For decades, Nazar believed that a home built with his own hands would always protect his family. In Chawkay district of Kunar province, the 40-year-old farmer lived a simple but dignified life with his wife, Fatima (35), and their 4 children, Rahim (12), Mariam (9), Bilal (6), and Aisha (3). Their small mud-brick house was more than shelter; it was where his children felt safe, played freely, and dreamed of the future.
That safety disappeared in seconds.
On 31 August 2025, a 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan, violently shaking Kunar and neighbouring provinces. The earthquake struck a remote and mountainous region of Afghanistan, meaning the severe damage caused had a devastating effect and affected more than 498,000 people.
Close to 2,000 people were killed, while another 3,600 were injured.
A home in ruins
“The ground moved like waves,” Nazar recalls. “Before I understood what was happening, the house collapsed.”
As the walls crumbled around them, Nazar grabbed his children and fled the house he had built. When the shaking stopped, everything the family owned was buried under rubble, their shelter, food stocks, and livestock.
In the days that followed, the family slept outdoors and later in a tent, exposed to fear and the bitter cold. With his land damaged and no income, Nazar’s children were forced to miss school and suffered with psychological issues, waking at night in panic as the wind shook the tent.
Winter in Kunar is unforgiving, with freezing temperatures and snow-blocked roads. For Nazar, the greatest fear was keeping his children warm and safe.
A lifeline
Support arrived through Islamic Relief Afghanistan, with funding from ShelterBox, as part of the Afghanistan Earthquake Emergency Shelter Response.
The family received a tent, blankets, winter clothing, solar lamps, a stove, kitchen items, and a fire blanket to help them survive the brutal winter.
“The stove made the biggest difference,” Nazar says. “Hot food and tea bring warmth and comfort, especially for the children.”
Solar lamps now light their tent at night, while warm clothing and blankets protect the family from freezing temperatures. Though the tent cannot replace their destroyed home, it has restored a sense of safety and dignity.
Across Kunar province, Islamic Relief, with ShelterBox support, assisted 200 families with emergency shelter kits and 600 families with winter assistance, reaching thousands of earthquake-affected people.
Nazar dreams of rebuilding his home and returning to farming. Above all, he wants his children back in school and hopes his eldest son, Rahim, will one day become a teacher.
“Home means safety and hope,” he says. “Thanks to Islamic Relief and ShelterBox supporters, my family can survive this winter and begin again.”
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