| Administrative History | Allocations: 1976-1980; programme spend made in 1993/94, 1994/95; see later annual reports for subsequent allocations.
A military coup in July 1973 led to the setting up of a republic. A further coup in 1978 led to the setting up of a pro-Soviet government. In December 1979 Soviet troops invaded and installed a new president. By 1988 Soviet troops numbered 115,000 but were withdrawn by February 1989. Civil war continued; in 1992 the post-communist Islamic State of Afghanistan was established; civil war broke out anew in 1992; the Taliban took control of Kabul and several southern and central provinces in 1994.
Further source: https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Afghanistan (accessed May 2015)
In August 1976 Save the Children Fund (SCF) was invited by the Afghan government to establish a model health centre at Shewaki and train local health workers. By 1978 this extended to include clinics, a home visiting programme, research, and assistance for Public Health Nurse training. SCF withdrew from the country in December 1979 following the completion of the Public Health Nurse training plan and in the light of increased security concerns.
In 1993 SCF returned to Afghanistan to support the rehabilitation of rural primary schools in the Herat region. However operations were suspended in 1996 due to difficulties of working under the restrictions of the Taliban authorities. SCF started new health and education projects in other regions, and a Children's Rights project in Mazar-i-Sharif with SCF Sweden, but continuing conflict caused disruption. In July 1998 international staff had to leave the country when fighting erupted in Mazar-i-Sharif. SCF returned to the country in 1999 and focused on emergency relief, child-focused health education, training of education professionals, and the promotion of child rights. |