Oxfam in Afghanistan - For the Long Haul

Posted: 16 October 2002

As drought continues to threaten the people of Afghanistan and their ability to rebuild their lives, Oxfam remains committed to providing emergency assistance to the region.

Continued drought in many parts of the country makes it extremely hardfor villagers and thousands of returning refugees to pick up their lives, start planting crops, raise livestock, and replant their orchards. Their lives remain precarious.

Most of Oxfam’s funding currently supports local organizations helping with essential needs:

Food and medicine distribution

Health care

Landmine and bomb disposal (It is estimated that it will take at least seven years to destroy the 10 million mines littering Afghanistan.)

Rehabilitation of water and irrigation systems

School construction

Rebuilding homes

Replanting orchards, training farmers to develop alternative and improved crops

Road construction and maintenance

Thousands of Afghans fled their homes for refugee camps, both inside Afghanistan and in neighboring countries. Oxfam brought emergency water systems to several of these camps, sharing with refugees the importance of sanitation in such close quarters. Without this intervention, thousands might have died from malaria, diarrhea, and other preventable diseases. Read more about Oxfam’s emergency water and sanitation program on the web.

In the Istalif district, north of Kabul, the Taliban destroyed virtually every house. Oxfam partner organization AREA is distributing free food to villagers while they rebuild their homes. As the houses take form, they receive concrete beams, doors, and windows manufactured in an Oxfam-funded factory in Kabul. This factory provides income to hundreds of unemployed workers, while offering people earthquake-resistant homes.