Resuming Support for Children in Afghanistan
Oct. 27, 2021
Escalating Violence and Hardship
Last month, War Child UK temporarily halted its aid projects due to the escalation of violence across the country. Thorough security checks have been carried out to ensure that staff can return to work and provide support safely.
Recent events have seen nearly 677,832 people flee their homes in search of safety. Desperate families with nowhere to go are building makeshift shelters with little access to even the most basic supplies such as food and hygiene facilities.
Children’s Future Threatened
Years of war, natural disaster and now COVID-19 have pushed Afghanistan to the brink of famine. Demand for lifesaving essentials is quickly exceeding supply with half of all children under five suffering from severe acute malnutrition.
Beyond the escalating food crisis, young people are watching as their futures slip further and further away from them. At present the government does not have the capacity to provide quality education to displaced children - and parents cannot afford to buy education materials either.
In It For The Long-Haul
We are aware of how big an impact all this is having not only on children’s physical but also mental health. Despite the difficult context, our staff have remained on the ground for months, drawing upon our expertise to prepare an extensive emergency response.
Now, we have set the wheels in motion as well as resuming existing projects in areas including Herat and Ghor. While our emergency response will focus on immediate needs such as the delivery of food and hygiene kits and psychological first aid, our projects will also re-start vital protection services including our network of ‘Safe Spaces’. Here, children can play, learn and get the support they need to recover.
Unaccompanied minors will also be directly supported - with efforts to trace and reunify families well underway.
For more on what we do in Afghanistan, go here. You can also find more information or donate to our emergency appeal through the War Child UK website.
