Reports of peace from Afghanistan
Caritas staff Tara D’Sousa and Nick Borthwick recently visited Bamyan province in Afghanistan, where Caritas supports an education and rural development programme. Despite recent violence in northeast Bamyan, Tara and Nick say their biggest impression of the areas they visited (Shaidan Valley and Yakawlang) was one of peacefulness and harmony. ‘People are just going about their daily lives and making the most of their opportunities,’ says Nick.
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand’s partner Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is working with communities on soil and water conservation to better manage watersheds and the steep slopes that surround deep, green valleys. One of the most profound things, says Nick, was to witness ‘converting dry, arid, rocky and overgrazed swathes of land on these hillsides into ... green and regenerated hillsides which have shrubs and wild plants growing.’ The technique for doing so was introduced to Afghanistan by a CRS expert from India, and was successfully used in two neighbouring provinces before being introduced to Bamyan.
The multi-faceted programme also works with savings groups of men and women, to improve their ability to provide food and earn income from products such as wheat, potatoes, vegetables, sewing and handicrafts. Communitybased schools are supported to provide children in remote rural areas access to education.
The New Zealand Aid Programme is funding this project in 2012-2014.
Caritas expresses its condolences to the family and friends of New Zealand soldiers recently killed in Afghanistan. We appreciated assistance from the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team during the visit, and acknowledge the protective role it offers development work in the region.
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