2. Where is Afghanistan? Map of Afghanistan courtesy of The General Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin.

3. What do these pictures tell you about Afghanistan?

4. Afghanistan The people of Afghanistan – called Afghans – have been through 20 years of war. The Soviet Union invaded their country in 1979. The Afghans drove the Soviets out, but then different Afghan groups fought each other for control of Afghanistan. In the end, a group called the Taliban took control of most of the country, but other groups continued to fight them. At the end of 2001, the USA fought its War Against Terrorism in Afghanistan. This war removed the Taliban from power. At the same time, Afghanistan has been through its worst drought in 30 years, leading to a terrible famine.

8. Why do people become refugees? People are sometimes forced to leave their homes to find food and safety when:  they are in danger from wars and fighting  there is no food or water and no help nearby They take only what they can carry with them. Sometimes they stay inside their own country. People like this are called Internally Displaced People. Those who have to leave their country and find safety and help in a different country become Refugees.

16. Dr Khadija (in white) at the Al Nisa Clinic

17. A truckload of warm clothes sent by donors in Europe

18. Changes for Afghan women

19. Building repairs

20. People working on their farms again

21. Some people starting to trade again