Afghanistan

Winter Support

Winter in Afghanistan is harsh. Temperatures can drop below freezing point and snow fall can be severe. As winter began again this year, there were concerns globally about how the vulnerable people in Afghanistan were going to fare, especially those in IDP camps and/or with no income to pay for heating. Some news agencies reported families had to choose between food and heat.

However, because of all of our wonderful supporters around the globe, Hagar was able to provide warm blankets, clothing and children’s shoes to vulnerable families (the majority of which are living in camps for Internally Displaced People). Approximately 7752 people have benefitted from this winter support. Such supplies could not be given at a more crucial time and pictured below are some of the distribution events that took place.

As part of their winter support initiative, Hagar made sure children attending their Child Friendly Spaces in IDP camps had what they needed to stay warm over winter. The following is a testimony from a teacher in one of these spaces about how winter support from Hagar profoundly impacted the lives of her students:

“Raghida is one of the smartest students in our class in the Arzan Qimat district. Her family is very poor and could not afford her education. When she enrolled in Hagar’s educational program, her clothes were so bad and she was barefoot that in such a cold winter, she could not continue her studies without warm clothes and shoes. They are living in a tent in the Botkhak IDP camp.

One day when I was in the classroom teaching to the students she came to the class very worried. When I asked her the reason? She said: “my family is very poor we do not have warm clothes and blankets for the cold winter. I cannot come to the class without a warm jumper and shoes. So I am going to quit my class in winter.

Her condition was really bad and it was very difficult to come to the class in this cold weather, but fortunately, Hagar’s office took very serious steps in this regard and through the emergency response plan provided warm winter clothes and shoes to the students of our classes. They bought shoes and helped their families with blankets. In doing so, the students who had been forced to drop out of school due to winter resumed their studies. And their families have survived the onslaught of winter.”