Here's how to help people fleeing Afghanistan and the families still in the country
After the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan last month, droves of residents fled the country amid the turmoil.
The Taliban, in their first news conference since taking power, declared “amnesty” for government officials and vowed to uphold rights for women.
But many interpreters and others who have helped U.S. and NATO forces believe that the group will view them as traitors and that their lives are in danger. The Taliban’s regime before the 2001 U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan granted women virtually no rights.
Dramatic videos on social media last month showed people in the capital, Kabul, rushing the tarmac at Hamid Karzai International Airport to leave the country. One photo showed a U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo plane packed with 640 civilians.
Afghan-Americans have told USA TODAY that many are living in fear for their loved ones who are still in the country.
Here are some organizations and aid efforts for those looking to help those who have fled Afghanistan, families in the country and others.
How to help Afghanistan: List of organizations
International Rescue Committee. The organization has launched an "emergency response" in Afghanistan, distributing food and cash to displaced families and more.
GlobalGiving’s Afghanistan Emergency Fund. GlobalGiving, an organization that connects nonprofits to donors and companies, has launched an emergency fundraiser for “vetted nonprofits working in the region” and groups working to help Afghan refugees.
“Our partners are helping those who are most at risk – including women, children and activists – stay safe,” the organization said.
World Help. The group is working with Afghan partners whose “main priority now is getting food and water to refugees who are temporarily settled out in the open with no shelter until they can be relocated to camps.”
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UNHCR: The UN's Refugee Agency has a donation fund for support in Afghanistan. The agency is currently targeting "providing emergency shelter, lifesaving aid, food, medicine and clean water," according to its website.
Many other organizations are working on the ground in Afghanistan and with refugees worldwide. If you’re looking to help other nonprofits, you may be able to check if they are legitimate on Charity Navigator.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What's going on in Afghanistan: How to help refugees, families
