Attachments
FOREWORD
Providing a lifeline in another rollercoaster year for Afghanistan
After the dramatic upheaval of 2021 and the turbulent transition that followed it, 2023 has been another rollercoaster year for Afghanistan.
In a country that has been in the grip of a severe and protracted humanitarian crisis for many years, the earthquakes that struck the western region in October were yet another devastating blow. Over 275,000 people were affected and 2,000 people, mostly women and children, lost their lives. Approximately 40,000 houses were destroyed.
With each new crisis, Islamic Relief Afghanistan is there on the ground delivering aid to affected communities. I was able to see the life-saving work of our teams first hand on a visit to Herat within a week of the quakes. It was heartbreaking to witness the profound impact on people’s physical and psychological wellbeing, and yet heartwarming to see the positive impact of our response.
Another notable emergency response that I was able to see for myself was our operation to support refugees returning to Afghanistan from Pakistan at the Torkham border crossing point. I met with families who had been through a harrowing ordeal just to reach the border, with an unpredictable future still ahead of them, and saw the difference our support was making.
In both these emergencies, I can report that our teams were on the ground within 24 hours, providing urgent primary healthcare in makeshift clinics, water and sanitation facilities, emergency shelter, non-food items, and cash assistance to enable families to meet their immediate needs.
I also visited other project areas – including Bamyan, Balkh and Kandahar – where our teams are delivering a variety of life-changing interventions. These range from women’s economic empowerment projects to community infrastructure programmes, from orphan sponsorship and education to seasonal food distributions and work to protect the most vulnerable. In community infrastructure there is a strong emphasis on improving climate resilience and economic stability by building or rehabilitating irrigation systems, feeder roads, markets, water schemes and check dams in hard-to-reach areas.
Islamic Relief Afghanistan extended its reach across the country in 2023, and we now have a presence in 19 out of the 34 provinces. This has enabled us to expand our work to support marginalised people in some of Afghanistan’s most far-flung and neglected areas. In doing so we have reached approximately 1 million people with our humanitarian response and our lifechanging development interventions.
At the core of our work are stories of women, children and men who have shown extraordinary resolve in weathering life’s storms. I was particularly inspired to witness and hear stories of single and widowed mothers who have transformed their lives through our support.
Those who have benefited from our work include farmers and female entrepreneurs whose incomes have tripled due to our efforts. Many of the 6,000 orphaned children we now support are pursuing their dreams through Islamic Relief-supported schools. Some past beneficiaries of our Orphan Sponsorship Programme have now graduated from higher education and are actively serving their communities.
Despite all that we continue to achieve, the harsh reality is that many Afghans are bbeyond the reach of humanitarian assistance, sinking deeper into poverty. The international community and institutional donors must bolster their investment in development programmes and commit the long-term funding needed to build resilient communities that are less dependent on aid. Much more support is urgently needed for agriculture, climate change adaptation, market-based infrastructure to strengthen food production and distribution, small businesses led by women, and financial services for smallholder farmers.
None of our work would be possible without the incredible dedication of our staff, the collaboration of our partners, the determination of our rightsholders and the generosity of our donors. I want to thank all donors and partners for their fantastic support, and to urge you to continue to stand by the people of Afghanistan. Your support is crucial for us to sustain and extend essential relief for those who need it most.
Umair Hasan
Country Director