In May flash floods hit the Khuram was Sarbagh district of Samangan leaving communities with no time to prepare and wreaking devastation on already vulnerable households. Alongside 30 years of conflict, Afghanistan is prone to natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes and drought, which have been occurring with increasing regularity over recent years.
Mahria is 36 years old and has a family of eight she explains how alongside ‘other households affected from this flood, I lost all my assets, my house, agriculture land and livelihoods were destroyed’. In the ensuing rush of water she was only able to save herself and her family - leaving them homeless and exposed to the cold, with no way of earning money.
With the assistance of UNOCHA, Afghanaid conducted an assessment of flood affected households and selected Mahria to participate in a reconstruction project. Training participants in Disaster Risk Reduction, Afghanaid staff were able to assist families like Mahria’s in choosing the safest locations for their new homes to decrease the likelihood of the community being affected by floods in the future.
After clearing the land, participants were provided with – in four cash installments - the necessary resources and technical assistance to rebuild their homes: ‘Afghanaid implemented the shelter project, but we did the works to increase the ownership and we tried our best to do this and construct it better with Afghanaid’s support […] Although it is not finished yet the constructed shelter has two rooms, one hall and one latrine, and we are living in our new home.
’Mahria's children in the temporary home they had constructedbefore receiving Afghanaid's assistance