COVID-19 Aid for Education in Afghanistan

Dear Friends and Supporters,

According to World Health Organization (WHO), as of July 22, 2022, “there have been 184,069 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 7,737 deaths. As of 17 July 2022, a total of 6,706,843 vaccine doses have been administered, a low figure compared to other countries. There are shortages of oxygen and ventilators to treat severe COVID-19 cases, and not to mention trained medical staff. Vaccine inequity has also impacted Afghanistan due to roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines worldwide. Epidemiologists have warned that failure to stop COVID-19 in one geographical area presents a serious risk of potential for outbreak to the rest of the world.

While COVID-19 remains a serious health concern, Afghans are dealing with more urgent matters since the government collapse in August 2021. Persecuted and marginalized communities continue to bear the brunt. Hazaras, also known as Afghanistan’s others, continue to be substantially sidelined from the life-saving humanitarian aid distributed by major aid organizations. While some minor improvements have been reported recently – however, the aid distributed in Hazara areas pales in comparison to the much higher amount of aid distributed among the ruling Pashtuns, according to Hazara community leaders on the ground. There are reports of aid allocated for Hazaras that are distributed to Taliban soldiers and members of their Pashtun tribes. Additionally, the aid that finally reach Hazaras are very small compared to the aid distributed in Pashtun areas, and only covers a small fraction of the communities in specific localities.

Taliban have consistently denied Hazaras access to aid since the start of the humanitarian efforts in the fall of 2021 following the collapse of Afghan government in August 2021. It is part of their strategy of collective punishment of Hazaras due to the community’s support for the U.S. intervention in the past 20 years. In most cases, Taliban outrightly deny the need for humanitarian aid in Hazara areas. A recent example is the conflict in the Hazara-populated district of Balkhab in northern Afghanistan. After the Taliban attack late last month and the ensuing humanitarian crisis, the United Nations reported approximately 27,000 displaced Hazaras who fled after the Taliban military campaign in Balkhab. The Taliban denied the existence of displaced Hazaras and went as far as denying casualties and violence in Balkhab (please see the links provided to reports on Balkhab conflict). They tried to block humanitarian aid for thousands of the displaced Balkhabis, who have taken refuge in Bamyan province and other neighboring districts. Hundreds of families have fled to the mountains and are in urgent need of food, water and shelter. 

It is of utmost importance that the international community introduce urgent improvements to the aid distribution process so that all Afghans - regardless of race, religion and gender, and with minimum interference from Taliban - have access to the life-saving aid. It appears that aid has become a mechanism of punishment and reward for the current rulers of Afghanistan.

Again, while COVID-19 remains a serious risk, the Afghan people, particularly the marginalized groups, battle more urgent enemies – violence, displacement and severe food shortages. Within our limited resources, the Foundation is in the process of dispatching a humanitarian aid package to those who have fled to the mountains and who are in dire conditions. We will provide more details in the next report. 

In this time of crisis, your support has never been more critical. Your donations to this project will go towards supporting the persecuted Hazaras, who are battling a humanitarian crisis and a dangerous contagion. 

We are thankful for your continuous support.

With grattitude,

Timor + the Bamyan Foundation Team

Links:

• The Intersection of violence and Contagion in Afghanistan
• Report on Balkhab Conflict
• Conflict in Balkhab

Dear Friends,

It seems only five hospitals in Afghanistan still offer COVID-19 services with 33 others closed since the collapse of the Afghan government in August 2021. Though official statistics on COVID-19 rates are no longer available due to the collapse of the health system, it appears that the Omicron variant has been spreading fast this winter. The World Health Organization had promised the necessary kits by the end of February.

Though Omicron can be devastating in Afghanistan, where vaccination rates are low; however, people have been dealing with more urgent issues, such as political chaos and severe shortage of food and basic necessities during this harsh winter. The urgency is more severe in communities, who have been stigmatized due to race and religion for generations. Hazaras, who constitute about 20% of the Afghan population and easily distinguishable among other Afghans due to their Asiatic features, have been bearing the brunt. A common indicator of race, social status and privilege is facial features in Afghanistan. Those with Middle Eastern facial features (Pashtuns and Tajiks) are among the privileged groups while those with Asiatic features have been subjected to racial discrimination, marginalization and relegated to second class citizens from the founding of the state of Afghanistan. Since the Taliban takeover, the situation is further aggravated for the Hazara community due to the Hazara’s overwhelming support for the United States’ intervention in the past 20 years. The Taliban movement is a toxic combination of Pashtun nationalism and militant Sunni Islamic fundamentalism, and their hostility towards Shia Hazaras is widely known and documented since the rise of the ethnoreligious movement in the 1990s. These days, in a form of punitive measure and collective punishment, the Taliban and their supporters are sidelining Hazaras from the aid distribution by major aid organizations such as United Nations Assistance Mission for Afghanistan (UNAMA), World Food Program (WFP) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), according to Hazara community leaders and civil society members on the ground. In addition to forced displacements and land grabs, Hazaras have been the target of extortion by Taliban leadership and rank and file. Ismael, a Hazara businessman interviewed for an article published by George Washington University (GWU), shared that he was asked to pay a 1000 USD bribe to a Taliban officer to register his car that should have only cost approximately 150 USD. When asked why he was charged such a large sum, the Talib officer replied that, “a Hazara should be thankful that a Talib is processing his vehicle’s registration at the cost of dollars and not killing him” (please see the embedded article, Risks Facing Hazaras in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan under Links).

At a small scale and within Bamyan Foundation’s capabilities in terms of resources and fundraising, the Foundation has helped streamline the Hazara diaspora efforts to help our at-risk community in Afghanistan. In collaboration with Baba Mazari Foundation and community leaders on the ground, our teams distributed cash assistance to some of the most vulnerable families that were identified through a survey. From the total humanitarian aid package of 33,260 USD (more details will be provided in our humanitarian aid project), 7400 USD was from COVID-19 funds that was raised through this project and a generous grant from GlobalGiving’s Coronavirus Relief. 

From the 7400 USD, 5000 USD was distributed as cash assistance to 50 vulnerable families (9850 AFN per family) in Nili and Shahrestan districts of Daykundi. The recipients were displaced widows who had lost their husbands to recent violence, women provides of their families and those forcibly displaced with their lands and property confiscated. 

2400 USD was distributed as 10,085 AFN stipends to 24 faculty and staff at Rahnaward High school. The teachers and staff have been working on voluntary basis since the Kabul collapse and this aid was crucial in light of increased Omicron rates in the country.

We are immensely grateful for the generous grants from GlobalGiving’s Coronavirus Relief Fund and the kindness of our supporters for this lifesaving assistance.

These are difficult times for people of Afghanistan and with your support, we will continue providing crucial assistance to inaccessible communities and those sidelined by major aid organizations. We will also advocate that the major aid organizations develop a balanced approach to reach all Afghan communities in a fair and balanced manner.

Thank you for your continuous support!

Links:

• The Risks Facing Hazaras in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan
• Waiting for Assistance to counter COVID-19
• Bamyan Foundation's Humanitarian Assistance project