KARADAH PROJECT INTERNATIONAL

What is possible?

The world seems complex, chaotic, and dangerous in this moment. And yet, over the past few decades we have made greater progress in alleviating poverty and suffering than during any other time in the history of the world.

The paradox --

Over the last 25 years, more than a billion people have lifted themselves out of extreme poverty, and the global poverty rate is now lower than it has ever been in recorded history. This is one of the greatest human achievements of our time. -World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim

Globally, the forcibly displaced population increased in 2017 by 2.9 million. By the end of the year, 68.5 million individuals were forcibly displaced worldwide as a result of persecution, conflict, or generalized violence. As a result, the world’s forcibly displaced population remained yet again at a record high.” -UNHCR Global Trends

We should be inspired and encouraged by how a world-wide focus on poverty alleviation could have such an astounding effect on the lives of people. There has never been, in all of history, greater progress toward a more equitable world. That progress, however, comes at the same time we are seeing the record-setting forced displacement of many of those same people whose lives showed such great promise. Of the 68.5 million forcibly displaced people in the world, 40 million are languishing in the shadows of displacement camps within the borders of their own countries — far from the eyes of the world. We have proven, however, that our capacity to solve big problems is only limited by our resolve to unify and focus our efforts.

Political polarization and non-stop media coverage can numb us to the suffering of the rest of the world. We can easily be overwhelmed with a sense of helplessness in the face of such large numbers. We may have a tendency to recoil, to pull back — a luxury afforded many of us through the accident of birth. We can divorce ourselves from the realities of the world as easily as changing a television channel. This can certainly save us from the mental anguish required of engaged and compassionate people in a world rife with inequity, suffering, and palpable misery. The world’s vast social and humanitarian problems, even if we choose to ignore them, still have a way of washing up on our shores — bigger and more complicated with time.

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The Hidden Internally Displaced

Refugees represent nearly a third (30%) of the world’s displaced population – people forced to leave their homes due to persecution, conflict, violence or human rights violations.

The much larger number of internally displaced people – those displaced within their home country – reached about 40 million in 2017 (over 1.8 million Afghans), bringing the world’s total displaced population to 68.5 million in 2017. (Pew Research Center)

Through our partnerships with local Afghan nonprofits, we are working with displaced and poor women in rural villages to stem the tide of refugees flooding into other countries. Through our vocational skills training, livestock projects, and other initiatives, we are helping women pull themselves and their families out of poverty.

We started a kindergarten

What is better than training displaced women in marketable skills? A kindergarten for their children. Here's why we are adding a kindergarten to our skills training program for Afghan displaced moms.

Children uprooted by crises lose more than a roof over their heads. Without education, they risk losing their futures.
In the first years of life, children establish the cognitive, emotional and social foundation upon which they can build their futures.
Education offers children a ladder out of poverty and a path to a promising future.
Too often, children are thwarted by poverty, discrimination, armed conflict, emergencies and the effects of climate change.

Only 50 per cent of refugee children are enrolled in primary school.

Studies in developing countries show that early childhood development (ECD) programs lead to higher levels of primary school enrollment and educational performance, which in turn positively affect employment opportunities later in life.

Early childhood is the most significant developmental period of life.
In Afghanistan, 3.7 million children are out-of-school-60% of them are girls.

-UNICEF

Kabul-Kansas City students debate

On April 25, 2019 students from American University of Afghanistan and University of Missouri-Kansas City met to compete in an online debate tournament. If you want to feel good about the future, watch the performance of these future leaders. The world will be in good hands.

This event was sponsored by the Sister Cities of Kansas City, MO Kabul-KC committee, American University of Afghanistan and University of Missouri-KC debate teams, and Karadah Project International.

Help Us Do More

Entrepreneurs turn hens into turkeys

Smart and saavy Afghan women living in rural Shindand Province are stepping up their game. They are using profits from hens given to them by Karadah Project and our Afghan partner Shindand Women Social Foundation to purchase turkeys. These entrepreneurs now have higher income-generating products to sell and have increased their nutrition choices. Sustainable solutions implemented by empowered women.

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