For much of 2023, the world‘s attention was focused on Ukraine and Israel,

but Afghanistan has become the forgotten conflict zone.

August 15th, 2021, changed everything in Afghanistan. After 20 years of ​democratic government, the Taliban entered Kabul and took over the ​government as President Ashraf Ghani with a small entourage left the ​Presidential Palace to neighbouring Uzbekistan and then on to the United Arab ​Emirates.

For Rotary clubs of Kabul, Herat and Jalalabad the impact was severe. According ​to Rameen Javid, the Founder and Charter President of the Rotary Club of Kabul ​City, at least half, if not most of their members either left the country or lost their ​jobs, along with their sense of security.

“Additionally, a rush of internally displaced refugees to major cities, ​overwhelmed the three Rotary’s ability to make the impact they were used to,” ​admitted Rameen.

In Kent, the Maidstone Dawn Patrol Rotary Club have forged a close link with ​Rameen at the Afghan Rotarians. Club member Pat Jeffery recalled how he felt ​Afghanistan could not be allowed to become the forgotten conflict where there ​was a huge need for humanitarian aid.

Pat explained: “As I came to the end of my Presidency, I was concerned that ​whilst, quite correctly, Ukraine was dominating Rotary thoughts, Afghanistan ​seemed to me to be being forgotten. News of the treatment of women and the ​ban on education for girls worried me.

“I found details of the Kabul Rotary Club and Rameen's contact details. Members ​agreed that we should make contact to ask in what way we could help while ​emphasising that we are a small club.”

What began was a small-scale partnership between Maidstone Dawn Patrol ​Rotary Club and Kabul Rotary Club.

The Kent Rotarians sent money to the Kabul club to help with the operation of a ​boy whose hands were badly injured. Surgery was performed by a member of ​the Kabul Rotary Club.

“The money has been used to help a boy from a poor family to operate on his hands ​so that he is able to work in the future,” explained Pat.

“Members of our Club promised we would do as much as we could to help the ​people of Afghanistan who face some of the worst deprivations in the world.”

Despite the adverse conditions in Afghanistan, Rotarians are working on several ​projects. Afghanistan is estimated to have 35 million people, 70% of which are ​under the age of 30, so it is a young country.

The money sent to Kabul by Maidstone Dawn Patrol Rotary Club was used to help with the operation of a boy whose hands were badly injured.

Rameen explained: “Being at war for the past 40 years, much of its infrastructure including the education and health system has been destroyed.

“In the past 20 years, there was a nation-building effort, but on August 15th, 2021, when the Taliban took over the country and just about all progress stopped.

“Because most of the aid agencies and foreign embassies have left, the economy is at a standstill. Poverty has increased multi-fold to the point that people are selling their children or their organs just to survive.

“Afghanistan is in dire need. The three Afghan Rotary presidents talked and formed a committee with Kabul as the chair. To combat the immediate needs of Afghanistan, there are three areas that we mainly like to work with, namely, income generation, education and health.”

Read Rameen Javid’s ‘Letter from Kabul’ in the April issue of Rotary magazine.

To get involved with any of the Afghan Rotary projects, you can contact Rameen at: rameenjavid@yahoo.com