Feed the Hungry,Warm the Cold-Support Afghanistan

Afghanistan is facing an alarming nutrition crisis, driven by a combination of economic collapse, food insecurity, and the recent surge in returnees from Iran and Pakistan. Since September 2023, more than 2.43 million undocumented people have returned—many to communities already struggling with unemployment and high food prices. With limited income opportunities, families are forced to reduce meal portions, skip meals, or rely on low-quality foods.

Children are among the most affected. Nationwide, 3.5 million children under five from the people of Afghanistan are at risk of acute malnutrition in 2025. For many, poor diets, lack of clean water, and limited healthcare lead to stunted growth, weakened immunity, and life-threatening illnesses. The situation is even more severe for returnee families who arrive with no resources, often settling in overcrowded and impoverished areas where nutritious food is scarce.

AfD’s Nutrition Support for Children and Mothers
To address this crisis, AfD integrates nutrition support into its health services, focusing on both prevention and early detection of malnutrition:

• Mother MUAC Training: AfD trains mothers to use the Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) tape to detect malnutrition in children at home. This simple, color-coded tool helps mothers identify malnutrition early, enabling timely referrals for treatment. MUAC tapes are distributed to trained mothers so they can continue monitoring their children and share knowledge within their communities.
• Nutrition Education for Pregnant Women: AfD includes a nutrition module in its midwifery program, equipping midwives to raise awareness among pregnant women about healthy diets, the importance of micronutrients, and proper breastfeeding practices—especially exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life.
• Community Outreach: Through health education sessions, AfD promotes practical, low-cost nutrition strategies tailored to local food availability, ensuring mothers know how to prepare balanced meals even with limited resources.

By empowering mothers with skills and tools, and by integrating nutrition counseling into maternal health services, AfD not only addresses immediate malnutrition but also builds long-term community capacity to protect children’s health. With sustained support, these efforts can help break the cycle of hunger and give the children of the people of Afghanistan a stronger, healthier start in life

Your continued support makes this work possible. Every donation helps us provide medicine, vaccines, maternal care, and nutrition support to Afghanistan’s most vulnerable. Together, we can keep this critical health facility open and save lives in the months ahead