Thousands of Afghan refugees, crowding in camps along the Afghan border west of Peshawar, Pakistan, are receiving water, blankets and tents from the Adventist Development and Relief Agency International (ADRA).

“ADRA’s goal is to provide immediate shelter and blankets and to supply water to the Afghan refugees before the winter season begins in this part of Pakistan,” says Frank Teeuwen, Bureau Chief for Disaster Preparedness and Response for ADRA International. The onset of colder weather is rapidly approaching, when temperatures can drop to 50 degrees below zero Fahrenheit (minus 45 degrees Centigrade).

Two and a half million Afghan refugees have already fled to an area near the border town of Peshawar. As conflict continues, this number is increasing. Local authorities anticipate they will need to establish another 100 refugee camps.

After four years of drought, the situation of the Afghan people has deteriorated. Only 10,000 tons of seeds remain for next year’s crops instead of the needed 400,000. With the failure of crops in the countryside, the population of Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, has risen dramatically from 750,000 to 2 million over the past year. It is estimated that children make up about half of the total population in Kabul.

For more information about ADRA, visit www.adra.org.