Emergency Aid for Afghan Families

The Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL) has expanded its emergency relief program for poor Afghans because of the deteriorating situation for many Afghans. Begun to assist poor Afghans through the winter in Kabul, AIL expanded the program to Herat during the winter and in the Spring expanded it again to meet the needs of Afghans displaced by flooding and Afghans forced to return from Iran.

Following is feedback from recipients from the AIL coordinator in Herat about one delivery to needy families in April:

• AIL sub office Herat distributed food items to 38 widows, 20 orphans and 12 poor men of different areas of Herat city. The total beneficiaries of this aid were 568 people. The food items were a 25kg bag of rice and 3 liters of oil. • One of the widows said," You can't imagine that how much this food ration will help me. For a long time we have not eaten good food because we are very poor and have very little income". • A disabled man said," I am not only disabled, my other disaster is poverty. If I was ok, I could support my family and could have a normal life. I thank AIL that reaches the disabled and poor families. This food ration can help us for 15 days.”

The AIL Herat office has also entered into a contract with the World Food Program which is giving food assistance to poor women taking skills classes in three of AIL’s centers. Although there is a lot of administrative work, the assistance is very helpful to the women and their families.