This year INTERSOS has distributed material to cope with cold temperatures to more than 1600 families in Kabul

 

 

The humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan continues to worsen and, a year and a half after the Taliban seizure of power, the toll is 28 million people needing assistance to survive.

 

In this context, the arrival of winter temperatures, which on average reach -6° in January and February and this year peaked at -15°, exacerbates the difficulties that the population has to face every day.

 

In Afghanistan, 56% of families currently live in partially damaged houses, 18% in houses that are almost destroyed, and many displaced people spend the winter in temporary shelters. Rising food prices and the economic difficulties of families have led to people being unable to afford to buy enough gas and wood to warm up for the entire season. Due to the frost, agricultural activities have also been suspended, and transport cannot function regularly in snowy mountainous areas.

 

This critical situation is added to the increase in food insecurity and malnutrition, gender violence and disease. The latter – especially epidemic and water-borne infections that increase with the cold weather – spread more easily in the winter period. Especially, seasonal diarrhoea, cholera, respiratory diseases and the risk of diphtheria for children, as well as the constant presence in the country of outbreaks of measles, dengue fever and COVID-19: all diseases that, due to the physical vulnerability of those affected and the limited health care, often lead to death, especially of children.

 

In the run-up to the arrival of the cold temperatures, this year INTERSOS workers distributed materials to help 1612 families who are economically, socially, and health-wise vulnerable, with an average of 7 people, to face the winter. In three districts of Kabul province, kits containing kitchen utensils (pots and pans and dishes), cookers with gas cylinders, blankets and towels, plastic tarpaulins, petrol cans, firewood, heavy clothing, gloves, caps and boots for adults and children were delivered.