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Over the past decade, the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund has emerged as a lifeline for countless people amid the country's ongoing challenges.
Launched in 2014, the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF) has become one of OCHA's leading initiatives, exceeding an incredible US$1 billion milestone by 2024.
Through targeted support, the fund is now a beacon of hope for people grappling with the aftermath of conflict, natural disasters and displacement. In the past decade, the AHF has supported more local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and women-led organizations to empower and enable the country’s most-affected communities. Afghan women now face harsh restrictions that limit their participation in public life, including in humanitarian efforts.
Afghanistan has suffered from persistent conflict, underdevelopment, poverty and, more recently, COVID-19. This led to yet another crisis: hunger.
An Integrated Food Security Phase Classification analysis from April 2021 revealed that over 14 million people – more than a third of the population – faced acute food insecurity, prompting urgent action. In early 2021, the most vulnerable households received nutrition-sensitive food packages. The AHF funded food security and agriculture projects for 1.2 million people across the country.
Notably, children as young as this 11-year-old girl help to collect their family’s food rations at a World Food Programme (WFP) distribution point in Kandahar Province. Each provision offers sustenance, but also compassion, humanity and resilience.
Created by War Child UK and funded by the AHF, this child-friendly space in Herat Province is a haven of hope for 10-year-old Salma. This refuge is not just a place to practice handwriting, but a place for Salma to learn, play and embrace childhood under the loving care of community facilitators and peers.
Tailored for girls like Salma, child-friendly spaces shield against exploitation in conflict zones and provide a safe and protective environment in which children exposed to trauma can receive psychosocial support and counselling, leaving a lasting positive impact on the mental well-being of thousands of communities.
Over the past decade, the AHF has funded dozens of such sanctuaries across Afghanistan.
Sakena Yacoobi Hospital in Herat Province is testament to the resilience and empowerment of Afghan women, despite the challenges they face.
Staffed entirely by women, this sanctuary provides essential health-care services tailored to the unique needs of women and children. From antenatal care to mental health services, the hospital, funded by AHF and the World Health Organization (WHO), is a lifeline for between 5,000 and 6,000 patients each month.
Dr. Homa Niksiar, the hospital's Director, embodies the spirit of compassionate care, earning the community’s trust and gratitude through her unwavering commitment to quality health care.
To read the full article, please head over to its original place of publishing unocha.org