Afghan Refugee Assistance
From: dasa@mail.rockefeller.edu (Aniruddha Das)
PLEASE FORWARD AND HELP!
Pakistani Citizens Support Initiative for Afghan Refugees
From: Shandana Khan, a citizen of Pakistan
Following the attacks of 11th September 2001 and bombing of
Afghanistan, the common Afghan is facing a serious plight and
refugees are pouring across Pakistan's borders with the NWFP alone expecting
an additional one million Afghan refugees. It is clear that this is turning
into a human catastrophe and that quick and large-scale arrangements will
have to be made to accommodate the refugees and meet their basic needs.
The feelings of Pakistani citizens towards their Afghan brethren are growing by the day and many of us believe that the need for us and the world community to do what we can for the refugees is our obligation. As a result, a few Pakistani citizens have decided to get together and start a donation drive for Afghan refugees in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan. This support drive was started by Naila Hussain and Shandana Khan and has gained momentum. We are citizens of Pakistan, both professional women who have worked in the development sectors for the past twelve years. We are mainly getting donations from within the country and would like to expand this initiative to outside Pakistan. We have linked up to two Afghan women's NGOs in the NWF Province and are supplying them with donated items and money to buy food, etc for the refugees from Afghanistan.
The Afghan NGOs are the Afghan Women's Network (AWC), which
is a large representative group of Afghan women as volunteers working in refugee
villages and the Afghan Women's Educational Centre (AWEC). AWEC with the coordination
of AWN will take full responsibility for any contribution made towards the
new refugees. These two organisations have coalesced especially to receive
any support that we, as private citizens of Pakistan, may wish to offer to
Afghan refugees. An women's NGO called Shirktgah, based in Lahore, has also
assisted us in this process and has opened an account especially for
this purpose. Through this expanding network, we have been able to grow this
initiative and are very encouraged by people's response.
If you are interested in providing support to Afghan refugees in this time of need, you will simply have to trust us and the person who has given you this message. You are welcome to contact us if you need more details. The contact via e mail is shandanak@yahoo.com You are also welcome to contact the AWEC directly for details. Theire mail addresses are given in the attached literature.
In order to donate funds the AWEC has opened an official, organisational US dollar account in the city of Peshawar in the NWF Province of Pakistan. Their account details are given below. You can also be faxed a letter from AWEC on official letterhead, stating that they have opened this account for donations. The letter is available from AWEC in Peshawar as well as from Shandana Khan in Islamabad.
Account Details
Afghan Women's Educational Centre (US $ Account)
Name of account: AWEC- Afghan Relief
Account Type: US $
Account Number: 1166-581922-192
Emirates Bank International
Islamia Road
Peshawar
North West Frontier Province
Pakistan
Pakistani Rupee Accounts are also available. Details as follows:
AWEC Accounts (Pakistani Rupee Account)
Account Name: AWEC
Account number: 1166566047101
Emirates Bank International
Islamia Road
Peshawar
NWFP
Shirkatgah Account (Pakistani Rupee Account)
Account Name: Shirkat gah Lahore Office Branch
Ac No.: Pak Rupees Savings No. 18-5703220-01
Bank: Standard Chartered Bank, New Garden Town Branch
Lahore, Pakistan
We would appreciate your quick contributions.
DETAILS OF AWN AND AWEC
(FOR INFORMATION)
Afghan Women's Network:
23 Chinar Rd, University Town,
Peshawar NWFP, Pakistan
Fax: 00 92 91 40436
E-mail: awn@brain.net.pk
The Afghan Women's Network, based in Peshawar, is a non-political, non-profit organization. Its aim is to promote solidarity and cooperation among Afghan women and strengthening their capacity to enhance their self-reliance and attain their rights. Established in 1996, its members include Afghan women living as refugees in Pakistan and Afghan women working in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Afghan Women's Network welcomes any support to develop its competencies and capacities to become more effective.
The AWN is a Voluntary organization of Afghan women. Capacity
building of its member women is one of the main activities of the organization.
AWN has been supported by other organizations in carrying out its activity,
as the organization has no external
funding support.
AWN was established in October 1995 in Islamabad, as a follow-up to the fourth UN conference on Women. Soon the Network was established in Kabul and Mazhar in Afghanistan and in Peshawar, Pakistan. The main aim of the Network has been attaining women's rights, however the strategies and approach have both been in keeping with circumstances.
The AWN in Peshawar hash more than 150 members and has been able to carry different workshops for the capacity building of its women members, and present the plight and interest of Afghan women to policy makers, in national and international events.
The Afghan Women's Educational Center (AWEC)
Director: Palwasha Hassan
Address: Bilal Street, Khalil Rd, Academy Town
Peshawar
Tel & Fax: 92-91-841917/43267
Email: irfan@pes.comsats.net.pk
Founded by a group of Afghan women in 1991 in Islamabad, the Afghan Women's Educational Center (AWEC) is a non-profit, non-political organization of Afghan refugee women. It aims to promote educational programs for Afghan refugee women and children, supporting women's group mobilization to gain self-reliance and empowerment.
AWEC is dedicated to assist all economic classes of Afghan women to polish their skills, further their education and raise awareness of their rights and privileges in order to promote their emancipation to better utilize community resources and to play their role in building of a just society upon their return to their country.
AWEC was formed at a time when only few women's political organizations of Afghan women existed. It sought to bring together scattered women refugee populations in the cities Rawalpindi Islamabad. Later on, due to the extremely acute educational situation among Afghan children, especially girls, the AWEC started supporting schools for children.
AWEC is a member of a coalition of two like-minded organizations (ie the NBSD & Irfan Cultural Center under the DHSA legal umbrella). These organisations share their visions and broad policies whereas they act independently in the areas of technical expertise.
Center for Street Children and Women:
The Centre is a joint venture of AWEC and NBSD to respond to the prevailing problem of low literacy in poor children ie especially street children and women beggars of the Afghan refugee community in the streets of Peshawar. The was started in March 1998 in the 'Board' area of Peshawar with the establishment of a center.
The primary objective of the project is to improve the basic living conditions of women and children of the recent Afghan refugee population in Peshawar who survive on the streets mainly through begging.
Skill training
Basic education including literacy, numeracy services in medical health, counseling services and job placement facilities are providedto women and children. Sports activities for children are also included. This is done once data is collected about the whereabouts and status of the target group.
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Aniruddha Das 212 327-7770 (ph) / 327-8240 (fax)
dasa@mail.rockefeller.edu
Rockefeller University
1230 York Ave
New York, NY 10021