CARE Distributes Food to War Widows in Kabul, Provides Opportunity

CARE
Monday, 7 January 2002

The international humanitarian organization CARE has resumed monthly food distributions to 10,000 war widows and their families (60,000 people total) in Kabul for the first time in four months.

"The situation in September was so uncertain that CARE distributed a six-month supply of food instead of the usual monthly ration," says Awadia Mohamed, manager for CARE's assistance program for women. "But we've now found that the widows have little or no food left and have had to resume distributions sooner than scheduled.

"The widows in the program have at least two children and no sons over 16-years-old. They have no education, possessions or assets, so they have no means of supporting themselves," says Mohamed. "They receive health education from CARE during the food distributions. We teach them about personal hygiene, water and sanitation, nutrition, controlling the threat of diarrhea in their children, iodine and vitamin A deficiency, malaria and immunization."

There are an estimated 30,000-50,000 war widows in Kabul, with little or no means of support. The widows' situation became even more precarious in 1996 under Taliban rule as women could not travel without a male relative and were forbidden to work in most sectors. These conditions led CARE to launch a feeding program for widows covering districts 6, 7 and 8 in Kabul. The program supplies a food ration of 70 lbs. of wheat, 20 lbs. of beans and cooking oil. The ration provides a family of five with half of their monthly nutritional needs. On average, working with local partner organizations, CARE distributes 4,000 tons of food annually.

Sally Austin, assistant country director for CARE in Afghanistan, adds: "CARE was able to employ more than 70 women in its programs, even during the Taliban. Now that conditions are more conducive to projects working with and for women, CARE is expanding previous pilot projects. These projects train women in basic health and nutrition, provide skills in sewing, embroidery, animal husbandry and vegetable gardening. These programs are key in helping to provide sources of income for women."

For more information, or to contact CARE, see their website at: www.care.org