Orphanages in Northern Afghanistan

By Marnie Gustavson

December 4, 2011

PARSA staff members accompanied Afghanistan's National Orphanage Director, Mr. Hashemi, to three orphanages in northern Afghanistan. This is the first time that a National Orphanage Director from the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has ever visited an orphanage outside of Kabul. It was a surprise visit and Mr. Hashemi was appalled.

He found children starving, and abused. In one orphanage, he caught on film the director telling the kids to report that they were well fed when they had no staff or food present on that day. Mr. Hashemi was an orphan himself and has now come back to Kabul to confront the Ministry leadership and to go as high as Karzai to make the necessary reforms in the orphanages.

PARSA has been working for this kind of reform for over five years. We are collecting donations and items to support the orphanages now because we see that he has the will to make a change. We still have a long way to go.

The conditions in these orphanages are caused by corruption in the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. The orphanage director in Faizabad , Badakhshan Province, was rude and dismissive, stating that because he has a relationship with the local police he will never be fired.

We view this as an Afghan problem to be solved by Afghan leaders. If the Afghan public knew they would not tolerate this treatment of these children. We are working to support Mr. Hashemi as he tries to make immediate changes that will be long lasting. Donations at this time will give him the support he needs to battle the complacency and corruption. PARSA will insure that the donations go to the children and stay with the children. Thanks for being willing to get the word out!

You can donate directly from this website and we accept donations of food, clothing and bedding at Marastoon in Kabul. We are sending another truck up next week.