Stories from the ground after earthquakes in Afghanistan
A series of earthquakes struck the Herat Province in Afghanistan in early October. The quakes leveled entire villages, destroying homes and vital infrastructure like wells. WCK began working with Instant Aid, our trusted partner in the region, shortly after the first temblor to provide food and water. Since the first quake, we have provided nearly 100,000 meals to impacted families.
Partnership with Instant Aid
During every WCK response, we have the honor of working alongside incredible local partners who care deeply about serving their communities. Instant Aid is one such partner, a nonprofit organization that meets needs ranging from food to clothing to education. They have been cooking thousands of meals each day—even while being directly impacted by the wave of quakes that devastated parts of western Afghanistan.
The meals they prepare go to families living in tents, who aren’t able to cook for themselves after their homes were destroyed. Meals are also being delivered to the Herat hospital, which has been overwhelmed with injured people after the multiple quakes. While Instant Aid is focused on cooking comforting, warm meals, they’ve also procured fresh fruit to distribute. In one village, children were excited to see the apples our teams had brought—they hadn’t had any fruit in the days since the initial earthquake.
The Instant Aid team is a beacon of hope, committed to helping their fellow Afghans even though their team first responded to the earthquakes at half capacity as the Taliban did not allow women to work in a number of sectors, including NGOs. However, an exception has been made for NGOs supporting communities impacted by the earthquakes, and Instant Aid is now able to send in more staff to support Afghans in need.
Wasim and the sandstorm
WCK’s delineation of roles is fluid, which means it’s not surprising to find our media team members putting down their cameras to help distribute meals. One of our photographers in Afghanistan, Wasim, did just that during a recent sandstorm. Winds whipped across the desert landscape, knocking down many of the tents that families were living in since they lost their homes. Wasim and the rest of the WCK team put their heads down against the wind and continued to walk through the area, carefully giving meals and water to the people living there.
Young volunteers like Yousuf
Since the earthquakes, Yousuf and his parents have been living on the streets and facing a lot of uncertainty. Despite this and his young age, Yousuf has quickly become an invaluable member of WCK’s efforts in Afghanistan. “Yousuf specifically requested to be a part of our distribution team because of his strong desire to make a difference,” the team relayed to us. “He treats people who are displaced with great kindness and has earned the admiration and respect of the people he interacts with.” Local volunteers who step forward to feed their neighbors are an integral part of WCK’s mission.
Meeting Ms. Gol Dasta
Our teams met Ms. Gol Dasta as they were delivering meals one day, and sat to talk with her about her experiences and feelings over the last few weeks. She lost three members of her family and her home to the earthquakes. The team explained: “The weight of these circumstances has taken a toll on her emotional wellbeing, leaving her with a profound sense of loss and grief.”
In the midst of this heartbreak, she was also anxious about food. “One of Ms. Dasta’s primary concerns is the wellbeing of her children,” our team told us. “The disruption and chaos surrounding the loss of their house have made it nearly impossible for Ms. Dasta to perform daily tasks, including cooking.”
At times like these, it becomes clear how much warm, nourishing meals mean in the aftermath of a disaster. Food can provide a small respite from these worries, a moment of hope for people who are overwhelmed, and show that there is someone who cares about them and their families.
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