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Afghanistan One Year Later: Rebuilding Homes and LivesDate: October 2002 
The job of putting Afghanistan back together is massive. It does not have enough capacity to rebuild on its own. With the collapse of Taliban rule and a massive influx of refugees, local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are overwhelmed. The returnees' immediate needs are clear: security, shelter, water and food. If their return is to be sustainable, the economic basis of the country must be reestablished: roads, bridges, irrigation systems and communications.
Through its new office in Kabul and with its ecumenical partners, UMCOR is working in a number of areas to help the people of Afghanistan to recover from twenty-three years of wars, ethnic conflict, repressive regimes, drought, famine and earthquakes. In the past year, UMCOR has distributed shelter kits and non-food items to 2,000 families in northern Afghanistan. Additionally, school kits donated to UMCOR will be distributed to schools and school children in the region. UMCOR has also supported ecumenical work such as the Afghan women's quilt project in Quetta, Pakistan. Now UMCOR plans an integrated multi-sectoral approach to address the needs of individual communities in Afghanistan. It is helping to rebuild homes, schools, and people's lives.
UMCOR has formed a partnership with the Norwegian Project Office/Rural Rehabilitation Association for Afghanistan (NPO/RRAA). They are working together on a program called "Integrated Community Rehabilitation Projects in the Bagram District." Reconstruction efforts are centered on the village of Rabat in the Parwan Province, about one hour north of Kabul. This area was a major battleground between the Taliban and Northern Alliance forces. The Taliban perpetrated a "scorch the earth" policy here, destroying all buildings, the irrigation systems, vineyards and orchards.
Through UMCOR's local partner, NPO/RRAA, villagers are constructing 200 shelters and digging 35 wells. As of mid-October, the houses are mostly completed; 150 have roofs and are waiting for windows and doors to be delivered. Most shelters have been built from the ground up. In this area of frequent earthquakes, reconstruction based on the remains of destroyed homes is discouraged as a dangerous approach. Six wells of the 35 wells have been finished and are producing abundant water. To create wells, villagers use picks and shovels to dig to the water table level. From there, the project drills an additional 100-165 feet. Each well will have a diesel pump. Six to seven families will share each well. The village Shura (traditional council) is confident that all 200 shelters and 35 wells will be completed by December.
Grape, fruit, and nut production represents the primary agricultural activity of the region around Rabat. Much of their production potential was destroyed by the Taliban. They cut down trees and burned vineyards. Many of the remaining trees and vines died from lack of irrigation. Next spring UMCOR/RRAA will supply tree saplings and grape plants to selected farmers to reestablish their decimated production base. The UMCOR/RRAA project has given 202 Rabat families with improved winter wheat seed and fertilizer for the fall planting.
Microcredit will be offered for small enterprise development. Rabat women have organized a women's Shura to help identify beneficiaries and potential activities. They have identified 155 widows. Many women express a keen interest in small animal production. Over 200 people have been identified for income generating small loans; twenty will have access to that money by the end of October. The microcredit project and its associated training will continue during the winter.
One year after 9/11, the changes in Afghanistan are remarkable. Two million refugees will have returned by winter. Schools have been reconstructed across the country; boys and girls are attending. At universities, men and women share classes and in city offices women are returning to their rightful positions with confidence and ability. Wheat production this year was only 4% less than normal (had not 5-10% of wheat fields been used for poppy production Afghanistan would have had a wheat surplus this year).
These are hopeful signs indeed, but we must not lose sight of the negative side. Half of Afghanistan's Provinces are no-go zones for aid agencies. Afghanistan's cities are reaching a saturation point because returnees prefer the city to their home villages-- tent cities are being considered for the capital. The reconstructed schools may be full of eager students, but teachers are often untrained volunteers. Professional teachers are rarely paid.
The Afghans are tenacious survivors. With the basics of sustainability supplied by donor nations, including infrastructure and capacity building, the Afghan people have the inner resolve and work ethic to recover.
This story is based on a October 2002 report by Henry Hamilton, who is the Head of Mission of UMCOR/Afghanistan.
UMCOR 9/11 Update September 2004: UMCOR's response to the aftermath of September 11 continues. We thank are thankful for all of contributions that United Methodists and others have so generously given.
The photographs on this page are of UMCOR/RRAA project in the Bagram District, Afghanistan. They were taken on September 28, 2002. Click on any photo to see a larger version. 1. Roof beams for the project arrive in UMCOR's truck. 2. The RRAA field office staff stand by the sign for "Integrated Community Rehabilitation Projects in the Bagram District." In the background are generators, pumps, tarps, and over 20 tons each of wheat weed, urea, and fertilizer. 3. Afghans transport the roof beams to their homes. 4. Rukha girls school meets under the trees. During conflict and political unrest in Afghanistan, many educators left Afghanistan and schools were destroyed. Girls were denied an education. Credit: Henry Hamilton, UMCOR/Afghanistan.
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