What’s happening in Afghanistan right now is nothing short of terrifying. More than 18 million people are in need of humanitarian aid, and 75 per cent of those in need are women and girls. Our social feeds have been flooded with distressing imagery and news, but we must not lose hope.
It’s easy for us to lock our phones or turn off the TV when we are overwhelmed by the news coming out of Afghanistan. But that is a luxury that those in the centre of the terror can’t afford. So it’s up to us to lend a helping hand and help light the way to peace and freedom. You can help the cause, even from the other side of the world. Here’s where to start.
View this post on Instagram
Email your local MP
Send an email to your local MP to call on the Australian government to stand in solidarity with the Afghan people and accept refugees fleeing from the violence. Urge them to do more than the bare minimum and add your voice to the ever-growing cries for justice. Save Afghanistan Now has a complete email template that finds your local MP and sends the email for you. The whole process takes less time than making yourself a cup of tea or going to the loo, so put your morning minutes to good use!
Donate where you can
Sacrificing your daily cup of coffee for a week or two can quickly add up to a decent donation to help the displaced people of Afghanistan.Times are tough and some of us may be a little strapped for cash but for those who have a little loose change to spare, there are many local and international organisations who have set up fundraisers in order to provide food and supplies to displaced Afghans. You can start here:
- Afghan Women’s Organisation Victoria
- Care Australia
- Human Concern International Canada
- Women for Women International
- Save the Children
- Afghanaid
- UNHCR
View this post on Instagram
Learn more about what’s going on
The tumultuous scenes unfolding in Afghanistan didn’t just happen over night. It’s been decades of conflict, destruction, chaos, small signs of hope and change, the promise of a new future. But now many Afghans are now facing a humanitarian crisis.
More than 900,000 people have been displaced in the past three months. The government that oversaw so much progress and promised peace has collapsed. Women and girls as young as 15 are being offered as “wives” to entice men to join the Taliban, essentially being forced into sexual slavery. Almost all access to commercial flights has been blocked by the Taliban and people are losing their lives as they attempt to flee to safety. The people of Kabul are living in fear, with limited access to food and safety. It’s all so hard to stomach, but it’s essential information for us to grasp the dire situation Afghanis are facing — and to help others, including our government who could offer a asylum to displaced people, understand and act.
Amplify Afghan voices
Educating yourself is so important and so is hearing the story straight from the source. An amazing campaign #ActionforAfghans has just been launched by Humaira Ghilzai to encourage action and raise awareness, and there are plenty of ways you can contribute to this campaign. Finding and sharing the poetry, posts, photos and stories of those with first-hand experience helps spread the word and also acts as an amplification of the experiences of those who have limited access to social media — and those who have been cut off completely. Here are a few accounts to start with:
- @watanipoet
- @afghansforpeace
- @omar.haidari
- @iamascia
- @hilahamidi
- @afghansempowered
- @burqasandbeer
- @everydaykabul
- @everydayafg
- @khyberkhaan
- @justanafghan
View this post on Instagram
Share your airline miles
Got a few unused airline miles or vouchers to spare? Put them to good use and donate them to Miles4Migrants, a nonprofit charity dedicated to providing flights to resettle refugees and asylum seekers. All you have to do is pledge your miles, credit card points or airline vouchers and the Miles4Migrants team will find a match for your pledge and either book the flight for your match, or work with you to do so. To date, the charity has helped resettle over 5,000 refugees from around the world. So although access to the airport in Afghanistan remain limited, the team will do their best to get your miles to Afghani asylum seekers but rest assured that if they can’t, your donation will be put to good use by other displaced individuals from around the world.
Help refugees resettle
The Australian government has allocated 3,000 humanitarian visas to those now fleeing Afghanistan and the first rescue flights have now landed. Each and every one of these individuals will need food, clothing, shelter and assistance navigating their new home, so keep on the pulse of local charities and refuge centres so you can donate and assist when the time comes.
Have candid chats with your friends & family
It’s so easy to feel helpless when we are so far removed from the situation, but we must use this privilege for good. You can use yours to help spread the word about what’s happening and what we can all be doing to help. Encourage your loved ones to do what they can to help protect Afghans. Share links, encourage donations, keep the fight going.
And remember: an emotional response is natural to crises of this magnitude. So take a break. Breathe. But don’t give up the fight.
View this post on Instagram
Don’t lose hope
It’s okay to feel overwhelmed, scared, sad and helpless, but the fight is not lost yet. We must keep going. Keep writing to your MP, keep donating, keep sharing, keep the conversation alive. Together we can help the people of Afghanistan reclaim their lives. As long as hope remains, so too does the possibility of a safe future.
Together we can help the people of Afghanistan reclaim their lives and safety.
