The People of Afghanistan Are in Need — Here's How You Can Help
What you can do right now to support Afghan refugees and families.
On Sunday, before the United States could completely withdraw its military from Afghanistan after an almost 20-year-long war, the Taliban took over the country’s capital Kabul. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country without public warning, leaving the presidential palace under the Taliban’s control.
“Although Afghan security forces were well funded and well equipped, they put up little resistance as Taliban militants seized much of the country,” CNN reported. “The Taliban’s swift success has prompted questions over how the insurgent group was able to gain control so soon after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan — and, after almost 20 years of conflict in the U.S.’ longest-running war, what the Taliban want,” the publication wrote.
The Taliban, a militant group, was formed by former Afghan resistance fighters in the late 1990s. At the time, their goal was to implement their take on Islamic law on the country, and to eliminate any influence from other cultures. In 1996, the Taliban took over Kabul and introduced a set of strict rules such as requiring women to wear full burqas, prohibiting music and movies, as well as banning non-Islamic holidays.
Shortly after 9/11, the devastating attack in 2001 led by Osama bin Laden, former President George W. Bush announced the invasion of Afghanistan. In 2011, during Barack Obama‘s term, bin Laden was killed by U.S. Navy SEALs in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Obama later withdrew some U.S. troops from Afghanistan.
Fast forward to February 2020, Ghani was re-elected for his second term as President of Afghanistan. That same month, the U.S. and the Taliban signed an “agreement for bringing peace” to Afghanistan and for ending a nearly two-decade war. The U.S. planned to conclude its military mission in the country on August 31, 2021, but by August 15, the Taliban have seized most cities in Afghanistan.
With the majority of residents and foreigners in Afghanistan fearing for their lives, you can help those in need through a donation or a form of advocacy. Below, we’ve rounded up a list of organizations and fundraisers to donate to, as well as platforms to support.
DONATE
British humanitarian and development organization Afghanaid has worked with millions of Afghan families in need for the past 40 years. It provides basic services, improves livelihoods, strengthens the rights of women and children, protects communities against natural disasters, and responds to humanitarian emergencies.
Established in 1946, CWS has been committed to feeding the hungry, providing clothes and shelter to the homeless, and looking after the sick.
Doctors Without Borders is an independent, global movement that provides aid to those most in need by responding to emergencies in a timely manner.
Emergency Help for LGBTQ+ Afghans in Afghanistan
The Emergency Help for LGBTQ+ Afghans in Afghanistan fundraiser is organized by three members of the Afghan diaspora. Funds raised will be used to support LGBTQ+ individuals in the country, with food, survival needs, passports, visas, airplane tickets and more.
GlobalGiving is working to get emergency support to people in Afghanistan. Donations will be allocated to nonprofits working in the region.
IMS and the Afghan Journalists Safety Committee’s initiative aims to provide journalists with shelter or a safe house, food, clothes, blankets and other utilities.
International Rescue Committee
The International Rescue Committee currently has a number of volunteer spots open in Silver Spring, Maryland. By taking part, you will be able to help those who have fled their country to have a fresh start in the U.S.
International Women’s Media Foundation
Female journalists in Afghanistan are at risk “for reasons of revenge, retribution and long-standing prejudice against their voices in any public arena,” as per the International Women’s Media Foundation. To protect journalism in Afghanistan, donate to the IWMF to help women journalists attempting to leave the country.
Islamic Relief USA provides aid to all people from different backgrounds across the U.S. and around the globe. The organization helps those who have been affected by natural disasters and those in financial crisis.
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
The Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service is calling for volunteers to look after incoming Afghan allies, special immigrant visa holders and people who are being evacuated to the U.S..
Relief for Internally Displaced Afghans
The Relief for Internally Displaced Afghans fundraiser, created by Khyber Khan, plans to provide “cash-in-hand relief for internally displaced Afghans during this humanitarian crisis.”
Save the Children has announced an emergency alert in the wake of Afghanistan’s current crisis. It is committed to protecting children from all walks of life and building the future they deserve.
Women for Afghan Women is currently helping evacuate centers, pausing operations and assessing risks. It is working hard to keep its clients, staff and families safe through shelter, resources and other forms of aid.
Women for Women International is dedicated to supporting women survivors of war and conflict. The organization provides individuals with social and economic skills in order for them to start fresh.
ADVOCATE
The Afghan-American Coalition serves as a medium for action and resources to address Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis. The group has listed immediate steps to be taken by the U.S. government such as prioritizing Afghans’ emergency evacuation, process special immigrant visas, deliver humanitarian assistance and welcome Afghan refugees.
The Afghans for a Better Tomorrow petition urges President Joe Biden to support Afghans and lift refugee caps, as well as to “increase the capacity of NGOs operating in the country to make referrals for the P2 program, especially for women and girls, activists and religious and ethnic minorities.”
CWS Global wants you to take action by urging the U.S. administration to evacuate all Afghan allies. You can do so by contacting your national elected leaders via a phone call or email.
PEN America has requested for the U.S. to offer protection to writers and cultural actors in Afghanistan as soon as possible. “As the Taliban reclaims power in Afghanistan, the many courageous Afghan writers, cultural actors, journalists, and activists — especially women — who have exercised and defended the right to freedom of expression are facing grave and imminent threats,” PEN America’s senior director of free expression programs, Summer Lopez, shared in a press release.
