[Afghanistan] Peace Winds Began Preparation for Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance for Victims of West Afghanistan Earthquake

Following the distribution of blankets in mid-October 2023 to households affected by the earthquake in western Afghanistan, Peace Winds is preparing, together with our local partner organization, to provide multi-purpose cash assistance to the victims of the earthquake in need.

Although three months have passed since the earthquake occurred on 7 October 2023, many affected people are still forced to live in tents in areas where houses were completely or partially destroyed.

Local partner organization staff (picture right) checking the damage
to collapsed and uninhabitable houses

Tents made from ready-made materials.
This alone makes it difficult to get through the harsh winters.

Residents living in tents.
Many of them are children.

Local partner organization staff (back right in photo) interviewing affected families living in tents

Local partner organization staff (foreground in picture)
interviewing affected households

After the earthquake, local partner organization staff visited the affected areas several times, visited the Directorate of Economy of Herat Province which is in charge of coordinating support for the earthquake victims for checking the needs, and interviewed with the affected people to find out their situation and needs, to meet and coordinate with UN agencies and other humanitarian aid organizations, and to conduct market surveys. Preliminary surveys in the field revealed that the affected people had lost many of their food and other necessities, as well as their houses, and were short of daily necessities, but markets in unaffected/less affected areas have sufficient food and supplies and the means of transport (private taxis, public transport, etc.) for accessing the markets are functioning as they did before the earthquake. At the same time, it was also found that many of the affected households prefer to receive cash, as their daily needs vary depending on the extent of the disaster and the family structure of the affected households, and they are also concerned about their ability to properly store the goods even if they received them all at once.

By considering the needs that we found out through the field visits and assessment result, we have decided to provide multi-purpose cash assistance so that affected household can purchase items according to their most needs. Peace Winds is currently working with our local partner organization to select vulnerable households in collaboration and coordination with local authorities and other humanitarian agencies and organizations.

Please continue your warm support for the victims of the earthquake in western Afghanistan.

This project is funded by grants from Japan Platform and generous donations from our supporters. Thank you for your continuing support.