Breaking Bread: The Tradition Continues
My name is Janice Eisenhauer and as co-founder of Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan several decades ago, I invite you to host a Breaking Bread to build awareness and raise funds.
Breaking Bread Events, with their unique and life-affirming combination of food, friends, and fundraising, have formed a vital part of our grassroots support.
What is a Breaking Bread Event?
Breaking Bread is a unique-to-CW4WAfghan fundraiser where friends, family, or colleagues bring a donation and gather around a potluck meal in support of educational programs for Afghan women and girls. Breaking Bread events are an easy and fun way to raise funds and make a lasting impact.
Why Host a Breaking Bread?
Women and girls over the age of 12 in Afghanistan have been banned from attending secondary school and universities. By hosting a Breaking Bread fundraiser, you are supporting the fundamental human right to education and providing educational opportunities to Afghan women and girls. Breaking Bread fundraising activities are one of CW4WAfghan’s most important sources of revenue that ensure we can continue to run high quality programs.
Click the slide show below to see the variety of Breaking Bread activities hosted by Chapters and supporters.
Host Friends or Family
At the core of every Breaking Bread is a rewarding social experience that involves gathering and sharing. Breaking Bread events can be as casual or elaborate as the host prefers. Invite friends, family, or colleagues to bring a donation and gather for a coffee or tea, casual appetizers, or a full traditional Breaking Bread potluck meal.
Each Breaking Bread event is unique and we encourage creativity! Consider raising awareness and funds in one of these ways:
- Potlucks: Our traditional Breaking Bread format where every guest brings a dish to share
- A themed coffee or tea
- Birthday party: whether your birthday, or someone else’s invite friends or family to celebrate and use the time to build awareness about the challenges women and girls face in Afghanistan
On November 
20th, Denise Jamieson hosted our first in-person Breaking Bread since the start of the pandemic.
Located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Denise held her first BB in 2004 and has hosted many more during the last 17 years.
Denise first learned about Breading Bread events in a Chatelaine magazine article in 2003 and has since hosted many BB events as well as volunteering as the race director for the Secret Race Marathon 3K run.
“Canadian journalist and rights activist Sally Armstrong wrote a story about the woman who hosted the first BB in Toronto. I learned how a business woman raised $750 to pay for a teacher’s annual salary by inviting 10 people to share a potluck meal and asking each guest to contribute $75. I was very moved by this article, but at the time, as a stay at home Mom with a young family we couldn’t afford $75 and I didn’t feel I could ask friends to contribute that much money. But the article really resonated with me and about a year later I called that woman in Toronto who had created the event to ask if I could put my own spin on a Breaking Bread gathering. So instead of inviting 10 people I asked lots of people to come and to bring drinks or dessert and a contribution of any amount. In that first event, we raised over $1500 and I was so thrilled.
Food Brings Us Together
Ideas for recipes, music, and activities you might consider when planning your Breaking Bread activity.
Afghan Music Playlists
Immerse yourself in the rich world of Afghan music from popular songs to traditional ballads.
Book and Brunch
Our Ottawa Chapter Hosted a Book n Brunch, and this is another great way to gather virtually, or in person. Click each image for summaries of the books, and book club discussion questions for Dancing in the Mosque.
Support Afghan Women and Girls
Learn how your donation supports our programs in Afghanistan.