December 16, troops of the Lithuanian-led Chaghcharan PRT delivered warm socks to children of provincial children's house and kindergarten that were handmade by people of Lithuania via a charity campaign „Warm hearts - warm feet".
Accompanied by Director of Social Affairs Department of Ghor troops first visited kindergarten of Chaghcharan, capital of Ghor province. They spent some time talking to children and nurses and handed over to them 200 pairs of socks. Later peacekeepers visited Chaghcharan children's home to where they delivered around 400 pairs of socks from Lithuania. They also told children about the charity campaign organised in Lithuania and shared their impressions about peacekeepers' service in a faraway country.
Director of Social Affairs Department of Ghor Dr Crul Ahmad Osmani expressed his heartfelt gratitude for people of Lithuania for a large number of handmade socks produced for children of Ghor. „It is gratifying to know that people from a distant country pays attention to our country and send kindness and warmth of their hearts", said Dr C. A. Osmani.
One of the organisers of the campaign Commander of CIMIC Division of PRT-12 Maj Aivaras Pliatkus said that attention and support of Lithuanian people is needful to inhabitants of Ghor province. „We rejoice together with local community at the active participation of Lithuanian people in kindness and assistance campaigns by adding their input to our common goal", said Maj A. Pliatkus.
In the nearest future members of PRT-12 military contingent foresee visiting secondary girls' school of Soltan Razieh and deliver a batch of warm socks to children of the most needy families.
People of Lithuania joined and supported in abundance beyond organisers' expectations the campaign „Warm hearts - warm feet" spanning from June to July 2010. Among the participants there were individuals, associations, libraries, women's penitentiary, military, civilians, etc.
Winters in Ghor, a remote province lying in north-west of Afghanistan and nearly cut off from other regions by mountains, are snowy and cold with temperatures falling to -40°C. It is also one of the poorest provinces in the country. The most vulnerable group in the area are children and women. Frequently poor families do not afford warm clothes and footwear for children, they often walk around barefoot and scantily dressed even on snow.
The Lithuanian-led PRT in Ghor is a joint civilian-military mission, a part of NATO's ISAF, that was launched in Ghor in summer of 2005. The main task of the mission is to help Government of Afghanistan to extend authority in the province, ensure security and create environment for provincial reconstruction. The 12th rotation of Lithuanian peacekeepers based on the Lithuanian Great Duke Algirdas Mechanised Infantry Battalion took over the mission from November.
Representatives from Denmark, Poland Finland, Georgia, Japan, Ukraine, and the USA work together with Lithuanian military and civilian personnel in the base camp of Ghor PRT.
PIO for PRT-12 Capt Ainaras Jonaitis.
Pictures by 1st Sgt Nerijus Vitas (PRT-12 visits Chaghcharan kindergarten and children's home)
