Feature: Chinese humanitarian aid eases sufferings of Afghan families

KABUL, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Saye Hasan, together with his six family members, was huddled in a semi-underground hut of about 50 square meters in Mount Afshaar, one of the largest slums in the Afghan capital Kabul accommodating more than 5,000 families.

Earning 500 afghanis (about 5.62 U.S. dollars) daily, Hasan had barely been able to feed his family. He had to borrow rice from a shop.

Donations from China changed his life "from earth to sky." Hasan's family received two batches of Chinese aid, each of which included 50 kg rice, 50 kg wheat and 5 kg cooking oil.

"After receiving the assistance, we can have three meals a day," Hasan said.

Achim Steiner, administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, said earlier this year that Afghanistan is facing a potential non-reversible economic collapse, leaving as many as 80 percent of people in debt and 97 percent of Afghans in poverty.

To help prevent a possible humanitarian catastrophe, China pledged 250 million yuan (about 37 million dollars) worth of aid to Afghanistan, including food supplies and winter clothes.

"We are grateful to China for announcing humanitarian aid packages and sending assistance." Mohammad Nasim Haqqani, spokesperson of the State Ministry for Disaster Management and Humanitarian Affairs, told Xinhua.

"I had nothing to eat, but the assistance donated by China was distributed to the needy families, including me, and I received a bag of rice and a bag of flour which had reduced my burden," said Abdul Salam, a resident of western Herat province.

On June 22, a strong earthquake in southeastern Afghanistan killed more than 1,000 people and injured nearly 2,000 others while destroying tens of thousands of homes. China was among the first countries to help, pledging 50 million yuan (about 7.5 million dollars) in emergency humanitarian aid.

"China's contribution to Afghanistan is vivid, and as a neighboring country, China has always assisted in several fields," Abdul Nasir Rishtia, an economic expert and chief executive of Afghanistan Steel Mills Union, told Xinhua. "On behalf of the Afghan people, I want to thank the Chinese people."