Provincial Reconstruction Team, Task Force South spread holiday cheer to orphans

Photo By Master Sgt. Tracy DeMarco | An Afghan boy, who attends school and lives at the Farah City Orphanage, wears his new soccer uniform that he received just moments earlier to a pizza lunch provided by Italian Task Force South on a special day that the Farah Provincial Reconstruction Team civil affairs team worked to coordinate, Dec. 23, 2009. Besides soccer uniforms, the children received winter coats, shoes, candy and school supplies. All the items were donated by 10 local Afghan contractors at no cost to the center.  

FARAH, AFGHANISTAN

12.23.2009

Story by 2nd Lt. Karl Wiest 

Provincial Reconstruction Team Farah

FARAH, Afghanistan — Over $5,000 worth of items, all donated by 10 local Afghan contractors, were delivered by the Farah Provincial Reconstruction Team and Task Force South to the Farah City Orphanage just two days before Christmas, Dec. 23, 2009, Farah, Afghanistan.

The 78 boys and 60 girls who belong to the orphanage beamed with happiness when they saw the International Security Assistance Force vehicles pull up outside their compound. The children ran to greet their visitors and were amazed when they finally saw what the American forces from the PRT and the Italian forces from Task Force South had brought them.

The ISAF team delivered to the orphanage winter jackets and sneakers to candy and pizza. All the items were donated by the local Farah contractors who simply wanted to help out the underprivileged kids of their city.

"This is a great day for these children," said Muhammad Assad, a teacher who works at the orphanage and helps educate the students there. "Most of them do not have very much at all and it means even more that these items were donated by our own people here in Farah."

Not only did the ISAF team coordinate the donations and their delivery, they also provided medical screenings for all the children at the orphanage during their visit.

"We are happy to do all that we can for these kids," said Italian Col. Massimo Raccanpo of Task Force South. "They are very appreciative and it is nice to help out so many children, especially this time of the year."

• Date Taken: 12.23.2009
• Date Posted: 01.03.2010 08:32
• Story ID: 43412
• Location: FARAH, AF