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CIVIL WAR IN TAJIKISTAN
HAS SO FAR CLAIMED OVER 50,000 LIVES. It has forced thousands of children to
leave their villages, their belongings and often their fathers behind. And when
peace comes, many children will still be miles away from home. "The civil war affected us very much,"said 12-year-old Golibsoh. "They burned our house and took our things and clothes. We went to Dushanbe - the capital - as refugees. We had great difficulty in the city we worn hungry all day long. My mother sold plastic bags at the market. and bought us some food." Like Golibsoh, 16-year-old Mahmadjonov and his family fled from their village to Dushanbe to escape the fighting "On the first day of the civil war they took my father... and from that day there is no news of him,"he explained. "We went to Dushanbo. It took us a week to get there. We lived very badly and sold all the things we had taken with us to buy food." When Golibsoh was eventually able to return to his village, he could start his life again. Save the Children gave Golibsoh's school a grant for a flour mill to help generate income. And we are continuing to work with female-headed households to help boost their incomes and provide greater security for families displaced by the civil war. For example, the poorest families are given a cow, offering milk and yoghurt for children, manure for fuel and calves which can be sold. Other; less vulnerable families, are given cheaper goods - a package of wheat or potato seeds and some fertiliser; for example. After the harvest, the families pay back a percentage of the cost of the gift to enable Save the Children to support other families. After repayment, all future benefits belong to the family. Golibsoh and Mahmadjonov, like countless other Tajik children, have a simple dream."My dream is that in our country there should not be war any more,"said Golibsoh. Long-term development work by Save the Children is helping children recover from conflict in very practical ways. Giving a family seeds with which to grow and harvest crops can help them get back on their feet. Profits from flour mills run by parents and teachers at schools like Golibsoh's are used to repair war-damaged classrooms, or to buy shoes and books for orphans. And by providing families with building materials, we're literally helping them rebuild their lives. It's easy to feel helpless when faced with the scale of children's suffering. But by bringing communities together, Save the Children is helping to reduce the risk of future conflict - and is offering Golibsoh and Mahmadjonov the chance of a happier future. |
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