By Ellen Kang
Daily Bruin Contributor
More than 1.5 million Afghan orphans living in sub-poverty
levels are victims of decades of wars, “the dark era of the
Taliban,” and are the price paid for peace, say members of
International Orphan Care.
In Kinsey Hall on Saturday, teary-eyed speakers from Help the
Orphans Be Productive and Educated symposium urged members of the
UCLA community to never forget this message.
“Once the media stops covering Afghanistan, the orphans
and destitute families of Afghanistan and their situation will once
again be forgotten by the international community. The children
will be left again to defend for themselves,” said Parisa
Sekandari, a second-year business student and president of the
Muslim Business Student Organization.
IOC, a nonprofit relief organization that sponsored the event,
teamed up with other UCLA student organizations to bring attention
to the need for Afghanistan to be a land where children have the
opportunity to grow, learn and achieve their potential.
“There are millions in danger of starvation. Even though
there are relief supplies, it isn’t adequate, and it’s
difficult to get the food because they’re scared of the
bombings. I’ve seen videos of children with practically skin
taped onto their bones,” said Mostafa Mahboob, a fourth-year
history student and editor of Al-Talib.
Al-Talib, the Muslim student magazine, is part of Student Media,
which includes the Daily Bruin.
According to the United Nations, one out of three orphan
children die before age five, and, according to the National
Geographic Society, more than half the population has been killed,
disabled or displaced by harsh conditions.
“When we heard that many people were dying there, nothing
could stop us from going to them. It was worth it, even if one
child was saved,” said Edward Artis, co-founder of the
Christian Knightsbridge International organization who visited
Afghanistan several months ago, to the roughly 100 people who
attended the symposium.
According to IOC, the children generally live in a shabby tent
made of paper, tree branches or plastic sheets, lack warm clothes
and eat garbage soldiers leave behind.
“Afghanistan is a broken society; everything is broken.
But the Afghan spirit is there,” said speaker Ishaq Nadiri,
an economics professor at New York University.
The IOC is concerned with its recent project ““ The Orphan
Center in Kabul ““ because it lacks proper facilities,
teachers, supplies and support personnel. At the conclusion of the
symposium, IOC received donations for the orphans.
“Being a messenger of orphans can support these
children,” said Saboor Rashidi, a member of the Board of
Advisors for IOC.
A donation of $20 a month can sponsor and support a child for
more than a year, according to the IOC.
“We have a chance now to be better people and help rebuild
Afghanistan. The people of Afghanistan deserve to be free,”
said speaker Dana Rohrabacher, congressman from Huntington
Beach.
For information, contact the International Orphan Care at (949)
305-1787 or e-mail [email protected]