Afghanistan 5 Years On: The Crisis Continues

Father of ten Ghiyasuddin* aged 70 lives with his extended family in a remote village in Ghor Province. Together with his son he supports a household of 12 people including sons daughters and grandchildren. With limited work opportunities and harsh winters in Ghor providing for his family had become increasingly difficult.

For many years Ghiyasuddin relied on agriculture and occasional labour work to support his family but it was never enough to meet their needs. As winter approached the shortage of firewood in the mountains surrounding their village created even greater hardship for the family.

“To support my family I took on difficult jobs collecting firewood from the mountains and doing anything I could to earn a little income. The work was tough but I endured it all because my only goal was to provide food for my family” Ghiyasuddin recalled.

Winters in Ghor Province are among the coldest in central Afghanistan bringing freezing temperatures that place vulnerable families at serious risk. Without warm clothing proper heating or enough fuel Ghiyasuddin constantly worried about the health and safety of his loved ones especially his grandchildren.

“Every winter our situation worsens. We have no warm clothes no heater and no way to protect ourselves from the freezing cold” he shared.

During these difficult winter months Afghanaid launched a winter assistance project to support vulnerable households across Ghor Province. After assessing the needs of families in the area Ghiyasuddin’s household was selected to receive assistance receiving AFN 14,610 in cash support to help them purchase firewood and other essentials.

“My hopes came true when Afghanaid reached out to us. This support not only kept us warm and safe but also brought back our dignity and hope” Ghiyasuddin said.

For families like Ghiyasuddin’s this emergency winter assistance has been life saving protecting them from the dangers of extreme cold and helping them face winter with greater security and hope.

“Thank you Afghanaid for protecting us from the cold and giving us a chance to stay healthy and strong. Together we are building resilience and saving lives one family at a time.”

*Name has been changed to protect his privacy.

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Life in her remote village in Afghanistan was once manageable for Madina* and her family. She owned a small piece of land where she grew wheat and vegetables to meet her family’s daily needs. After her husband passed away, farming became the only way she could provide for her children.

This all changed when two years ago, everything she had worked for was destroyed. “Devastating floods destroyed all of my farmland in a single night. Everything I had worked for was lost, leaving me with no means to earn a living.” 

Across Afghanistan, the impacts of the climate crisis are intensifying, and are being increasingly felt through droughts and flash floods. Rising temperatures and dramatic fluctuations in rainfall and drought have led to ongoing infrastructure and agricultural losses in remote areas and villages. For rural families, these devastations have become increasingly common and severely impede their ability to build resilience. 

These flash floods had also damaged her beloved home. Forced to leave her village, Madina's life became even more difficult. “Unable to afford a home, I lived for an extended period in the houses of relatives and neighbors, which was extremely difficult and often humiliating for both me and my children.”

To survive, Madina took on daily labour where possible. “I spent my days searching for work in house-cleaning and washing, earning just enough to meet basic needs.” Despite her strength, she still did not have enough money to afford a new home for her children.

After months of fear and uncertainty, Afghanaid’s specialised team came to Madina’s area to assess the needs of vulnerable families. After speaking to the team about her situation, she enrolled on a project designed to address her shelter needs. 

Through the project, Madina received vital support to rebuild her life. “I was provided 137,000 Afghanis in cash, delivered in two installments, which I used to purchase materials for repairing and building my house.”

Today, Madina finally has a new place to call home. “Receiving shelter support through the project has profoundly transformed my life,” she told us. “My children are now happy and comfortable. This shelter has given me the opportunity to plan for the future and has significantly reduced the stress of daily life.”

Looking ahead Madina feels very hopeful for her future, particularly as the project also supported her to learn skills in maintaining her new home. “The skills I have gained in house maintenance and repair will help me preserve its condition and support my family’s well-being. I hope my children can continue their education and build a brighter future.”

For Madina, and many other women and men displaced by disaster, this programme has restored dignity, stability, and a hope for a safer future. “This shelter has renewed my hope,” she told us proudly. “I am confident that, with dedication and careful planning, I can continue to improve the living conditions for myself and my family every day.”

*Her name has been changed to protect her privacy