Over 1800 IDP Afghan families receive food and household assistance
Mazar-e-Sharif, 29 September 2013 (UNHCR): The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) have jointly assisted 1,827 vulnerable families displaced by conflict in the past four months with household items and food packages. Assistance is provided in close coordination and cooperation with Departments of Refugees and Repatriation (DoRRs) in the provinces.
Whilst over 80 per cent of those IDPs assisted are in Faryab province, IDP families have been displaced due to insecurity in six provinces of the north and north-east regions.
Assistance follows through assessments conducted jointly by staff from DoRR, UNHCR, WFP and Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) who identified the most vulnerable families and their needs.
The number of IDP families in receipt of UNHCR household items and WFP mixed food package are as follows: Faryab 1,534 families, Jawzjan 47 families, Sar-e-Pul 45 families, Kunduz 110 families, Badakhshan 18 families and Balkh 73 families.
The families have been displaced from Ghormach, Pashtonkot, Almar, Qaisar, Kohistanat districts of Faryab, Janwand district of Badghis, Sayad and Kohistanat districts of Sare, Archi, Chardara and Imam Sahib districts of Kunduz, Warduj district of Badakhshan and Alburz area of Balkh. The families are currently living in safe locations of Qaisar, Khuja Sabzposh, Ghormach districts, Maimana city, Sare Pul city, Sheberghan city, Kunduz city, Ishkashem district of Badakhshan, Balkh and Chemtal districts of Balkh province.
IDP families who are uprooted from their homes endure harsh economic conditions and suffer many social and emotional challenges. For 73 IDP families displaced to Mazar the distribution of food and house hold support today in the presence of DoRR, governmental organizations, WFP and UNHCR helps to address some of their deepest needs.
UNHCR’s household assistance packages being distributed today include five blankets, one plastic sheet, one kitchen set, one gas cylinder, two jerry cans, six multi-functional soaps, hygiene items, a solar powered lamp and one metal bucket for each family
WFP food assistance family package includes 150 kg wheat, 18 kg beans, 11, 25 kg oil and 1.5 kg salt.
According to IDPs, this assistance is very helpful for them. Many families thanked UNHCR and WFP for much need and valuable assistance which can provide a measure of relief to their families.
UNHCR repeats its commitment to continue to assist the provincial authorities to provide humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable families displaced by conflict.
For further information, please contact:
Fahim Hamdard (Mazar-e-Sharif): 0791990304 or 0799164747; Email: farhadm@unhcr.org
M. Nader Farhad (Kabul): 0791990018; Email: farhadm@unhcr.org