In support of Afghan Refugees

Posted Sep  7, 2021 in News

The Uniting Church has a long and proud history of supporting peace and defending the rights and freedoms of refugees and people seeking asylum.

With the unfolding situation in Afghanistan we have watched as the Taliban have taken over, and the people of that country have been displaced and now very much live in fear.

As we receive enquiries about how to provide support to local Afghanistan refugees, and how we might respond to this unfolding situation - whether via goods or food donations or other types of support, the following links are offered for both your information and action:

• Glam Adelaide is seeking to donate welcome pack items for the 100 Afghans currently isolating in Adelaide, refer to this link: https://glamadelaide.com.au/call-out-to-businesses-to-help-with-afghan-welcome-packs/
  
  
• Adelaide restaurant Parwana Kitchen has a fundraising link on their website. You can read more about it here: https://glamadelaide.com.au/parwana-kitchen-to-host-afghanistan-fundraiser-dinner
  
  
• Pilgrim Circle of Friends is currently seeking donations to cover the service of a Dari interpreter and administration assistant for Australian Migration Options (Libby Hogarth, Pilgrim Church and Registered Migration Agent), who are assisting over 50 High Risk Afghan families with visa applications and also answering hundreds of emails from anxious relatives. Pilgrim Circle also supports newly arrived Afghan families with settlement support.  Donations are tax deductible and can be made to Circle of Friends – Pilgrim Circle- GiveNow - Circle of Friends Australia – please note the contribution as  'Circle 27 – Pilgrim Circle.'
  
  
• Asia Pacific Network of Refugees has an Emergency Appeal For Displaced Afghan Women and children, refer to this link: https://chuffed.org/project/emergency-appeal-for-displaced-afghan-women-and-children

Other types of support and action include:

Read the Refugee Council of Australia’s 7 asks of the Australian Government to better understand what we can do as a nation

Contact your local MP: Find your MPs contact email and phone number here and send a template email to your MP. Click here

Write a letter or sign a petition, for example:  Evacuation of interpreters petition / Australian response to humanitarian crisis petition / Amnesty International petition . Letter of Support for Afghanistan by Monash University.

Other types of information/ actions: Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Australia: Solidarity with Afghanistan, what you can do / RACS Australia: Act to protect people from Afghanistan / ASRC: Read the media statement here.

Fundraising: Asia Pacific Network of Refugees (APNOR) Click here.

With thanks to Rev Paul Goh and Alex Hogan, Uniting Advocacy Team for sourcing the above information.

Comments

Write comment