wfn.org | CWS EXPANDS ITS AFGHAN REFUGEE AID TARGET TO $6.28 MILLION

[Carol Fouke <carolf@ncccusa.org>]

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.
Contact: NCC News, 212-870-2227
E-mail: news@ncccusa.org; Web: www.ncccusa.org
NCC10/12/01 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CWS EXPANDS ITS AFGHAN REFUGEE AID TARGET TO $6.28 MILLION

October 12, 2001, NEW YORK CITY - Church World Service is expanding its
planned assistance to Afghan refugees to include both shelter and a
six-month supply of food to 15,000 families, comprising 105,000 persons.

The goal of this $6.28 million effort is for CWS Pakistan/Afghanistan to
provide emergency shelter and food to some of the most vulnerable families
who are either internally displaced or have crossed the border into
Pakistan. Particular attention will be paid to female-headed households.

Already more than two million people in Afghanistan are living with acute or
high food shortages, according to a survey by the United Nations World Food
Program (UNWFP).  Some 1 million refugees are expected to arrive eventually
in Pakistan.  Pakistan is already home to some 2 million Afghan refugees.

Church World Service, the global humanitarian service and witness ministry
of the (U.S.) National Council of Churches, and other members of the Geneva,
Switzerland-based Action by Churches Together International network are
working as part of a U.N. coordinating committee to respond to the
humanitarian crisis.

CWS earlier had announced a $1.5 million planned program to shelter 15,000
families.  It is appealing to NCC/CWS member denominations and their
adherents for support for the $6.8 million program, expanded to include
food.

Contributions may be directed to: Pakistan/Afghanistan Emergency, Account
#6930, CHURCH WORLD SERVICE, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN, 46515.  On-line
contributions to: www.churchworldservice.org  By phone: (800) 297-1516.

Family shelter kits for new arrivals in the border cities of Quetta and
Peshawar, Pakistan, and the rural areas of Hazarajat and Panjsher Valley,
Afghanistan, include a family tent, tarp, plastic ground sheet, and four
blankets. Estimated cost is $90 each.

The proposed food package will include a six-month supply of wheat, cooking
oil, rice, beans, sugar and tea.  Each of the food packages costs $256.

-end