Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan handed out food to some of Kandahar's poorest families on Friday to help them celebrate the Islamic festival of Eid.
Eid is the three-day celebration marking the end of Ramadan, a month-long period of fasting for Muslims. But while many Afghans mark the end of their fasts with feasts, some of the country's poorest residents say they would be forced to beg for food without help.
"Otherwise, our only hope is Allah," Ram Bibi told The Canadian Press through an interpreter.
On Friday, Canadian soldiers helped 200 of the poorest families in Kandahar city by giving them gift packages that included flour, rice, sugar, cooking oil, and clothing. The military said residents living near the base were basically given a week's worth of food for the average Afghan family.
"We're doing our little bit to show our respect for the customs of Eid and in particular for our neighbours," said Lieut. Jon Baker, one of the event's organizers.
When word of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) aid got out, residents who were not on a list of the poorest families also arrived at Canada's military base. At least 100 people were turned away.
Canada selected the 200 recipient families after local leaders identified them as the poorest residents in the area. Some local residents who did not receive aid said some of those given food packages were well-connected with local officials.
"Most of the people coming here are rich people," area resident Meher Aban said.
"The real power in the country are the poor people. They are the people who deserve this help."
Others wondered why aid was only given out at Eid and not throughout the year. NATO bases, including Canada's, provide donations and gifts throughout the year.
Afghanistan has been hit particularly hard by increasing global food prices over the past year. Some staple food items such as rice and wheat have, in some cases, more than doubled.
"This is not meant to be a large-scale development project. This is a token of our good will," Baker said.
"The real way to help the people that live here is providing security so that other development agencies and entrepreneurs can come in and rebuild this economy."
With a report from CTV's Paul Workman in Kandahar and files from The Canadian Press
