Aid distribution in Ghor unfair, say some residents

FEROZKOH (Pajwhok): Some families in western Ghor province have complained against the irregularities and injustice in the distribution of international aid and claimed a small number of less fortunate persons benefited from the aid.

They said most aid distributed to people who have relations and know people and most poor people were deprived.

Zubaida, 29, is the mother of three children and hailed from the Dawlatyar district of Ghor. She complained against the economic problem she is having and the unfair distribution of aid.

“Continued drought and a results agriculture work force them to migrate to the city to get government support.”

She said her husband struggled from the joint problems but still worked as vendor on the streets of Ferozkoh City and run the daily house expenses with difficulties.

She said the aid distribution was unfair and unjust in Ghor and added: “Delegations from various institutions came four or five months ago, they took most of our neighbors on the list and ignore my family, I begged them to come and see our house once. But they didn’t, I filed an application, but they refused to accept.”

Abdul Aziz, 31, is another resident of Ghor, who is economically not sound and complained against the irregular distribution of aid.

He said six months earlier, he came from Dolina district to Ferozkoh and complained against the distribution process of aid.

“There is no work, one day we have work and the second day not, our economic problems had increased,” he said.

He asked international organisations to reconsider the process of aid distribution in the province.

Economic Affairs experts also believed that a large number of poor families lived in Ferozkoh who have not received aid.

Economic Affairs Expert Abdul Ghani Rahimi said: “Unfortunately, there are many families who have been living in difficult conditions since the time of regime change until now, when the economic system has faced problems the scope of poverty and hunger has also increased. There are families who received no help from air providing organisations or some had received very little.”

He said some families had stopped their children from going to school due to poverty and forced them to work in order to find livelihood.

Ghor Cultural Affairs Director Mawlavi Mohammad Hammas said: “Individuals who have references are listed by the aid providing organisations. Individuals who die from poverty are not considered, unfortunately justice is not implemented.”

He said security forces have arrested some individuals but they were freed back, adding that efforts were on to ensure fairness in the aid distribution.

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