Relief for the helpless

Afghanistan endured a 20-year war that claimed the lives of thousands of Afghans starting October 2001. In August 2021, the United States withdrew its troops from Afghanistan, signaling the end of the longest war in American history. 

However, though the war ended, Afghanistan was not relieved of its peril as a new threat began to emerge. According to the Pew Research Center, the U.S.’s decision to end its military presence in Afghanistan gave way for the Taliban to gain control over the country and invoke a refugee crisis.

Over 1,000 Afghans have lost their lives since the Taliban’s invasion, NBC notes. Yet, the imminent threat remains for women and children as they not only fight for their lives, but also for their basic human rights. 

Forced to go into hiding in their homeland, the Afghans seek liberation from the treacherous hands of the Taliban. So, what efforts are being made to rescue those in danger?

Despite the lack of military assistance, the Afghans are not abandoned. According to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, the U.S. has supported Afghanistan by giving over $1 billion in humanitarian aid. But what’s more is that countless global relief organizations have stepped in during a time the U.S. stepped out of having a presence in the perilous country. They have joined in the endeavor of aiding the country struck with food insecurity, human rights abuse, clean water shortages and a refugee crisis. 

Organizations like Biglife Global have helped 52,000 Afghans flee the country and placed them in locations where they’ll be free from the reigns of the Taliban. Biglife Global carries the mission of spreading the light of Christ to the ends of the earth, even in dark and desolate countries like Afghanistan. 

Yet, what the public can lose sight of is the pressing need for support and awareness. The extensive planning and strategic placement of these refugees require an ample amount of time and resources. The U.N.’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs lays out how this planning will be accomplished: “Whether the U.N. can implement this framework depends in part on external factors, most notably on actions by the de facto authorities and on donor support.” 

The challenges for the Afghan refugees remain as they learn to acclimate to a new normal. According to United Nations Meetings Coverage, “two-thirds of Afghanistan’s population — 28 million people — need humanitarian assistance to survive.” Though they’ve escaped their country, the battle for a new life is not over yet, as they’ll have to adjust to life as foreigners in a land different from what they’ve known. 

While over a million Afghans have fled their country, millions more remain. The evacuation process is far from over, and as the Taliban rises in power, the need for humanitarian aid and refugee escape efforts grows in urgency. 

Staying up to date with the current events in Afghanistan and supporting the organizations are the greatest ways anyone can aid in the relief efforts. Partnering with non-profits that place the relocated refugees in homes is another vital way to help the Afghans settle into their new lives.

As the U.S. and organization leaders work to bring the remaining refugees out of danger, the Afghans can rest in the fact that regardless of the dangers and uncertainty that await, they have not been abandoned.

Daniel is an opinion writer for the Liberty Champion. Follow her on X