Giving children their lives back
War turns everyone’s lives upside down, especially children’s. We strive to create environments where children can learn, play and grow. We want to help them get back on their feet and start moving in a positive direction.
To do this, we must first make them feel safe. We’ve created Child Well Being Committees, which are designed to involve everyone in the protection of the children of the community. We train parents, community members and government staff regarding basic child protection issues and deinstitutionalizing services for orphanages and family preservation programs.
But protecting the children isn’t enough. Our reach also extends to education. Supporting community-based literacy classes for rural children and youth, we’ve trained teachers on classroom procedures that are conducive to children’s development and advocated against corporal punishment in the schools. We also help them regain a sense of normalcy by providing recreational activities, giving special attention to activities for girls.
Health services are also high on our list of priorities for children and their families. We’ve constructed health posts, including providing equipment, supplies and training to health workers. But we take it to the next step and connect people with assistance through referral services.
Reducing poverty, increasing self-sufficiency
We have developed and implemented a micro-finance program in post-conflict northern Afghanistan to provide loans to families, many of whom fled to other countries or were living in Internally Displaced People camps. The sustainable livelihood development program targets marginalized and vulnerable Afghans who need the most assistance, including women and those who are poverty stricken or handicapped.
New businesses are an important element of rebuilding the country. Not only do we help new business owners secure loans, but also equipment for their new ventures. More importantly, we provide skills training for youth over 16 and distribute livestock and agricultural equipment (seeds and fertilizers) to rural communities to also fuel the agricultural side of the economy.
