Deutsche Welle (DW) is a well-established name in Afghanistan. People in the crisis region have looked to DW-RADIO as an independent voice for over 30 years, and DW-TV has been producing news for the country since August 2002. Now DW wants to take its commitment a step further and raise funds to reconstruct the war-torn nation. The Afghan population needs access to medical care and education, and DW wants to help them. Such tasks are urgent, especially in rural regions.

Advertising on all of DW's Media Offerings

DW-RADIO, DW-TV and the Internet site DW-WORLD will be accompanying the fundraising activities right from the beginning with editorial contributions, reports and articles. Sandra Petersmann from DW-RADIO and Birgitta Schülke-Gill from DW-TV conducted research in northern Afghanistan in mid-May 2003. They spoke with children who never went to school and teachers who can hardly wait to start working in the newly built schools. They also recorded the lives of a dedicated doctor and an illiterate midwife. "The portraits will make it clear that there is a link between health, medical care and education," says DW-reporter Petersmann. One example: "It's of no use putting up warning signs on areas with landmines when no one can read." That's why the physicians' organization Cap Anamur has been committed to building schools and classrooms for the past year and a half. The organization built more than 200 fully-equipped classrooms and handed them over to local officials. But that is only the beginning.

Internet Donations

Deutsche Welle has been reluctant to appeal for money or raise funds in the past: High processing fees for international transactions made financial support unattractive. But now that credit card donations are possible, Deutsche Welle no longer hesitates to address its international audiences for the sake of a good cause. DW-WORLD has put together its own information package, which includes links to the fundraiser pages. Other DW program offerings announce the web address in their programs.