On August 31, a 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan, followed by a 5.6 aftershock on September 4, destroying entire villages and devastating communities in the provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar. More than 2,200 people are dead, nearly 4,000 injured and more than 6,700 homes destroyed.
With 1.4 million people living within 50 kilometers of the epicenter, many are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. The most urgent needs in Kunar and Nangarhar include emergency shelter, safe water and sanitation, food rations and essential medical care. Survivors also require psychosocial support to cope with trauma, as well as multipurpose cash assistance to cover their most immediate priorities. Protection services, including dignity kits and safe spaces for women and children, are critical to ensure safety and dignity in the aftermath of the disaster.
In direct response to those urgent needs, CWS’s sister organization, Community World Service Asia (CWSA) launched assessment operations within hours of the earthquake and is providing critical support to impacted families, especially in remote areas of Kunar. CWSA response teams have established field kitchens that are delivering two hot meals daily to 100 families. The response also includes psychosocial support for children and caregivers, multipurpose cash assistance to help families address their most urgent needs, and winterization support—such as warm clothing and essential household items. In addition, displaced households have received in-kind nutritional aid, and all distributions are carried out in a gender-sensitive manner that prioritizes dignity, inclusion, and local participation.
Now more than ever, your support is needed to help families recover from this disaster.
By contributing to CWS’s Emergency Response Fund, you help us respond to this and other disasters, before, during and after they occur.
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About the CWS Emergency Response Fund
In the days immediately following a catastrophic disaster, CWS provides cleanup buckets, kits and vital supplies to help impacted people begin to clear up what was left behind. In the U.S. and around the world CWS works with trusted local community-based organizations to reach the most vulnerable communities, including immigrants and refugees, to provide the support these families need. When war, conflict and violence force families to flee their homes in search of safety, CWS provides emergency support along the journey and connects them with vital services to rebuild their lives.
The road to recovery is often long and challenging. That’s why after attention fades, CWS works to ensure that affected communities continue to receive the help they need by providing support to community long-term recovery groups. The Emergency Response Fund allows us to quickly respond to emergencies as soon as they occur. By standing with CWS, you can remind our neighbors on the journey from response to recovery to thriving, they are never alone.