Impressions of Afghanistan
by Mariana Hardwick

In March I travelled to Afghanistan with Nouria Salehi.

Afghanistan, via the media, now part of our everyday awareness, but in human terms still a very remote reality. The trip offered me a rare opportunity to enter this world, to observe the reality of life for those whose lives are swept up in such cataclysmic circumstances beyond their control – an experience beyond the imagination of most Australians – too remote in spite of the media focus – a reality too distant, too extreme, too far removed from the level of comfort that the average person in Australia assumes as their right. But with the magic of international jet travel I was transported into the midst of Kabul in such a short span of time as to make the transition somewhat surreal, although within days also perfectly reasonable. However, I was only ever a fleeting observer, conscious of my imminent equally speedy return to the other side of the globe.
I can describe what I saw, but months after my return, I am still unable to reconcile such discrepancy in the fate of fellow human beings and life as I experience it. I am even more appalled at this country’s cruel policies with regard to those seeking asylum.

We arrived in Peshawar, Pakistan, close to the Afghan border, and home now to a large Afghan refugee community. (There were 1.5 to 2 million refugees in Peshawar when I was there) The Afghan community in Peshawar appears to be well established, and it is interesting to see how the large numbers have been absorbed into the community, surviving by their own initiative and the assistance of numerous agencies that have been established in response to their needs especially for education and community support. An example of the potential resilience and resourcefulness of the Afghans in such circumstances, putting pay to the fears of those in our community wary of permitting even the comparatively small numbers at issue in Australia.

We flew to Kabul on a UN charter flight, along with a group of journalists, aid workers and business consultants among the many now arriving in Afghanistan.
First sight of Kabul – a range of snow covered mountains encircle the city. Hulks of aircraft and strewn metal litter the surrounds of the tarmac. We walk to the forlorn looking terminal – the interior empty and dimly lit with makeshift flouro tubes strung haphazardly from the ceiling.

My expectation was of a scene of greater widespread devastation than that we found in Kabul. Dramatic physical devastation certainly exists, but it is confined to certain areas of the city – whole suburbs where not a single building remains undamaged. Most of the destruction, at least in Kabul, seems to relate to the period of the Russian occupation and its aftermath. I did not expect to see a functioning city – taxis prowl the streets, hawkers selling food and a range of simple basic items. …Life goes on. However, on closer inspection one understands the extent of the destruction to the social fabric and infrastructure by over 23 years of continuous warfare. Everything is in a state of disrepair after years of neglect and damage. Streets and paving are pot holed and the atmosphere is dusty. Few of the basic services that we assume function – water supplies, electricity, communications are either non-existent or sporadic. The remnants of a bureaucracy remain, although public servants are reportedly not receiving salaries since the September disaster. Standards of community health and health care/medical resources have drastically deteriorated resulting in widespread suffering.

With more than 2 million killed and 500 thousand maimed as a result of the war many families have lost their male support. Women still clothed in burkhas begging on the streets, often desperately, their situation without supporting males leaving them no other recourse for their survival. Children also seek to eke out an existence on the streets as shoeshine service, hawking small items or begging.

Our visit started by visiting one orphanage in Kabul, which housed 2,300 orphans in an austere school building.
Many children in this orphanage do not know the name of their parents or family connections. These are the children who have been left behind by parents or found by soldiers in the aftermath of action.
The youngest was 2 and the eldest 15 years of age.

The environment was Dickensian bleak, and one mourned the absence of childhood for these children. Narrow little iron beds lined the classrooms, and we were saddened to be informed that the children slept two to a bed. Classes are conducted in the bedroom/classrooms. The atmosphere was heated by metal stoves in each room, and even though the warmth was cosy, the fumes from the fuel used gathered poisonously in one’s throat. In spite of this, the children seemed cheerful, like children anywhere, and did not appear glum, seemingly unaware of the tragedy of their circumstances. But this place will forever live in my memory.

Health

We visited some hospitals, the beds very old and the mattresses were worn out by age, patients were complaining of back ache and neck pain. Being winter in Afghanistan, kerosene was widely used to heat the hospitals. It was smelly, and the pervading unpleasant smell of kerosene added to the patient’s sufferance.

Basic supplies such as antibiotics, analgesia even aspirin and other drugs were non existent. In the laboratories only empty reagent bottles were left on display and an old microscope could determine the state of the blood of the patient in some hospital.

X- ray films and machine were non - existent and ECG machines are too much of a luxury to be found here.

For X- ray and ECG patients who can afford to go out side the hospital and buy their own medications.

The plumbing is worn out, the state of the toilets was often another dilemma for the patients. Clean water cannot be guaranteed, oxygen not available and electricity supplies often fail.
At makeshift clinics set up by the ISAF (International Security Assistances Force) military medics tended to crowds of villagers desperately waiting at the gates of the compound in the hope of the chance for medical assistance. Only a minority were able to be seen, such was the scale of the need.
I watched a dentist and his nurse attend to patient after patient. The only treatment he could administer to these unfortunate people was pain relief – pulling teeth - there was no resources for treatment, and in most cases the problem had gone too far. I was amazed at the stoicism and fearlessness of the patients, with no prior experience of dental procedures, sitting with mouth open, never flinching or complaining of pain or nervousness.

Laundries

In the hospitals, women have taken charge of washing and cleaning, but because of the lack of washing machines every thing was washed by hand.

The limited health care, clean water, food and the presence of dust and dirt, affect particularly the children and the elderly. The major killers are tuberculosis, gastrointestinal infections and pneumonia.

In our world with having access to medication and vaccines, these are all treatable and preventable diseases.

In the isolated part of the country, with high rate of malnutrition, contribute significantly to the mortality rates from infectious diseases.

Education

Flurry of activity in the Ministry of Education with the main focus being "Back to School"…especially momentous for the girls and the female teachers.
We spent some time in the Ministry of Education in Kabul, in the presence particularly of the Deputy Minister, Mr Bawjadry, who was indefatigable in his application to the task, constantly surrounded by petitioners, even whilst taking his lunch. Mr Bawjadry is an afghan business man from Melbourne who, like numerous expats has returned to Afghanistan to help rebuild the country.

Although the enthusiastic approach of children and young girls and boys was noticeable but the state of the schools is worse than the hospitals.

Schools

We visited a number of boys and girls schools. Most have been damaged completely by the war - some still waiting to accept the students without having roof, windows or doors. No chairs and tables left, instead replaced by thin large plastic rubbish bin bags. An old black board and chalk was the only materials in the schools.
Yet all students impressed us with their earnestness and eagerness, perched on shared wooden benches or on the floor, attentively focused on their teacher, with a degree of attention seldom to be seen here!

We met numerous very dedicated individuals who have taken the initiative to establish small local projects in response to the urgent need all around them. These local organizations are run on a shoe string, sustained by the commitment and compassion of the key individuals.
One particularly impressive undertaking is the school for street children in Kabul. This was established in recognition of the plight of the children forced by circumstances – ie. the absence of male provider in so many households – to take to the streets to eke out a small income with shoe shining, small trading etc. Such activity then depriving them of the time to attend school. ASCHIANA provides a flexible resource that still allows children time on the street, and tuition in relevant activities to provide either practical vocational skills such as woodwork, literacy, and activities such as painting to assist with trauma therapy.

All educational resources are scarce.
Libraries were empty. Books were all burnt out as fuel during the harsh winter 1997. Books and teaching materials are in great need.

An amazing sight on the outskirts of the city is the huge edifice of the former palace, empty and damaged, with loose roofing and materials clanging eerily. Sheep graze in the grounds, and alongside the palace, the National Museum, the building still intact but all windows and doors gone, and the interior completely empty, all the treasures – the country’s heritage having been looted. The two buildings a graphic image of a destroyed country
.

People are weary

One man told us "20 million people have been held hostage by a minority of 50,000". One understands that a minority of power brokers has perpetrated this war in all its various forms. The average Afghan wants nothing more than to get on with his life in peace. The family is the real foundation of society. Every family and home we visited was marked by strong sense of harmony and overwhelming hospitality and welcome

Small businesses are gradually resuming trade – the tourist shops on Chicken St. dusting off stock that has been on the shelves for over twenty years, restaurants closed under the Taliban now resume business, stocks of electronic equipment including VCRs, televisions, stereos & satellite dishes are already in store. Some stores are barred and empty – possibly looted. The mood amongst these businessmen and traders that we spoke to is one of relieved liberation from the restrictions of the Taliban, and cautious optimism for the future.
Of course a very large proportion, especially the upper levels of Kabul residents have left the city to find refuge overseas or in neighbouring countries. Some are returning to assess the situation there, and some with the intention of participating in the reconstruction process.

Security is currently maintained by a very visible western military presence
The influx of westerners in Kabul is very evident – predominantly aid workers and journalists.
The aid business is another dimension to the Kabul scene
Due to the damage to real estate, housing is at a premium. Reportedly overseas agencies are paying sky-high rentals in response to limited supply, a situation that will no doubt bring further pressure to accommodate local people.

Whilst many NGOs are busy implementing a range of projects, there is some cynicism about the level of cost….

The World Food Program was very active in the rural area with distribution of ration bread containing nutrition.

The immense challenge of feeding over 6 million vulnerable people
in Afghanistan has been taken on jointly, by WFP and its NGO implementing partners. Since the crisis escalated, WFP has entered into over 79 new contracts with 39 international NGOs - who have sub-contracted 25 local NGOs to help in the challenge of disturbing over 60,000 metric tones of food per month, the highest quantity ever attempted in the harsh working environment of Afghanistan.

First priority has been, chronically food, insecure areas in the north and those remote communities in the mountains.

WFP widows bakeries in Kabul - 22 bakeries and now setting up many more to provide subsidised bread for up to 20,000 widows in the city.

These bakeries are managed by widows for widows. Also WFP is seeking to encourage other organisations and individuals to set up women's bakeries to make the bread for the back to school program, where it is planned each student will receive daily one 400gr bread, made with fortified wheat flour.

UNICEF and WFP are supporting 60,000 malnourished children as well as vulnerable pregnant and lactating women.

Building capacity and resources of Afghans is key after these many years of conflict which has severely disrupted education and professional development systems - almost complete collapse of the remnants of the system under the last 5 years of Taliban rule


Summary

I have described the physical tangible impressions of Afghanistan. For most people the story of Afghanistan is conveyed through the media, as a fleeting image amongst many. To be confronted with the reality,





The Project

From the gun to the pens

From "The Gun to The Pen", is a project that has its genesis in the desire of both the Afghan-Australian community and the wider Australian community to make a practical contribution to the rehabilitation of Afghanistan by assisting disaffected youth.

The project by "The Afghan Support Group", in-conjunction with "The Australian Volunteers International", aims to provide vocational education to Afghan Youth who have grown-up in an environment largely defined by the gun. The project aims to redress that situation by providing vocational training opportunities to Afghan Youth that is both practical, needed and necessary. Practical because the training will focus on developing skills that can be used by the recipients to gain employment; needed because there is an acute shortage of skilled trades people and necessary because by providing Afghan Youth with a set of new employable skills, you create an identity that goes beyond the gun.

The emphasis of the project is on vocational training and skills development across a range of sectors including infrastructure development, education, and hospitality. The goal is to work with the Ministry of Education targeting both disaffected youth and street children with an emphasis on rehabilitating these particularly needy groups through skills development. Australian Volunteers in partnership local NGOs would provide both the necessary vocational training and social awareness training so these groups can fully integrate back into society. This twofold strategy would ensure that participants received training in areas such construction trades, automotive trades, hospitality industry and basic education (numeracy & literacy). Importantly, however, they would also receive training in peace education in an attempt to break the nexus between the culture of violence and what is considered normal behavior. Australian Volunteers are ideally placed to contribute to this strategy because they able to provide a high level of vocational training with a very human approach.

Implementation Strategy

Initially ‘Guns to Pens’ would be run as pilot project targeting unemployed Afghan Youth living in Kabul. The project would identify what skills are in demand and have the best chance of providing employment opportunities. A training program encompassing both vocational training and peace education would be designed & delivered by Australian Volunteers International in partnership with Afghan Support Group in Victoria. The progam has the support of Minister for Education of the Afghan Interim Administration, Mr Rasoul Amin.

Acknowledgements

The "Afghan Support Group", acknowledges A$40 million provide by Australian government for humanitarian emergency work in order to seek medium tern commitment for assistance in on going capacity building - especially in education sector: both with government and local NGOs.

The "Afghan Support Group", wishes to acknowledge and thank "The Australian Volunteers International", "ERIC (Education Resources Information Centre)", in Peshawar and "DACAAR (The Danish Committee For Aid to Afghan Refugees)", for their hospitality during our visit to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Funds donated through AAR to this project were very gratefully accepted by ASCHIANA School for Street Children in Kabul.