Afghanistan

For the past three decades, millions of people across Afghanistan have suffered the devastating humanitarian consequences of armed conflict. Millions live in fear for their lives and for the future of their children.

Afghanistan remains one of the world's poorest countries. Widespread poverty and a breakdown of the country’s infrastructure have left thousands of people without access to even the most basic supplies and services. Families are in desperate need of basic assistance such as food, clean water, sanitation and health care.

As conflict continues in Afghanistan, the humanitarian situation worsens.

Canadian Red Cross

The Red Cross Movement maintains one of the most extensive humanitarian access capacities in Afghanistan. 

For the past 75 years the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) has been working tirelessly to bring basic vital humanitarian services to many of the hardest to reach places.  For almost 30 years, the International Committee of the Red Cross has run health and rehabilitation programs, visited prisoners and restored links between family members separated by conflict.

This year, thanks to the generosity of Canadians, the Canadian Red Cross, in partnership with the ARCS, is empowering women and the disabled through livelihoods training in Kabul. During the course of the next year we will help over 60 people master a trade, secure employment and support their families.

The Canadian Red Cross, with funding support of the Canadian International Development Agency, has also been assisting the International Federation of Red Cross and ARCS to implement a country wide disaster management project.  This project focuses on the pre-positioning of non-food items and shelter to strengthen ARCS capacity to respond to small and large scale disasters in the country.

Under the Disaster Management project, the following key activities have been completed:

• Reached a total of 9,706 people
• Four ARCS Disaster Response Units have been trained, comprising of 40 staff and volunteers in multiple assessments techniques and in response operations/systems
• Needs assessments and beneficiary registration process for 1,018 families in the disaster affected regions
• Community-Based First Aid for ARCS Staff and volunteers
• Two community based disaster preparedness training workshops for 40 ARCS volunteers in Kapisa.

Posted July 20, 2009/Updated November 17, 2010