Support and Protect Families in Afghanistan

Across Afghanistan’s Helmand Province, a region that was once the heart of heavy fighting, thousands of explosive items remain hidden in the ground.

Landmines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and other dangerous weapons threaten the community and make it impossible for displaced families to return safely.

In a village in Gereshk district, Helmand Province, Shah-Mahmood and his family of 17 are finally home after years of displacement. When the fighting intensified in 2009, they were forced to leave their home.

"We spent one year under hot temperatures in the center of Gereshk [City] to survive the war," said Shah Mahmood.

Struggling to support the family during their displacement, Shah-Mahmood was eager to return to the land, house, and routine he missed. But they couldn’t start rebuilding right away.

"We felt scared when we returned to our village. Our houses were damaged and our agricultural land was destroyed,” he said.

They weren’t the only family affected. In the village, one person was killed and four others were injured after their vehicle hit a roadside IED.

Deminers arrived in 2025. By early 2026, they cleared more than 15 football fields, including end zones – in Shah-Mahmood’s village. To date, 11 IEDs and counting have been safely destroyed.

Though the work continues, the most critical areas of the village – near homes and fertile farmland – have been made safe.

Life is coming back to the community. Returned families are starting to rebuild with peace of mind. Children are running and playing freely again. Farmers are growing crops again.

"We will feel happy when HALO finishes clearing our land. Our income will increase, and children will be able to play safely," said Shah-Mahmood.

All 17 members of his family can now begin to rebuild with hope for a safer, more prosperous future.

The support of our HALO community on GlobalGiving plays an important part in making progress like this possible -  thank you!

Throughout late August and early September of 2025, a series of earthquakes struck several provinces in Afghanistan. The quakes and aftershocks led to thousands of deaths and injuries, while even more became displaced as the tremors destroyed their homes.

While HALO teams in Afghanistan are best known for clearing landmines and dangerous explosive remnants of war, they are also uniquely prepared to respond to crises and support communities after sudden shocks. So, when this devastation struck, they acted quickly.

Vehicles that normally carry deminers and their gear became outfitted as ambulances. Teams who are skilled in responding to dangerous situations made quick use of their knowledge. And the relationships that HALO’s team in Afghanistan has forged with local communities helped them coordinate quickly in the critical moments after disaster struck.

Assessment and rapid response teams deployed immediately to the regions where the earthquake struck. As they arrived at the scene, tremors were still shaking the ground. Roads were completely blocked. One village had been entirely reduced to rubble.

Within 24 hours, they rescued seven people who were in critical condition, including two children.

To help people who had lost their homes, teams provided and set up 35 tents, each capable of sheltering up to 12 people. HALO’s medical staff treated 86 survivors and evacuated seven people in critical condition for further care.

Responders also delivered 50 emergency aid packages. Each one included 27 essential items: blankets, plastic outdoor rugs, tarps, cooking pots, pressure cookers, tea pots, knives, gas cylinders for fuel, towels, and other supplies to help families stay warm, safe, and dry in the days ahead.

The support of our GlobalGiving donors helped make this response possible. Disaster can uproot a family’s entire life in the blink of an eye. But, thanks to you, help can stand at the ready.