UNICEF Launches US$22 Million Appeal to Support over 212,000 Children Affected by Earthquakes in Eastern Afghanistan

Life-saving humanitarian assistance to reach 400,000 people—including over 212,000 children—across the hardest-hit areas of Kunar and Nangarhar provinces over the next six months

JALALABAD, 10 September 2025 – Following a powerful 6.0+ magnitude earthquake that struck Afghanistan’s Kunar and Nangarhar provinces on 31 August and multiple severe aftershocks, UNICEF has launched a US$22 million humanitarian response plan to meet the critical needs of affected children and families.

The quakes have claimed more than 2,200 lives, injured over 3,000 and left at least 6,700 homes completely or partially destroyed. Survivors—many of whom live in remote, mountainous regions with limited access—now face grave risks as winter approaches and temperatures begin to fall.

“Geographic isolation, limited infrastructure, and deeply conservative social norms make this one of the most complex emergency responses we’ve faced,” said Dr. Tajudeen Oyewale, UNICEF Representative in Afghanistan. “Despite these challenges, UNICEF and our partners were on the ground from day one—delivering health care, safe water, psychosocial support, and critical supplies to children and families in urgent need. But much more is needed. We’re calling on the international community to stand with these communities and help us protect children before the harsh winter sets in”.

Urgent Needs and Response Priorities

UNICEF’s six-month Earthquake Response Plan aims to reach 400,000 people, including over 212,000 children, across the most devastated districts such as Chapadara, Nurgal, and Chawkay. Planned interventions include:

•  Expanding access to emergency health care: Strengthening fixed health facilities and deploying additional mobile health teams to deliver trauma care, maternal and newborn services, and essential medicines.
• Providing access to clean water: Rehabilitating water systems and setting up emergency water points to prevent outbreaks of acute watery diarrhea.
• Improving sanitation and hygiene: Repairing WASH facilities in schools and health centers and distributing hygiene kits containing soap and other essential items.
• Combating malnutrition: Screening and treating children for acute malnutrition, which is likely to worsen due to displacement and limited access to food.
• Providing cash assistance: Supporting 13,200 vulnerable households with emergency cash transfers to meet immediate needs and prepare for the winter months.
• Delivering psychosocial support: Establishing child-friendly spaces and increasing the number of trained social workers—especially female staff—to provide mental health support for children and their families.
• Ensuring continuity of education: Setting up temporary learning spaces while damaged schools are assessed and repaired.

Major Challenges

The affected regions are among the most remote in Afghanistan, with steep mountain terrain, limited road access, and deeply rooted cultural norms that restrict the mobility of women and girls. This makes delivering humanitarian aid not only logistically difficult but also socially sensitive. UNICEF is prioritizing the deployment of female health workers and social service providers to ensure safe and equitable access for women and girls.

Many survivors, including children, have already relocated to valley settlements, where humanitarian organizations can more effectively provide shelter, food, safe water, and psychosocial support. However, with winter rapidly approaching, there is an urgent need to scale up assistance before conditions worsen.

UNICEF urges donors and partners to act swiftly. With sufficient funding, the organization can meet the immediate and long-term needs of children and families devastated by this disaster—ensuring they are not left behind in the face of extreme hardship.

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More photos and videos available: https://weshare.unicef.org/Package/2AM4085TT55G