Kabul, Afghanistan — April 15, 2007 — IRD staff today began distribution of 14,000 blankets to Afghans living in refugee camps and other institutions in the Kabul area. Many hundreds of people continue to suffer from cold and sickness caused by the severe winter conditions.

“We began looking for blankets to distribute several months ago, after visiting one of these camps,” said IRD’s chief of party, Gilbert Richard. “I was so distressed to see grown men in tears because they were unable to protect their children from the freezing cold. All of us at IRD got together and contributed $2500 for mittens and scarves for them. Then we thought about how to address the larger problem of the needs of thousands of displaced persons and refugees.

“We discussed this with IRD headquarters in Washington,” recalled Richard. “They scoured the world for possible contributions and LDS Humanitarian Services (headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah), Admiral Denton Foundation and HELP International joined with blanket manufacturer, Harbor Linens, to answer our plea.”

Jim Lanning, director of logistics at IRD headquarters, recounted the next steps, in providing the blankets.  “To contribute 14,000 blankets is so generous of our donors. We were overwhelmed. But then we faced another problem: how do we transfer 14,000 blankets from New Delhi, India to Kabul?”

It was not easy. Arrangements had to be made to fly the blankets from New Delhi to an airport in eastern Iran, from there by truck to Islam Kala, from there to Herat, Afghanistan and by still another truck to Kabul. “The whole trip took much longer than expected because of the transportation difficulties and the red tape; by the time the blankets arrived, the weather had warmed up. However, the blankets were a welcome aid to ease existing suffering,” Lanning noted.

So far, blankets (two per family) have been distributed to the Afshar refugee camp, one of many refugee camps inside Kabul city. These refugees have returned to Afghanistan after nearly 30 years of conflict. Although the Afghan government plans to donate land outside of Kabul to these displaced people, many will refuse to go due to job opportunities inside the city, thus prolonging the problem.

Blankets have also been distributed to the Kufa Orphanage, also in Kabul. This is an Afghan-German-funded facility made up of 42 children and eight mothers who care for the children. The orphanage building is donated by the Red Crescent; it is somewhat old, but well-managed and very clean. In addition to providing tutors to help with homework for the school children, the orphanage also offers sewing, carpentry and metal working classes.

IRD staff are currently planning to distribute blankets to the province of Badakhshan in the northeastern part of the country, as heavy flooding has left hundreds of families with only the clothes on their backs, no shelter, and no food.