The media recently reported that the German government wants to deport tens of thousands of Afghan refugees. Afghanistan is complex. Yes, there are regions in Afghanistan that are relatively peaceful. And where life is good - apart from one of the highest infant mortality rates in the world. A few years ago - when the situation was still![\"stack-image0006\"](\"https:\/\/kerstinhack.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Stapel-Bild0006-300x194.jpg\")
was more stable, I visited the area around Kabul. Yes, you can live there. Poor. But living space.<\/p>\n
At the same time, there are a number of regions where people's lives are threatened by radicals. The threat is rarely individual - as the German asylum law expects in order to grant asylum status - but usually general. Everyone who happens to be there is injured in a suicide attack.<\/p>\n
But also individually. For example, if you dare to change your religion because you can no longer find anything in Islam that holds your soul. Death is waiting for you. And changing religion is almost incomprehensible for liberal German asylum lawyers. And is currently not recognised in dozens of cases. For example, Christians in emergency accommodation were threatened with death by radical Muslims - the attackers are being investigated by the public prosecutor's office. But the Federal Office for Migration rejected the asylum application because they could not recognise that it was a serious change of religion (Excuse me?!!)<\/p>\n
And of course there are people who simply leave their country because there are no more prospects for them in the barren, rutted, poor country.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, when phrases like \u201e10,000 Afghans will be deported\u201c are used, it seems to me like an admission to the right. You are pandering by saying: \u201eWe are doing something to end the flood of refugees. I still think the word refugee flood is a joke in view of the figures of well under a million, apart from the fact that people are not a flood. But that's another topic!<\/p>\n
What frustrates me...lack of imagination<\/strong><\/h3>\nI wonder whether those responsible can imagine what it means when a family, sometimes an entire village, pools all the money they had to enable one member to flee. What it means in a culture like Afghanistan's to return with shame and dishonour - with even worse conditions than before.<\/p>\n
What I also don't understand is that if people are already being deported to countries that are anything but safe, why don't we take the opportunity to actively combat the causes of flight? One cause of flight is poor prospects for the future.<\/p>\n
Something could be done. For example, an education and training programme that teaches people skills that they can use in their home country before they are deported. Whether it's agriculture or electrics, tailoring or welding, animal husbandry or beekeeping, IT or education, infant care or obstetrics, nursing or security. And then helps them with a small starter pack to make a new start in their old home country. So that they do not return to their country with shame and dishonour, but with a future - for themselves and the people they love,<\/p>\n
Perhaps, and of course there are counter-arguments. That could attract others. What the heck. You could try it. And in some places it's already being done - often on a voluntary basis.<\/p>\n
![\"stack-image0014\"](\"https:\/\/kerstinhack.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Stapel-Bild0014-300x194.jpg\")
I was in Afghanistan and saw the courage with which people are starting again after decades of war.<\/p>\n
I admired them for that. Like the old man in the picture, who the Taliban locked in a container with other villagers. And then left. When help arrived days later, he was the only one still alive. And he rebuilt the destroyed village with those who had returned from their escape.<\/p>\n
I dream of supporting people like him so that new beginnings can be made easier.<\/p>\n
I am frustrated, angry, even a little desperate that people are simply being deported without any prospects for the future. I find that cruel. I am thoroughly frustrated by such behaviour, which I don't believe solves problems.<\/p>\n
When I'm frustrated, I just need to vent. That's what I've just done. Wrote my heart out. I had to let the steam out. I want to be grateful and proud of my country and what we are doing to alleviate hardship and solve problems in the world, not frustrated with stupid-headed political enemies and sometimes short-term politicians.<\/p>\n
Search for solutions<\/h3>\n
It's good to let off steam. But I don't want to stop there. I look for solutions and think to myself: Initiating short training programmes for people at risk of deportation would be brilliant.<\/strong> If they could return to their country with basic skills in agriculture, healthcare, obstetrics or aftercare, as welders, electricians, etc., that would give them some prospects for the future. In any case, it would be better than being deported without anything in hand.<\/p>\nCheck and discard solutions<\/h3>\n
The reality check shows that organising and setting up something like this for thousands of people is just beyond my strength and resources.<\/p>\n
Finding suitable solutions - planting 100 trees - at least<\/h3>\n
![\"stack-image0004\"](\"https:\/\/kerstinhack.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Stapel-Bild0004-300x194.jpg\")
But planting a row of trees in Afghanistan - I could do that.<\/p>\n
And this is necessary, because due to war and drought, there are almost no trees left to stop desertification and people can sew. The aid organisation Shelter now<\/a> gives people fruit tree seedlings and bee colonies. Families can make a good living from this. And the groundwater table and the climate are improving.<\/p>\nThe best of all:\u00a0 One tree costs only 4 euros, bees for 100 trees another 100 euros.<\/strong> So 100 trees plus bees, that should be possible. At least 100, preferably 1000, and 10,000 - that would be a dream.<\/p>\nI'm actually going to do it. Plant 100 trees. At least. For 100 families of fruit. A small contribution to their future. In the land they call home.<\/p>\n
And of course - I can do a lot on my own. Together we can do more.<\/p>\n
If you're tired of feeling helpless too, then just join in. I'm running a campaign for the trees on Startnext. A tree - plus a bee colony - only costs 5 euros. Anyone can actually manage that.<\/p>\n
I was in Afghanistan and saw the courage with which people are starting again after decades of war.<\/p>\nCheck and discard solutions<\/h3>\n
The reality check shows that organising and setting up something like this for thousands of people is just beyond my strength and resources.<\/p>\n
Finding suitable solutions - planting 100 trees - at least<\/h3>\n
But planting a row of trees in Afghanistan - I could do that.<\/p>\n
And this is necessary, because due to war and drought, there are almost no trees left to stop desertification and people can sew. The aid organisation Shelter now<\/a> gives people fruit tree seedlings and bee colonies. Families can make a good living from this. And the groundwater table and the climate are improving.<\/p>\n The best of all:\u00a0 One tree costs only 4 euros, bees for 100 trees another 100 euros.<\/strong> So 100 trees plus bees, that should be possible. At least 100, preferably 1000, and 10,000 - that would be a dream.<\/p>\n I'm actually going to do it. Plant 100 trees. At least. For 100 families of fruit. A small contribution to their future. In the land they call home.<\/p>\n And of course - I can do a lot on my own. Together we can do more.<\/p>\n If you're tired of feeling helpless too, then just join in. I'm running a campaign for the trees on Startnext. A tree - plus a bee colony - only costs 5 euros. Anyone can actually manage that.<\/p>\n