Afghanistan

Oxfam's work is focused on supporting Afghans to improve their skills and capacities

Over two decades of conflict and several years of drought have left Afghanistan one of the poorest countries in the world.

The situation

Since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, much progress has been made in Afghanistan but it remains one of the poorest countries in the world. Continuing conflict and insecurity, damaged infrastructure and ethnic differences present huge challenges on the country's path towards development.

Aid has contributed to Afghanistan’s progress but much of the aid effort remains over-centralized and the pace of change in the countryside – where the majority of Afghans live – has been slow.

Only half of all children attend school. This figure is considerably lower for girls, who have traditionally missed out on education: only one in five make it to primary school and one in 20 to secondary school.

Afghanistan is also facing a food crisis thanks to the rising cost of wheat.

Oxfam’s response

Given the widespread destruction of government institutions and facilities, Oxfam originally concentrated on providing immediate help, such as food for work projects and on building schools, roads and clinics.

Now our work is focused on supporting Afghans, especially civil society organizations, to improve their skills and capacities, and helping Afghan communities to take control of their own development.

In the remote Daikundi and Badakhshan provinces, where nearly a decade of drought has devastated crops, Oxfam is providing the most vulnerable families with food and livestock in 65 villages. Our engineers are helping to repair roads and water systems to ensure people are better able to cope with the harsh conditions in the longer term.

From 2001-2007 we extended the water distribution network and built sanitation facilities in the southern provinces of Zabul and Kandahar. We also provided vocational training to women and trained local authority workers there.

We are supporting the reconstruction of the Afghan education system and work to ensure that boys and girls receive primary and secondary schooling. We provide education materials, train teachers and run special winter schools.

Oxfam runs advocacy programs in Afghanistan which try to influence policies of the Afghan and other governments to reduce poverty and promote rural development and reconstruction.