He explained that since mid-August, over 2,500 nutrition treatment sites across all 34 provinces, both urban and rural, have been serving 800,000 acutely malnourished children, and we plan to reach 3.2 million affected children this year. Three-quarters of the countrys public spending had been funded by foreign aid. Sultan Mohammad Sedaqat, 35, raises his gun to disperse women who had gathered around food packages from the World Food Programme at an aid distribution in Maidan Shahr. They are now at their most vulnerable and we cannot abandon them., In 2021, 90% of World Vision's total operating expenses were used for programs that benefit children, families, and communities in need. A staggering 95 per cent of Afghans are not getting enough to eat, with that number rising to almost 100 percent in female-headed households, according to the UN Resident Coordinator, who is also deputy head of the UN assistance mission, UNAMA. However, many people without registration cards beg for aid. The COVID-19 pandemic created additional risks to Afghan children, including by limiting their access to education, health and social services, child protection activities, and safe spaces. His father and an older brother, both soldiers, were killed in the war, leaving Zahid responsible for his family. World Vision works to ensure thirsty communities are served, with a primary focus on providing households, schools, and health facilities with lasting solutions for clean water. The young womens supervisor jokes that their own money isnt safe with them because they give out cash to everyone they meet. Deciding on which country to visit first felt a bit like choosing a favourite child. The author visiting Saeedas family at their home in Kandahar, Afghanistan. We are proud to be reviewed and held accountable by these independent third-party organizations: World Vision Inc. is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. In both Pakistan and Afghanistan, I heard stories of suffering but also stories of hope. Get inspiring articles and news delivered to your inbox. Hiking amid Andean peaks, ancient ruinsand no crowdson this 19,000-mile stone path from Colombia to Argentina. But in a country like Afghanistan, they are struggling without food to eat. Eat sea urchins. Ahmad was his familys sole survivor. My full statement:https://t.co/lHP2fa5Se4:@WFP_Afghanistan @FAOAfghanistan pic.twitter.com/4WhmtDvEur. Its estimated that 60% of livestock have died or been sold off for minimal gain to provide for livelihoods, and that 40% of wells have dried up because of water scarcity. He has been having diarrhea and fever, said Aina*, an Afghan mother of six who is caring for Ahmad. Saeeda has five children two daughters and three sons. The boys mother works as a cleaner to provide for her family. As I was talking to the mother, I put my hand on her back and I could feel her bones. But for us to do this work well and do it meaningfully, we need funding. Invasive green crabs: If you can't beat them, eat them. Another group operates an emergency bakery in Bamiyan Province in the central highlands. She hoped doses of medicine and emergency food would bring life back into his weakened body. As a result of this critical work, thousands of people are now able to access clean water through a solar-powered piped water network in Herat. Amiraan is 14 and also from Quetta. The author cradles three-month-old Wahida at the UNICEF-supported inpatient department for the treatment of children with severe acute malnutrition in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Yet, devastatingly, it is the harsh reality, he said. The senior UN official urged Member States to dig deep for the Afghanistan people and continue generously supporting life-saving efforts.

In a country with a population of close to 40 million, only 5.7 million vaccine doses have been given, while 177,255 cases and 7,656 deaths have been reported as of March 23, 2022 (with actual figures likely higher). The humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan is becoming the worst in the world. We need a clear commitment from everyone to always put children first. Families who are already struggling to survive destitution related to this conflict, a devastating drought, and the effects of COVID-19 are now resorting to the most desperate of measures to protect their children, including child marriage. By the time parents decide to bring their children in for treatment, you can be sure that the whole family is struggling. The entire family lives in a single-room mud house that the father built. Learn Afghanistan started three years ago, developing digital tools for home learning, but last September began doing meal and food distributions as well. Despite claiming they have restored peace in Afghanistan, the Taliban concede the countrys economy is grim but say that is a legacy of the previous U.S.-backed Afghan government. I just wish I could work at night too, she says. On 31 March, the UN, United Kingdom, Germany and Qatar will co-host an international pledging conference in support of the humanitarian response. On most days, the family lives on bread and water. Displaced families collect water during a harsh winter in Kabul, Afghanistan. This situation is very dangerous. But one day this past January, the 24-year-old realized that providing health care might not be enough. I had hoped to serve the country and nation but being in the military is not the only way to help the people, he says, packing containers of stew, fresh bread, and fruit into plastic bags.

Still, she holds on to her dream despite the Talibans resistance to women working. Theyve raised more than $100,000 so far. Even some World Food Programme employees say that they struggle to feed their extended families. The most severely malnourished are sent to specialist nutrition wards in hospitals. But then what about the next patient and the one after that? To save lives and mitigate hardships, the United Nations has called for more than $4.4 billion in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in 2022 the largest single-country appeal the organization has ever made. People are absolutely desperate, Stephen Carter, an Afghanistan expert at the London-based NGO Global Witness, told VOA. Although a massive humanitarian response mounted since August has prevented our worst fears from being realized over the winter, Dr. Alakbarov reminded that food insecurity and malnutrition remain at historic highs and require an immediate, sustained, and large-scale humanitarian response.. They were scouting for oil but found a ziggurat instead, How innovative tech reveals Stonehenge's secrets as never before, These 5 secret societies changed the worldfrom behind closed doors, This Renaissance 'superdome' took more than 100 years to build, A rare look at postwar Korea emerges from long-lost photos, Fierce and female, these 7 warriors fought their way into history, Why tick-borne diseases have reached epidemic proportions, Unique 'spear lord' dinosaur to be returned to Brazil, The overlooked toll of drinking alcohol while pregnant, Breast cancer spreads more aggressively during sleep, Explore a fusion reactor that may herald a new energy future, Of shark moves, shell shocks, and trash landings on the moon. Audience ratings certified by ACPM/OJD. In the face of this grave humanitarian crisis, we aim to help 1 million Afghans over the coming months through proven programs in areas including food and nutrition assistance; healthcare; child protection; and clean water, sanitation, and hygiene. There they met Ahmads mother and sister, who died during the upheaval and unrest. Win-win. We owe it to the Taqwas, Shahnazes, Amiraans and Wahidas of this world to give them the help they need to achieve the potential they are capable of. Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights. According to the United Nations, an estimated 97% of the population could be plunged into poverty by the middle of this year. The World Food Programme distributes 600 food packages to people who have been registered in advance. Tensions rose when people who had not been registered in advance for a donation broke the queue system and gathered around some of the food packages. The long road to a better future is impossibleon anempty stomach.We do everything we can through comprehensive and coordinated effort to alleviate the impact of hunger&malnutrition in Afghanistan. Heres what its like to dive French Polynesias shark alley, Theres a better way to hike the Inca Trail, 10 epic family adventures for last-minute planners. This is a time in our country when everyone feels injured, everyone feels hopeless, says the 24-year-old, who was a student before the Taliban came to power.

Since the Taliban re-took control of Afghanistan in August of 2021, the country has seen worsening poverty rates, and Afghans say respect for womens rights has plummeted. We bring you insights and opinions from the world's leading child rights experts and accounts from UNICEF's staff on the ground in more than 190 countries and territories. Zahid, a former student of politics and economics, never imagined becoming an aid worker. They are literally facing starvation.. After the Taliban seized control of Kandahar, he spent most days at home helping around the house or playing soccer until friends working for Learn asked him to join as a volunteer. Photograph by Kiana Hayeri for National Geographic. Ten-year-old Aziza kisses and comforts her five-month-old cousin, Ezatullah, who has been hospitalized for acute malnourishment at Mirwais Hospital in Kandahar. Im good at helping others. Most days, Aziza goes to school in the morning before looking after Ezatullah in the hospital, but today she had to skip classes. We do not have money to buy baby food or milk for him, explained Aina. She was too weak to even cry. After that, Im hungry again. Female respondents, in particular, rated their circumstances as dire. While three in four Afghans cannot afford food for their families, according to the survey, the gender gap widened with 82% of women struggling to buy food versus 69% of men. She was stunted in growth, highly malnourished she was skin and bones. Amini distributes meals to patients in need as part of his work for LEARN Afghanistan, a local education NGO that branched out to providing emergency aid after the Taliban takeover. Orphaned 10 days after his birth, Ahmad couldnt stop crying during a checkup at a health clinic, one of 21 operated by World Vision in four of Afghanistans provinces. Now, Aina struggled to keep Ahmad alive. I dont want the free time to think about the future., Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright 2015-2022 National Geographic Partners, LLC. My bones ache, said one World Vision aid worker returning from visits to clinics in Afghanistan. As hunger spreads, health clinics are filling up with malnourished children under 5 with symptoms such as pneumonia, acute diarrhea, and emaciation. Two-year-old Nabi gives his mother, 21-year-old Mursal, a kiss (left). Increased poverty and ongoing conflict will lead to more families being driven from their homes. How do you change the culture of a school and where do you start? A two-month-old baby boy is placed near the only source of heat in his family's home in the Qala-i Wahed neighborhood of Kabul. Poverty is growing even in the capital, where the middle class has traditionally been large. From food affordability to respect for womens rights, the survey presents a bleak picture of an estimated 36 million Afghan population with little hope for their future. More than 2,000 Afghans ages 15 and up were interviewed in two rounds of questioning which was which was conducted inside Afghanistan between August 9 and September 29 of last year, Julie Ray from Gallup told VOA. Laborers offload 900 sacks of flour from a truck that has arrived at the World Food Programmes warehouse in Kandahar. Our recently launched start-up project to protect children is already benefiting over 400 households. Latifa, 55, stands outside as her grandchildren peer through a window of the family's makeshift house. The World Health Organization is warning of millions of children suffering malnutrition, and the United Nations says 97 percent of Afghans will soon be living below the poverty line. Stonehenge was one triumph amid an ancient building boom. Why play is so important and how to enable every child to benefit. Children like [Salma] should be playing and enjoying their life, says Asuntha, holding the girl. Thirty-year-old Bibi Ayesha (not pictured) says she keeps her daughter at home most of the time. In one ward, 10-year-old Aziza comforts and kisses her five-month-old cousin. Against this backdrop of turmoil and food insecurity, communities are also running out of water because of drought. The roof leaks every time it rains. There is not enough money for hospitals. With prices rising, many families can't afford basic food items. He delivers hot meals every week to 50 patients in another public hospital and distributes vital food packages around the city every three weeks. Want to help Californias kelp forests? Latifa cooks lentils over an open fire in the tent that serves as her family's kitchen and shower. Other beneficiaries are people whom the two friends just decide to help, like the 75-year-old taxi driver with a cough who drove them across the city. They are struggling financially and live in hiding. First humanitarian flight to Kabul marks'turning point' in crisis:WFP, Afghanistans healthcare system on brink of collapse, as hunger hits 95 per cent of families, Afghanistanon countdown to catastrophewithout urgenthumanitarianrelief, Displacement, humanitarian needs surging inside Afghanistan and across region. That money, now cut off, financed hospitals, schools, factories and government ministries. When UNICEF helped open a centre for accelerated learning in her village, her father, Mira Khan,was hired there as the only teacher. An estimated 22.8 million Afghan people, more than half the countrys population, are facing potentially life-threatening levels of food insecurity and malnutrition this year. Afghans are relatively more positive about the leadership of Germany and China, but few approve of any foreign leadership, it said. Dry conditions have continued through 2022. About 1 million are on the brink of starvation. Saliha, who like many Afghans uses just one name, took her infant son to the Indira Gandhi Childrens Hospital in Kabul. Our dedicated staff will continue their work to empower families, children, communities, and local partners to prevent and respond to exploitation, neglect, abuse, and other forms of violence affecting children, especially girls. They grew up during the American occupation with war and hardship, but also with dreams and promises of a better future and more possibilities in life than their parents had. As we collectively support millions of Afghans to rebuild their lives and communities, we must remember that the long road to a better future is impossible on empty stomach, he said. Since September 2021, weve reached 449,646 people. Spreading baseless reports of disappointments among people is the work of the enemies of Afghanistan, the spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, tweeted Tuesday. But if the situation doesnt improve, I might have to.. Is Canada's immigration ministry purposely refusing visas to French-speaking African students? Now run by 15 employees and numerous volunteers, the organizations work is funded by contributions from local businessmen and a GoFundMe campaign where donations range from a few dollars to several thousand. 2022 Copyright France 24 - All rights reserved. The majority scramble to find food and fuel. Children are so resilient and can often bounce back, no matter the hardships. (Their names are not being used for their safety. Several of the women receiving food donations from LEARN Afghanistan are widows. Extreme vulnerabilities and fear are at record levels, and children are at greater risk of violence, abuse, and exploitation, says Asuntha, the national director. Before the former government collapsed, much of the health sector was funded by international development aid. Unacceptable trade-offs have caused untold suffering, reduced the quality, quantity, and diversity of food available, led to high levels of wasting in children, and other harmful impacts on the physical and mental wellbeing of women, men, and children, he spelled out. While acknowledging that humanitarian assistance alone is not enough to address todays or tomorrows challenges, he underscored that it is absolutely necessary to keep people alive and healthy, and to prevent vulnerable people in the most precarious situations from sliding ever further into need. Navid Amini, a medical student and aid worker, examines an X-ray of one of the 45 children under five hospitalized for malnourishment at Mirwais Hospital in the southern city of Kandahar. Get inspiration in your inbox!Join a community of change makers. Navid Amini (standing) and his friend Shabir Zahid (with his back turned). On this day, his customers are Amini and his friend Shabir Zahid, 21, who ordered the stew on behalf of Learn Afghanistan. Shes also 14 and lives inan impoverished community of 110 families on the outskirts of Quetta, the provincial capital of Pakistans Balochistan. ), How raccoons became the ultimate urban survivors, Extremely rare spoonie bird added to ark of imperiled animals, Monarch butterflies are now an endangered species, Penguins are slow to evolve, making them vulnerable, For orphaned elephants, friends may be key to stress relief, These stunning insect close-ups reveal dazzling bug complexity, Extreme drought threatens Italys rice cropsand its beloved risotto, Increasingly heavy farm equipment is crushing fertile soils, The key to protecting Yosemites sequoias from wildfires?