Appeals by Charities Rebuilding Afghanistan Draw Strong Response From Donors

Much of the philanthropic flood following last September’s attacks focused on

caring for the American victims. But dozens of humanitarian organizations working in Afghanistan and neighboring areas have also benefited from the attention focused on that region’s needs.

While no aggregate giving figures have yet been compiled, several prominent aid organizations say they have been pleasantly surprised by donors’ positive response to their recent appeals.

The International Rescue Committee, for example, raised about $9-million in the final quarter of 2001, compared with $5.2-million in the same period the previous year. Even discounting a recent $1-million anonymous gift, the increase was still greater than 50 percent.

“I think it has to do with the enormous amount of press coverage on Afghanistan, including many positive stories about refugees,” said Janet Harris, vice president for development at the charity, which helps people uprooted by persecution, war, or violence.

In addition, the organization received some $3.3-million from foundations in the final quarter of 2001, compared with just $1.3-million a year ago.

Oxfam America had been predicting a decline in revenue last year, given the slowing economy. But a special appeal it mailed after September 11 to support its activities in central Asia raised $2.5-million — far more than previous appeals in 2001 had raised for programs in India and El Salvador. That year-end boost was enough to push its revenue above the total budgeted for the year.

‘Silver Lining’

Just as Americans learned more about the Balkans, or Somalia, or Gujarat, India, during previous humanitarian emergencies, they are now becoming much more knowledgeable about central Asia.

“The wonderful silver lining [of the crisis] is the outpouring of support from Americans, many of whom didn’t know where Afghanistan was,” says Kim Johnston, director of program operations at Mercy Corps International. “We’re thrilled that we’ve not had to cut back on resources for our other programs” outside Afghanistan, because additional revenues have covered the charity’s additional costs.

CARE International has already raised $13-million toward its $15-million goal to support its efforts in central Asia. Of that amount, CARE USA has raised $2.4-million, including grants of $1-million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and of $500,000 each from the Penzance Foundation and the Pew Charitable Trusts.

CARE USA had lowered its 2001 budget projections in October, based on declines in giving from July through September. But a surge in year-end giving enabled CARE USA to bring in about $27-million in unrestricted gifts for the last half of 2001 — a 13-percent increase over its revised goal of $24-million.

Other foundations are also responding to the Afghanistan crisis. The Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund, for example, has given $265-million to improve the coordination and increase the impact of international relief efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Part of the money from the Goldman Fund will be used to strengthen the Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief, or. ACBAR. Based in Islamabad, Pakistan, the information clearinghouse was created by development organizations more than a decade ago. It had more than 100 members at its peak, but has been relatively dormant during the Taliban years. Now ACBAR seeks to recreate its role as a principal forum for aid groups to coordinate their activities.

“After September 11, I realized that international relief would be needed in addition to help for domestic victims,” said Richard N. Goldman, the fund’s president.