CARE'S TV PSA ADDRESSES THE CRISIS IN AFGHANISTAN

By Bill Goodwill

CARE's latest TV PSA focuses on the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. The spots, in :30/:15 lengths, highlight innocent civilians affected by the current war, and the devastation that surrounds them.

Afghanistan is suffering from an extended humanitarian crisis after two decades of conflict that include a 10-year Soviet occupation and ensuing civil war. More than 10 million landmines are scattered throughout the country, making Afghanistan the second most heavily mined nation in the world.

As a result of the widespread fighting, more than 1.5 million people have died and about four percent of the population has been disabled by fighting or mine accidents. In addition, nearly half of the country's population is being affected by a severe three-year drought, the worst in 30 years.
With the war draining Afghanistan's financial resources, the impoverished nation's government infrastructure has collapsed, and its estimated 25 million citizens lack the most basic health, education and other social services.
Following the tragic events of September 11, 2001, and our military reprisal for harboring of Osama bin Laden, hundreds of thousands of Afghans have fled their homes in search of safety. Many have moved toward border areas with Pakistan, Iran, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, and tens of thousands already have managed to cross closed borders.
The UN estimates the current situation in Afghanistan will add 2 million people to the already vulnerable caseload, bringing the total to 7.5 million people in need of food assistance. Of these, 6 million people within Afghanistan will need support, as well as 1.5 million refugees in other countries.

CARE's Response

As a result of deteriorating security conditions inside Afghanistan, all international CARE staff members have been evacuated from the capital, Kabul, and virtually all project operations have ceased. As soon as security and conditions permit, CARE's primary goal is to return to Afghanistan to help Afghans begin rebuilding their lives in their home communities. However, CARE realizes the urgent need for assistance to Afghan refugees seeking shelter in neighboring countries and has committed humanitarian assistance to Afghans in four key areas:

• shelter (tents/plastic sheeting);
• food distribution;
• distribution of other basic items (e.g., pots and utensils for cooking); and
• health education.

Already, CARE's team in Peshawar, Pakistan, is working on logistics to distribute relief supplies first to the border camps, and later across the border in Afghanistan.

CARE Afghanistan normally has a staff of more than 450 specialists experienced in rural livelihood programming, including the distribution of large amounts of food, large-scale water projects, sanitation and health education, drought relief programming and emergency response. CARE also has experience in partnership programs with local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Pakistan and Afghanistan, a widows feeding project in Kabul (8,000 families) and a community primary education project targeting 20,000 children (43 percent girls).

One of CARE's most innovative and successful programs is the COPE educational project. Reaching both boys and girls, this project gained the acceptance of communities and the Taliban because it was inexpensive, sustainable and respected local norms.

After September 11, all local Kabul and field office staff members were encouraged to ensure the safety of their families and themselves. Some staff decided to remain in Kabul for as long as possible to run CARE's water supply project, which provides clean water to more than 200,000 people in the capital. They also planned to proceed with emergency food distribution for widows and their families. However, CARE USA has had no contact with the local staff in Afghanistan since September 22, when phone and email contact with persons outside of Afghanistan was prohibited.

CARE helps by providing assistance to refugees as well as those still trapped within Afghanistan. For more information on CARE’s latest TV PSA campaign, Contact: Tony Williams, 404-979-9403, wilt@CARE.org or visit the CARE website at: www.care.org.