World Development & Relief Committee

WDRC (World Development and Relief Committee) is the relief and development body of the Methodist Church in Ireland. Christian Aid is the official relief and development agency of 39 church denominations in the United Kingdom and Ireland, including The Methodist Church in Ireland. In partnership we are supporting programmes in Afghanistan for a period of 3 years.

Afghanistan

Rebuilding People - variety of partners

Funding for 2007: £90,000 (€135,000) in cooperation with Christian Aid

An exciting new partnership between the World Development and Relief Fund and Christian Aid

The people of Afghanistan are amongst the poorest on earth. More than twenty years of conflict have left roads, schools, hospitals and electricity and water infrastructure destroyed.  Today, life expectancy for Afghans is little more than 40 years. The country also has one of the highest infant and maternal mortality rates in the world where on average, one out of every six children born does not survive.

Zahro registers a female voter

(photo: Christian Aid/Sarah Malian)

Almost half of the rural population lives in extreme poverty, and despite the enrolment of four million children in school in the last two years, illiteracy remains high, especially among women.

For the past 21 years Christian Aid has been working together with Afghans in drought recovery, peace building, health and water provision and in women’s education.  The resilience and determination displayed by so many participants in these programmes speak of a people who are eager to take control of their own development.

Zahro Ahmedi, a 33-year-old widow, encountered many difficulties when she was illiterate. But now, thanks to a course run by partner SDF (Sanayee Development Foundation), she is registering female voters for Afghan elections. ‘I think it is very important for women to vote so they can be represented in government’, Zahro said. She also hopes to be a teacher in the local district, a dream now also closer to realisation thanks to the programme.

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