Hungarian Interchurch Aid in cooperation with ACT International (Rapid Response Fund) provides emergency food, clothes and heating items assistance to the most 400 vulnerable families (3200 person) in the following camps in Baghlan province: Shemerq returnees camp Bande Du camp, Dani Ghuri camp and Etehad camp.

Afghanistan is one of a number of countries in southern and central Asia that has been suffering extreme cold and snow throughout January 2008. More than 300 people have died as a result throughout the country, in the most severe winter in 30 years.

In the refugee camps most of the families are living either in tents or in adobe houses and without income to buy warm clothes, blankets, food, firewood or coal. Some of them have small cattle, but are without fodder to feed them so that there is a high risk that these key assets will be lost. In addition, when the snow starts melting, there is a risk that heavy flooding will cause further problems, on these people already facing extreme hunger and illness.

As one of the woman headed families, Bibi, the 26 years old mother with six small children fights alone against the cold and hunger. With these relief the small family can survive the hardest and coldest winter days.

HIA local staff has made an assessment mission to the above mentioned camps, and on the basis of the information gathered there and after coordinating with the local Shura, the Ministry of Returnees and the Governor of the Province has compiled current proposal.

In the scope of the program HIA distributes relief packages containing the following items: heating items (coal, blankets), insulation material (straw, foil) and food items (oil, tea, sugar, salt, rice, beans)

HIA is working in coordination other ACT members in-country, including CWS and Norwegian Church Aid, as well as with local government authorities, other NGOs, UNAMA, ICRC and local Shura leaders.

At the beginning of January, ACT member Hungarian Interchurch Aid (HIA) supported 720 families with 105 kg coal per family in the Khoja Alwan (Etehad) returnees camp near to Pul-i-Khumri, Baghlan province, in cooperation with the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.