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Humanitarian Situation in Afghanistan
The Global War on Terrorism: The First 100 Days
The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan remains dire. Millions face the threat of starvation. 70% of the Afghan people and ½ of all Afghan children are malnourished. Only 13% of the Afghan people have access to clean water.
Years of civil war -- compounded by the rule of the Taliban and the worst drought in 30 years -- have made matters worse. The Taliban were clearly more interested in protecting al-Qaeda than feeding the starving, innocent people of Afghanistan. Al-Qaeda and the Taliban have not only failed to provide security, food, and shelter for the Afghan people, but they have also disrupted the efforts of international relief agencies to deliver desperately needed food and medical supplies to the Afghan people. Among other things, the Taliban have seized and looted humanitarian supplies for themselves, and have harassed and beaten Afghan and international aid workers.
The typically harsh Afghan winter is arriving and the U.S., with its international partners, is doing everything it can to help bring hope to the innocent Afghans who have suffered under the brutal and oppressive al-Qaeda and Taliban regime:
The President announced the creation of the America’s Fund for Afghan Children. The President asked American children to send $1 dollar -- or whatever they can afford -- to the Fund to help buy important humanitarian supplies. America’s children have donated more than $2 million thus far to the Fund. The first shipment of humanitarian goods purchased from this fund left the U.S. for the Afghan children on Sunday, December 9.
The government has provided more than $62 million in grants to support relief activities in Afghanistan. The programs include supporting agriculture, rehabilitating water resources, funding health services, repairing shelters, and providing critical non-food items such as blankets, tents and kitchen sets. Additional grants have funded UN coordination efforts and a radio program to provide humanitarian and security information to Afghans in their home languages.
USAID has provided funding for wool blankets and quilts, shelter kits, plastic sheeting and winterized tents. Further, USAID is distributing mattresses, clothes, stoves, cooking sets, firewood, coal, lanterns and water containers. efforts are effective and well coordinated.
 Fact
Sheet about Afghan Children
More than
10 million children in Afghanistan have suffered under years
of civil war and drought and now suffer under the repressive
Taliban regime:
One in
four Afghan children will not
make it to their fifth birthday.
Afghanistan ranks number one worldwide in maternal
mortality.
One
in three Afghan children is an orphan.
Almost 1/2 of Afghan children suffer chronic
malnutrition.
Millions face the threat of starvation.
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Photos courtesy the American Red Cross.
America's youth have given more than $2 million to the children
of Afghanistan.
President Sees off Relief Supplies for Afghan Children
President Bush helped to send off the first shipment of humanitarian aid purchased from funds donated by America's children.
America's Fund for Afghan Children
 President
Bush asks American children to help Afghan children by
contributing one dollar (cash, check or money order)
individually or collectively to:
America's Fund for Afghan
Children
c/o The White
House
1600 Pennsylvania
Ave.
Washington, DC 20509-1600
America's
Youth Respond to Afghan Children's Fund
President
Asks American Children to Help Afghan Children  View
 Listen
President
Establishes "America's Fund for Afghan Children
President
Holds Prime Time News Conference View
Listen
The
Humanitarian Crisis in Central Asia
Office
of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
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Policies in Focus
Even before September 11, the U.S. was the leading humanitarian aid donor for Afghanistan. Last fiscal year the U.S. provided $183 million of humanitarian assistance alone to Afghanistan.