Two years ago, in the summer of 2021, German and international troops left Afghanistan. Shortly thereafter, the Taliban captured the capital, Kabul, in a lightning offensive on August 15. With the #LuftBrückeKabul initiative, we were able to evacuate around 190 people with a flight we helped finance. Today, exactly two years after the takeover, the Afghan people are still suffering. Above all, people outside the major cities are suffering from acute famine, which has been exacerbated by major droughts in recent years. Girls and women in particular are also systematically oppressed by the Taliban and excluded from public life.
Although we are one of the few remaining humanitarian organizations working in Afghanistan, the complicated situation in the country has meant that we have been able to carry out fewer relief missions than we believe necessary. Nevertheless, the most important thing for us is still not to look away – because giving up is not an option!
We will continue to do our best to deliver supplies to the people on site in Afghanistan and to alleviate their suffering. In the fall, STELP founder Serkan Eren will return to Afghanistan to help as many people as possible.
//The image above is from a major relief effort in December 2021, a few months after the Taliban takeover, and shows food parcels being distributed in a rural area.//
