/ Archive / Articles & Press Releases / Articles / 2009 / Collecting paper to get kids off the street

Collecting paper to get kids off the street

Kabul, March 18, 2009

The Swedish Committee for Afghanistan is not only supporting Afghans for improving their daily life but also makes effort to safeguard the environment of Afghanistan.

The SCA administration unit at Kabul Management Office (KMO) started recycling early this year at KMO and in the expatriate’s compounds of SCA.
Collecting waste material and paper at SCA might be considered as a small step, but it is a new beginning for some Afghans. The waste papers from SCA are donated to “Afghans4tomorrow”; a NGO in Kabul specialized in producing briquettes. The NGO provide job for street children who produce the briquettes from scrap papers, leaves, sawdust, and cardboard.

“The briquettes are smokeless; the cost is low compared to wood and fuel. Collecting paper creates employment and income for the not so fortunate children. And of course it helps our environment” says the Admin Director Bjorn-Ake Tornblom.

The children engaged in paper briquette producing spend half day to study and the other half in paper briquette production.
“We can help them earn money through a job and to receive education, and eventually get them of the street where they are begging to be able to survive” Bjorn-Ake explains.

The deforestation of Afghanistan is a major contributory factor to aridity, air pollution and increases the vulnerability to flash floods. According to the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) Afghan cities such as Kabul and Jalalabad (capital of Nangarhar Province) are facing an air pollution which threatens public health.

Click here to read more on deforestation in Afghanistan.