musk, Sir, you can lead us especially the desperate people in Afghanistan from darkness to light and from death to bountiful life.
Finally, I would like for the people of Afghanistan especially the little girls and boys that we all crave to experience which was eloquently expressed by Vice- Admiral Vivek Murthy, MD, UPHS and 19th and 21st Surgeon General of the USA: “We all need to know that we matter and that we are loved.”
If I may so dear Sir, you are on the threshold potentially of creating the conditions that would result in millions of debilitated and dispirited Afghani people, adults and children of all ages and gender identities to experience this – they matter as individual human persons and they are loved by people from around the world
It will soon be winter in the highlands, mountains and valleys of Afghanistan which can bring great beauty to the majestic mountains but add much agony and despair to the Afghani People facing calamitous circumstances. I offer these evocative words of Poet Laureate Robert Frost, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”
…
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep
It is but meet that I keep wending my way forward in this trackless wilderness to achieve the goal set by Dr Murthy because the Afghani people are my people! I don’t need to sleep for now there are miles to go …
Velandy Manohar, MD.,
Distinguished Life fellow, Am. Psychiatric Assoc [APA]
President of Asian American Caucus of the APA
President, Indian American Psychiatric Assoc.
Past Steering Committee and Founding member of the Psychotherapy Caucus of the APA
Chair- Community Engagement and Outreach Standing Committee- Community Advisory Council of the Office of Health Strategy-CT