Humanitarian Crises in Afghanistan – Help flood victims

Afghanistan is currently experiencing one of the biggest humanitarian disasters in its history. More than 40 years of war, drastic political changes, poverty, drought and pandemic have pushed a large part of the country’s population close to famine. Natural disasters are a regular occurrence, earthquakes and flash floods plague the country’s population.

On 10-11 May 2024, flash floods have devastated the northern and northeastern provinces of Afghanistan . The severe floods have killed hundreds of people and rainfall continues to hinder relief efforts. In addition to washed away roads, culverts and public buildings, 9,000 houses were partially or completely destroyed in Badakhshan, Baghlan and Takhar provinces. Hungarian Interchurch Aid – thanks to its permanent presence in Afghanistan – responded almost immediately by starting its aid programme in most-affected Baghlan province.

On 13 May, HIA in Afghanistan opened a field office in Baghlan, where 25 staff members have started with the coordination of the aid programme by conducting surveys and selecting most affected households. The aim is to provide immediate assistance to hundreds of families by providing emergency aid items in collaboration with UNICEF in the 3 most affected districts of Baghlan province – Baglani Jadid, Burka and Guzargahi Nur. In line with its long-term goals, HIA is also working to provide continued support to the people who have lost everything and to participate in reconstruction programmes with the end of the relief phase.

With 20 years of successful aid operations in Afghanistan, Hungarian Interchurch Aid has launched its largest and most complex humanitarian programme ever in the Central Asian country supported by the World Food Programme (WFP), Hungary Helps Programme and other international partners. The programmes implemented since the regime change in 2021 have provide immediate and tangible assistance to over 900 thousand highly vulnerable people, making a significant contribution to the fight against hunger. 

The change we are able to bring is dependent on you – let us help together!

How we help

To combat hunger, HIA and its partners provide in-kind food aid as well as cash-based support to those that struggle to put food on their table. In addition to providing food, we also provide assistance to people involved in agricultural production and aims to restart educational opportunities.

In the event of natural catastrophes, HIA is ready to respond to these crises. In the case of flash floods of 2024, it has set up a field office in Baghlan province that coordinates all of its activities on the ground.

Hungarian Interchurch Aid has a local staff of more than 200 local people to carry out its large-scale projects, providing them with jobs and income.