Action by Churches Together (ACT)
Alert - Afghanistan  - 1 / 2003
Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Livelihood Security 
Geneva,  13 November 2003


Two decades of war in Afghanistan - including the Soviet occupation and
ensuing civil war, inter-ethnic conflicts, Allied bombing, severe drought
and other natural disasters, have destroyed the basic economic foundation
of the Afghan society.  Due to this long term and complex emergency
situation the assets and reserves of Afghans have vanished, lives have
been lost, properties and houses destroyed or extensively damaged.
Afghanistan has been left impoverished and mired in an extended
humanitarian crisis. Government infrastructure, including the ability to
deliver the most basic services like health, education and other social
services, has collapsed. The return of many refugees to Afghanistan has
put further pressure on those limited services. The rebuilding of
Afghanistan has proven to be a complex and time consuming exercise. The
reconstruction efforts are being hampered as Afghanistan continues to be
plagued by insecurity and warlordism and US forces continue to engage
pro-Taliban elements in combat.

The government and the international community are making slow progress in
rebuilding the war-torn country and Afghans are expressing frustration
that they are unable to see more tangible results of peace.  ACT members
Christian Aid (CA), Church World Service/Pakistan/Afghanistan (CWS P/A),
Hungarian Interchurch Aid (HIA), Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) and the United
Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), together with their local partners,
are continuing to assist the people of Afghanistan in their efforts to
rebuilt the nation and its communities. The emphasis of programmes is
still on basic recovery and reconstruction and including relief components
- especially with the winter coming. It is clear from experience gained
during implementation of previous appeals that combining reconstruction
and livelihood programmes are essential to the rebuilding of lives and
communities in a sustainable way.

The role of women remains a very sensitive issue in Afghanistan. ACT
Members believe that women should be fully represented in all aspects and
at all levels of the decision-making processes fully participating in
society and government. The ACT Members aim to include women, the poorest
members of society and ethnic minorities by including them in the design,
implementation, monitoring and review stages of every project at field,
regional and head office level. But even this fundamental process will be
a challenge, as some partners have no female staff.

Security in Afghanistan has been the overriding concern since December
2001. Security is the precondition for tangible reconstruction and
development and provides an environment that allows development
professionals to do their job.

Currently, ACT members CWS P/A, HIA, NCA and UMCOR are in the process of
submitting their proposals for a new ASAF-31 Appeal.

ACT member CWS P/A plans to continue its reconstruction activities in the
Shomali Valley with their local partner Norwegian Project Office- Rural
Rehabilitation Association for Afghanistan (NPO-RRAA). The main goal is to
assist the most vulnerable families, including displaced people and
returnees, to resettle and provide for their families by assisting with
reconstruction of safe and secure shelters and through the creation of
income generation opportunities.

The activities will include support with housing materials to build safe
and secure homes for 1,000 of the most vulnerable families in Bagram
district of Parwan province;  providing Livelihood Kits to 2,500 families
to increase income opportunities and to strengthen community participation
and promote rehabilitation of the centuries old institution of collective
decision making i.e. Shura.

ACT member HIA plans to continue its activities in the northern provinces
with a special focus on Balkh and Jawzjan provinces.  The proposed
activities aim to provide: access to primary/secondary education for boys
and girls by re/constructing schools and equipping the schools as well as
distributing school kits access to health services by constructing health
centres and providing basic equipment shelter for returnees in Khoja Du
Kho district, Jawzjan province by building houses access to clean water by
drilling wells and building latrines in the (re)constructed schools
support to female-headed families in income generation by providing raw
materials for carpet weaving courses and organising literacy programs
support households by distributing livestock and organising tailoring
courses.

ACT member NCA has based its proposal on the current situation in 9 Afghan
provinces and Kabul City were 9 NCA-partners are operational and will
focus on increased food and livelihood security. The proposed activities
aim at: providing minimum food requirements to 10 - 12,000 members of the
most vulnerable families to survive the winter period reducing the levels
of malnourishment amongst children in the most vulnerable families by
improving competence on health and nutritional issues among targeted
mothers.  assisting the rural areas and agriculture sector by
rehabilitating roads and irrigation canals through cash for work projects
that will at the same time help to break dependence on food relief and
stimulate the local economy.  competence training including - basic
literacy and numeracy and vocational training.
 
ACT member UMCOR is also preparing a proposal focusing on improving the
livelihood and income earning potential of returnees through the
re-establishment of agriculture production and marketing. UMCOR plans to
work in 3 districts of each province in the Kunduz-Bakhlan Region, the
Nangahar-Laghman-Paktia region and in the Shomali Plain.  The activities
will include:

provision of agricultural inputs including tools, seeds and training 
small business inputs including micro-credit loans and in-kind grants
implement additional water infrastructure repairs. 

The ACT members are increasing their co-ordination and consultation both
at project and organisational level.

Estimated summary of Appeal Targets:

                     Appeal Targets

CWS                     1,821,909
HIA                     1,628,500
NCA                     2,725,289
UMCOR                   4,000,000*
Total Target US$       10,175,698


* The indication provided by UMCOR is a very first estimate.


	
The ACT CO has raised with all the ACT members the issue of the high
targets and its concerns related to the possible funding coverage. It is
not yet clear how much can and will be funded through back donors.

ACT CO would appreciate your responses, questions and comments at this
stage.

Any funding indication or pledge towards the forthcoming appeal ASAF-31
should be communicated to Jessie Kgoroeadira, ACT Finance Officer
(jkg@act-intl.org). Thank you.



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Action by Churches Together (ACT) is a worldwide alliance of churches and
their related agencies, meeting human need through co-ordinated emergency
response.  The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of 
Churches (WCC) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland.
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