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FROM THE FIELD

Food & warm clothing help displaced families in Afghanistan through winter
10 Apr 2009 12:31:34 GMT
 Source: World Vision Middle East/Eastern Europe/ Central Asia office
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Children warm themselves with knitted clothing provided by World Vision Australia.
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Children warm themselves with knitted clothing provided by World Vision Australia.
World Vision MEERO, http://meero.worldvision.org

Background

•  Afghan turmoil

•  Food and hunger

•  Children

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Hundreds of displaced families, malnourished and exposed to bitter winter conditions in Chaghcharan in Afghanistan's Ghor province, received desperately needed food and warm clothing from World Vision this winter, despite heavy snows, severe road conditions, and the presence of criminal gangs along transportation routes that sought to highjack food convoys, steal provisions, and hamper the provision of humanitarian aid.

Displaced by long-term, systemic drought – in some areas, drought conditions have endured for over seven years –the 410 families, or about 2,460 people, encamped out in the open received food rations to last for approximately two months.

The 37.32 metric tonnes of locally-purchased commodities consisted of food, such as wheat, rice, oil, salt, and sugar, as well as blankets and tarpaulins. The emergency relief effort was funded by World Vision offices in Japan, Korea and Taiwan.

Meanwhile, children eagerly warmed themselves with their new colourful scarves, hats, knitted jumpers and socks provided as Gift-in-Kind from Australia.

'World Vision asked the displaced families what they needed most. The unanimous response was: 'Food, warm clothing, and blankets,' so we focused on providing these items that were so critical to surviving the extreme cold of winter', said Michael Juricic, World Vision Afghanistan Operations Director.

Juricic added: 'Working in emergency relief in Afghanistan is a cause for joy and sorrow. On the one hand, it is gratifying to see the faces of smiling children as they receive food and clothes- knowing that you have made a positive difference in the life of another person. On the other hand, relief efforts are not able to solve the underlying problems that caused the displacement of so many hundreds of families. Emergency relief is short-term at best. The results are fleeting.'

Indeed, only a handful of the 410 families are in a position to return to their villages of origin. Until they establish themselves and have an opportunity to generate an income, these families will remain vulnerable and dependent on outside assistance.

'The more successful that developmental projects are in promoting self-sufficiency amongst beneficiary communities, the less that winter-relief interventions will be required in the months and years to come', continued Juricic.

In light of the massive challenges that the relief intervention faced in terms of hazardous weather conditions and security threats, World Vision is assessing different methods of procurement and the pre-positioning of supplies, so that future relief aid can be facilitated through long-term preparations and strategic planning. The most effective relief aid is anticipatory, not reactive.

-Ends-


[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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Topics

•  Children

•  Food and hunger

•  Refugees & displacement

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Emergencies

•  Afghan turmoil

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[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

Background information

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