OVER THE NEXT TEN DAYS YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT

CAMPAIGN DAY ONE

EVERY DAY AFGHAN WIDOWS AND WOUNDED STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE EXTREME POVERTY BROUGHT ON BY WAR. BY SPENDING NO MORE THAN A DOLLAR A DAY YOU CAN TAKE ACTION AS A GLOBAL CITIZEN AND HELP END THE CYCLE OF POVERTY IN AFGHANISTAN. TAKE THE CHALLENGE.

For over 25 years, millions of Afghans have suffered the devastating humanitarian consequences of armed conflict. Millions live in fear for their lives and for the future of their children. Afghanistan remains one of the world’s poorest countries. Widespread poverty and a breakdown of the country’s infrastructure have left thousands of people without access to even the most basic supplies and services. Families are in desperate need of basic assistance such as food, clean water, sanitation and health care.

Afghan widows and wounded are two groups that face extreme barriers to safety,

health and gainful employment. Without marketable skills and adequate income, these individuals are forced into poverty and are unable to provide for their families. Despite their best efforts, they need help.Your commitment to spend less for just a few days will help change lives forever. With your help the Canadian Red Cross will provide training to prepare Afghan widows and wounded for employment. This program will enable Afghans to provide for their own needs.Thank you for taking the DOLLAR A DAY challenge. You are helping to end the cycle of poverty.

WAR TORN AFGHANISTAN CONTINUES TO RECEIVE RED CROSS SUPPORT - YOU ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE

AFGHANISTAN AT A QUICK GLANCEPopulation: 29,929,000Capital:Kabul; 2,956,000Area: 652,090 km squareReligion: Sunni and Shiite MuslimCurrency: afghaniLife Expectancy: 46Language: Pashtu, Afghan Persian (Dari), Uzbek, Turkmen, 30 minor langaugesGDP per Capita: U.S. $700Literacy Percent: 36

For more information visit National Geographic

War•

Cluster Munitions & Explosive • Remnants of War

Amputees & Widows of War•

Red Cross work in Afghanistan•

How you can make a difference•

CAMPAIGN DAY TWO

EVERY DAY AFGHAN WIDOWS AND WOUNDED STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE EXTREME POVERTY BROUGHT ON BY WAR. BY SPENDING NO MORE THAN A DOLLAR A DAY YOU CAN TAKE ACTION AS A GLOBAL CITIZEN AND HELP END THE CYCLE OF POVERTY IN AFGHANISTAN. TAKE THE CHALLENGE.

WHAT IS WAR?War can be defined in a variety of ways.

War: “strife usually between nations conducted by force; state of open hostility and suspension of ordinary international law prevalent during such strife” (Oxford Concise Dictionary)

International Humanitarian Law divides the defini-tion of war into two categories- international armed conflict and non-international armed conflict.

International armed conflict is characterized as war between two or more States, where there is a clear border dividing these States.

Non-international armed conflict happens between opposing groups within a single country.

Both of these types of conflict are considered war in international law, and both are governed by the rules of international humanitarian law.

MAHESH, SRI LANKA - “THE WAR AFFECTS US DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY . . . WHATEVER WE DO, WHEREVER WE GO, IT IS WITH US. WE CANNOT ESCAPE FROM ITS REACH. LIKE A RUBBER BALL PUSHED UNDER WATER, IT WILL SURFACE AGAIN AND AGAIN”.

A WOMAN’S PERSPECTIVE “WAR IS DESTRUCTION . . . OUR CHILDREN ARE LOST . . .OUR HUSBANDS GONE . . .WE HAVE NOTHING . . .OUR HOUSES DESTROYED . . . WHAT MORE CAN I DESCRIBE?”

DID YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE RULES OF WAR?

CHECK OUT THIS RED CROSS LINK TO LEARN MORE.

EVEN WARS HAVE LIMITS WEBSITE

CAMPAIGN DAY THREE

EVERY DAY AFGHAN WIDOWS AND WOUNDED STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE EXTREME POVERTY BROUGHT ON BY WAR. BY SPENDING NO MORE THAN A DOLLAR A DAY YOU CAN TAKE ACTION AS A GLOBAL CITIZEN AND HELP END THE CYCLE OF POVERTY IN AFGHANISTAN. TAKE THE CHALLENGE.

ESTIMATED OVER 1.5 MILLION WIDOWS IN AFGHANISTAN

WHY ARE WOMEN CONSIDERED VULNERABLE IN WAR?Afghan women are showing considerable strength and determination. Here are just a few of the challenges they face.

Pregnancy and Motherhood - Women are left to care for their children, often without the income or security provided from their husbands. This challenges their ability to access housing, food, clothing, health care and education.

Socio-Economic Factors - Women still face discrimination in Afghanistan. They do not have equal access to training or employment. It is estimated that over 90% of widows are unable to read or write.

VIDEO LINKS TO CHECK OUTICRC Women facing war: Qualam

ICRC Women facing war: Efrat

ICRC Women Facing War: ‘Sarah’

CAMPAIGN DAY FOUR

EVERY DAY AFGHAN WIDOWS AND WOUNDED STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE EXTREME POVERTY BROUGHT ON BY WAR. BY SPENDING NO MORE THAN A DOLLAR A DAY YOU CAN TAKE ACTION AS A GLOBAL CITIZEN AND HELP END THE CYCLE OF POVERTY IN AFGHANISTAN. TAKE THE CHALLENGE.

WAR LEAVES AN ESTIMATED 40,000 AFGHAN LIMB AMPUTEES

War kills and wounds people, denies them access to medical facilities and can destroy an entire the health system. Its victims are not just combatants, but civilians caught up in the fighting, hurt during bombardments, or struck by weapons such as landmines.

Every month 60 people are killed or maimed by landmines or explosive remnants of war in Afghanistan. Injuries from landmines over the last 25 years have left an estimated 100,000 or more Afghan people handicapped. It is estimated that over 800,000 people are currently living with mobility impairments of which approximately 40,000 are limb amputees. The numbers are huge and increasing in a country not yet at peace and struggling to leave 30 years of war behind.

Once immediate health needs are met victims will need support in rebuilding their lives. Often, stigma surrounding amputees create challenges in securing employment and re-integrating back into society. Supports are necessary to ensure that the disabled have the means necessary to support their families and return to their daily activities such as returning to school.

CAMPAIGN DAY FIVE

EVERY DAY AFGHAN WIDOWS AND WOUNDED STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE EXTREME POVERTY BROUGHT ON BY WAR. BY SPENDING NO MORE THAN A DOLLAR A DAY YOU CAN TAKE ACTION AS A GLOBAL CITIZEN AND HELP END THE CYCLE OF POVERTY IN AFGHANISTAN. TAKE THE CHALLENGE.

MORE ABOUT EXPLOSIVE REMNANTS OF WARLandmine Quick Facts

Most landmines are designed to maim, not kill.• Mines cannot tell the difference between the • footsteps of a child and those of a soldier.Landmines continue to find victims long • after the end of an armed conflict. In Russia, for example, landmines from World War II continue to injure or kill civilians.Landmines are particularly inhumane weapons • and the harm they cause is excessive. Mine injuries maim victims for life and require two to six times more blood transfusions during surgery than other war injuries.Landmines hinder a country’s development • and cause a variety of medical, social and economic issues.

Landmine Statistics75 per cent of mine victims are civilians.• A single landmine can cost between $3 to $30 • US dollars (USD).It can cost anywhere from $300 to $1000 USD • to remove a mine.Over 160 million landmines are stored in • stockpiles.Landmines affect approximately 80 countries. • Afghanistan is still included in a list of the worst affected.In 2006, 5,751 casualties were reported in 68 • countries and areas, 16% less than 2005; Data collection is inadequate or non-existent in 64 of 68 countries with recorded casualties.Over 450 square kilometers of contaminated • land was cleared in 2006.

THERE IS MUCH MORE TO LEARN. CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINKS:

MINES ACTION CANADA

RED CROSS RESOURCES AND VIDEOS ON LANDMINES

A LANDMINE SURVIVOR STORY FROM AFGHANISTAN

CAMPAIGN DAY SIX

EVERY DAY AFGHAN WIDOWS AND WOUNDED STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE EXTREME POVERTY BROUGHT ON BY WAR. BY SPENDING NO MORE THAN A DOLLAR A DAY YOU CAN TAKE ACTION AS A GLOBAL CITIZEN AND HELP END THE CYCLE OF POVERTY IN AFGHANISTAN. TAKE THE CHALLENGE

MEDICAL HELP AND REHABILITATION TO INJURED AFGHANS Did you know that the International Committee of the Red Cross has been helping care for the medical needs of the physically disabled in Afghanistan? At the CRC Orthopaedic Centre in Kabul every man, woman and child share not only a common burden of disability, but commitment to overcoming it.

The ICRC directly manages six centres and supports four prosthetic workshops, providing raw materials, staff training and technical assistance. More than 90,000 disabled Afghans have been assisted through the Orthopaedic Program. Today, this program is the ICRC’s largest activity in Afghanistan.

AFGHAN AMPUTEES CONTINUE TO FACE BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENTThe main obstacles to the socio-economic integration of mine survivors and other persons with disabilities in Afghanistan include:

the poor economic condition of the country & extreme poverty;• cultural background concerning the position of women• architectural & natural barriers;• limited education & lack of marketable skills• lack of training opportunities suitable for the type of disability;• lack of transportation;• social prejudices & ignorance against disability;• lack of legislation & advocacy in favor of people with a disability;• lack of funding to ensure sustainability of programs.•

CHECK OUT 101 GREAT IDEAS FOR THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC REINTEGRATION OF MINE SURVIVORS

CAMPAIGN DAY SEVEN

EVERY DAY AFGHAN WIDOWS AND WOUNDED STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE EXTREME POVERTY BROUGHT ON BY WAR. BY SPENDING NO MORE THAN A DOLLAR A DAY YOU CAN TAKE ACTION AS A GLOBAL CITIZEN AND HELP END THE CYCLE OF POVERTY IN AFGHANISTAN. TAKE THE CHALLENGE

EVERY DOLLAR YOU RAISE WILL GO TOWARDS SUPPORTING THE LIVELIHOODS PROGRAM.

How does Livelihood training make a difference?

Despite all odds, the widows and wounded of Afghanistan are doing their best to provide for their families. But they can’t do it alone. That is why the Red Cross is stepping in to help.

For the past decade, the Afghan Red Crescent has been running livelihood training programs in vulnerable communities. These programs provide necessary skills training to ensure people have the skills and employment resources necessary to support themselves and their families. To help end the cycle of poverty, the Canadian Red Cross is partnering with the Afghan Red Crescent to provide this education to the widows and wounded of Afghanistan.

Courses will include embroidery, tailoring, cooking, confectionery and secretarial training. A starter kit of basic materials will be provided to all who complete their training and graduates will be assisted in securing employment.

Empowering people to help themselves is vital to the future of Afghanistan. By supporting people in securing a sustainable income we are helping families become healthy and strong. These families will then have the means to provide access to education for their own children thus strengthening the next generation and ending the cycle of poverty.

YOUR COMMITMENT WILL CHANGE LIVES.

CAMPAIGN DAY EIGHT

EVERY DAY AFGHAN WIDOWS AND WOUNDED STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE EXTREME POVERTY BROUGHT ON BY WAR. BY SPENDING NO MORE THAN A DOLLAR A DAY YOU CAN TAKE ACTION AS A GLOBAL CITIZEN AND HELP END THE CYCLE OF POVERTY IN AFGHANISTAN. TAKE THE CHALLENGE.

YOUR SUPPORT WILL CHANGE THE FACE OF AFGHANISTAN - DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR

PRICE SHEET

CAMPAIGN DAY NINE

EVERY DAY AFGHAN WIDOWS AND WOUNDED STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE EXTREME POVERTY BROUGHT ON BY WAR. BY SPENDING NO MORE THAN A DOLLAR A DAY YOU CAN TAKE ACTION AS A GLOBAL CITIZEN AND HELP END THE CYCLE OF POVERTY IN AFGHANISTAN. TAKE THE CHALLENGE.

POSSIBLE PROMOTION OF HIP PROGRAM

INFORMATION ON GETTING MORE INVOLVED IN YOUR COMMUNITY

CAMPAIGN DAY TEN

EVERY DAY AFGHAN WIDOWS AND WOUNDED STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE EXTREME POVERTY BROUGHT ON BY WAR. BY SPENDING NO MORE THAN A DOLLAR A DAY YOU CAN TAKE ACTION AS A GLOBAL CITIZEN AND HELP END THE CYCLE OF POVERTY IN AFGHANISTAN. TAKE THE CHALLENGE.

IN JUST 10 DAYS YOU’VE HELPED END THE CYCLE OF POVERTY FOR GENERATIONS TO COMEWe no longer have any choice in the matter...Every human being is already a global citizen. Our only real choice is what kind of global citizen each of us will be.

For the last 10 days you have taken the challenge to spend no more than a DOLLAR A DAY.

Every day, thousands of widows and wounded in Afghanistan face the challenge of surviving on on less than a DOLLAR A DAY.

By participating in the DOLLAR A DAY campaign you have made a difference on a global scale. Your partnership with the Canadian Red Cross will bring education, job training and vocational supplies to Afghan widows and wounded.

YOUNG GIRL WHO LOST HER TWO FEET IN A MINE ACCIDENT WHEN SHE WAS JUST A TODDLER. SHE HAS LEARNT TO LIVE WITH TWO PLASTIC FEET. YOUR HELP GIVES HER HOPE FOR THE FUTURE.

BECOME MORE INVOLVED AS A GLOBAL CITIZEN WITH THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE RED CROSSRaid Cross - a role play game for youth, aiming to teach the rules of war through a series of activities or posts.

Positive action - find out how the positive action of youth make a difference in the areas of health, disaster management, capacity building and humanitarian values.

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