Photo: Hawagul with her grandchildren inside a newly-built shelter in Herat. Photo by UNDP

Following the powerful earthquakes that struck Herat Province in October 2023, Hawagul’s house was severely damaged. During the day, she stayed in her courtyard, but as night fell, she sought shelter with neighbours. Because their homes were also damaged and overcrowded, the arrangement was unstable.

“I was afraid of my own house,” she recalled. “At night I used to wonder if I would ever be able to live again in my own courtyard, the place where the memories of my husband and children are tied to every corner.”

After STFA’s joint project identified Hawagul for housing support, she was overjoyed. “I could not believe it. I cried with happiness. I thought maybe I was dreaming,” she said.

Crews first cleared the unsafe structures to remove any risk of collapse. Concurrently, project teams delivered disaster risk reduction training, teaching families how to maintain homes that can better withstand future seismic shocks. Today, Hawagul lives in a newly constructed, earthquake-resilient house with two rooms, an indoor cooking space and improved sanitation facilities.

“The house is very bright and comfortable. It is warm in winter and cool in summer. Before, the kitchen was outside, and cooking in the winter was very difficult. Now I can easily cook inside. I use one room for myself, and the other is for guests and my married daughters when they visit,” Hawagul said.

Being back at her house has also enabled Hawagaul to resume her embroidery business.