Aid for Afghan pupils

Humanitarian aid worth nearly 44,000 euros was today handed over for a primary school in Afghanistan’s Mazar Sharif by representatives of the Defence, Foreign and European Affairs, and Interior Ministries and the State Material Reserves Authority during a ceremony at Milan Rastislav Štefánik Airport in Bratislava. 

Speaking on behalf of the SVK MOD, Brig Gen Slavomír Staviarský, Director General of the Defence Management, Armed Forces Development, and Defence Planning Department, said: “Generally speaking, the MOD and the Armed Forces are not the standard providers of humanitarian aid, but if the legislation and conditions allow so, we know that when delivering humanitarian and development aid we cannot do without the assistance of armed forces, particularly in the countries where our soldiers are deployed on crisis management operations.” He further pointed out that this type of civil-military cooperation is instrumental to forging good relations with local residents. He also praised the cooperation with other ministries as well as with the Central Office of Ecumenical Pastoral Service in the Slovak Armed Forces and Armed Corps, a long-time contributor of humanitarian aid of this type.

In his remarks, State Secretary of the Foreign and European Affairs Ministry Lukáš Parízek said: “It is important to educate others, because those with more education give us hope for greater security.” He thanked the MOD and other partners for coordinating the efforts. 

The aid is destined for a primary school the construction of which was greatly aided by Slovakia two years ago and which today has 16 classrooms and provides education for approx. 700 students. The man who has been behind the project from the onset is Assoc Prof Nasir Jalili, a native of Afghanistan, who has lived in Slovakia for decades. This year Afghan pupils will receive 700 school uniforms, 700 shoes, and 224 winter boots. Among the donors is also the SVK Military Support Foundation, which has raised funds from two charitable concerts and sent 1,000 euros to fund the construction of the school’s non-potable water storage tank.