Hunger-free in Ramadan – food parcels for Afghan families

Afghanistan

Project start: 2023

Completed

Target achieved:

45.158 €

The escalating crises in Afghanistan are hitting people with disabilities particularly hard. Decades of violence have left large sections of the population living with disabilities as a result of injuries. However, they rarely receive the support they need and are far too often forgotten when it comes to emergency humanitarian aid, medical care or educational opportunities.

This is where we come in with this year’s humanitarian emergency aid for Ramadan. Together we can reach 600 families whose children have a disability with food parcels so that they can get through the holy month of Ramadan hunger-free.

While the political, financial and humanitarian crises in Afghanistan have continued to escalate since the Taliban took power in August 2021, one risk group is far too often lost sight of: people living with a disability.

War operations and explosive remnants of war such as landmines have contributed to the massive increase in the number of people living with a disability in Afghanistan over the last 20 years. In 2005, the incidence of severe disabilities in the Afghan population was 2.7%; by 2019, it had risen to 14%. Overall, 80% of adult Afghans have a disability. The country’s healthcare system cannot cope with this; there is a lack of everything from treatment places to medical care.

The situation of people with disabilities in Afghanistan

People with disabilities are particularly hard hit by the crises that are affecting the entire Afghan population. They often have fewer opportunities to work, their families often have to spend far too little money on medication and treatment and there is a lack of visibility and data to prioritize the families, for example in distributions by NGOs.

In addition, they repeatedly experience discrimination or violence, and there is a particular lack of facilities for children that meet their needs. Many of them therefore receive no schooling or are completely pushed out of public life.

Thanks to your great support, we were able to reach 601 families at two schools in Herat with this year’s Ramadan emergency aid.

As part of a hunger-free package, each family received 1 bag of rice, 1 bag of flour, 2 kilos of peas, 2 kilos of sugar, 2 kilos of tea, 2 kilos of beans and hygiene products.

Hunger-free in Ramadan

This year’s Visions for Children “Hunger Free” emergency aid is aimed at the families of children with disabilities and their teachers at two schools near Herat. We have already been active at the schools in the past and, thanks to a long-standing member, we are able to reliably implement the distribution on site.

In this way, we want to show the families – who continue to provide education for their children despite all the adversity – and the teachers who work hard for them every day that they will not be forgotten.

As part of our humanitarian emergency aid, we are able to distribute food parcels to 600 families at two schools. Each package contains a bag of rice, a bag of flour, two kilos of peas, two kilos of sugar, two kilos of tea, two kilos of beans and toiletries. A package will cost the equivalent of €50* and provide for a family of five for about a month.

Escalating crises in Afghanistan

585 days have passed since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in August 2021. The situation of the Afghan population is deteriorating day by day: over 50% of the people are acutely dependent on humanitarian aid, and the rights of women and girls are being increasingly curtailed.

Solidarity with the Afghan people is particularly important during the holy month of Ramadan. Every donation, no matter how small, sends an important message and makes a tangible difference in the lives of the families it reaches. We would therefore like to thank each and every one of you for your support!

If we manage to exceed the fundraising target, any surplus will go towards the education project at the Block Haye Hawayee School in Mazar-e-Sharif. Over 800 pupils have to move to the corridors or tents due to a lack of space. This worsens the quality of teaching, damages concentration, poses health risks and demotivates pupils. In addition, promoting education lays an important foundation for the next generation to be able to shape their lives independently and in a self-determined manner – and for short-term support such as humanitarian emergency aid to no longer be necessary in the future.

The construction project with our partner OASE started at the end of last year, so it is important to finalize the financing as soon as possible! Your donation can contribute to the construction of a new building with 12 additional classrooms so that the pupils can learn in safety.

*This is how the costs of the emergency aid distribution are made up: €50 per package goes directly to the families in the form of food and hygiene articles, €7 is used for coordination and administration in Germany and on site and €1.30 for bank and international transaction fees.

In recent years, we (the German and Afghan teams) have also implemented emergency aid entirely on a voluntary basis in some cases. However, since the change of government in August 2021, the time and personnel required for research, preparation and implementation of humanitarian emergency aid has increased significantly. Public structures have partially collapsed and information is much more difficult to access.

The economic crisis in Afghanistan and the associated fluctuations in the price of goods as well as the more difficult transfer of funds are also contributing to an increase in costs. We therefore hope for your understanding that we will partially offset the expenses incurred. Thank you so much for your support, which enables us to implement the humanitarian emergency aid!