Today (Thursday 20th September) Trócaire
allocated some £100,000 to it's local partner, the Sanayee Institute for
Education and Learning (SIEAL), based in Peshawar, Pakistan. The money
is being donated towards the distribution of emergency relief supplies
to 2000 displaced families who have reached SIEAL's area of operation.
Trócaire's Director, Justin Kilcullen
stated: " The allocation of £100,000 to our local partners based in
Pakistan is a preparatory move for the worst case scenario that may arise.
Trócaire's strong links with local NGO's on the ground enable us to co-ordinate
a strong and secure emergency relief project which will continue amidst
the uncertainty prevailing at this time."
He continued: " Trócaire's work with local organisations since 1992 has given us a crucial connection to those well placed to distribute, in the most co-ordinated fashion, the pre-positioned emergency relief supplies to what could be a huge humanitarian disaster."
Some 200 local staff, based throughout the Afghan provinces of Herat, Farah and Bagdhis will distribute 2000 family food packages, consisting of flour, ghee, sugar, tea and rice, and non-food packages. That include tents, tarpaul, blankets and dishes. The onset of winter temperatures in the area, dropping to below freezing, makes shelter and blankets essential as necessities for those who have succeeded in crossing the often-porous 720-mile border
Trócaire's funding of SIEAL, since 1998 with 4 grants totalling 54,380 euros, has primarily focused on educational projects. These have provided basic literacy, development educational and environmental awareness to women, widows and children who have escaped the three-year drought and ongoing conflict in Afghanistan to Peshawar in Pakistan.
However in the light of the present acute humanitarian need, SIEAL are redirecting their attentions to the area of emergency relief distribution, from its main office in Peshawar in northern Pakistan It is estimated that close to three million Afghan refugees are living in camps outside of the country, of whom 1.4 million of are in Pakistan Already there have been reports that over 4,000 Afghans have successfully crossed the Pakistan border in the past few days.
Trócaire is liasing on a daily basis with our partners in Caritas International to prepare for a possible massive exodus of Afghans over the coming weeks.