For years, Afghanistan’s Ghor province has faced alarming levels of food insecurity, with many families teetering on the brink of survival. Now, as the unforgiving winter season sets in, after back-to-back droughts that have decimated crops and livestock, communities are left to confront the double-edged sword of depleted resources and limited humanitarian assistance.

As the lean winter season begins, the plight of Ghor’s residents becomes ever more urgent, highlighting an often-overlooked humanitarian crisis. Nestled at the tail of the Hindu Kush mountains in western Afghanistan, Ghor province starkly represents poverty and neglect. A population of slightly over 700,000 are scattered across hundreds of rugged villages where their income mostly comes from rain-fed agriculture.

Ghor grapples with an underdeveloped social infrastructure that successive governments have largely forgotten.

Isolation and rising food prices

Ghor’s first winter snowfall arrived in late November, much earlier than in the capital city, Kabul. Temperatures in Ghor can range from -8°C to -25°C and many families live in mud-brick homes without any heating systems, trying their best to keep their children warm.

Families in urban areas and villages resort to burning anything they can find – including plastic and flammable garbage – because coal and wood are too expensive. Heavy snowfall makes the situation worse, often blocking poorly maintained roads, making it difficult for families to get hold of essential supplies.

Delivering aid in Ghor 

Since the early 1990s, Islamic Relief has been steadfast in supporting families as they endure the harsh winters of Afghanistan. This winter marks a significant milestone as we expand our efforts to provide our first winterisation assistance in Ghor province.

We have reached 6,000 people – approximately 1,000 families – living in the snowy districts of Allah Yar and Feroz Koh in Ghor province to deliver cash assistance. Each family received 23,660 Afs (approx. £270), enabling them to afford vital winter supplies such as heating materials, warm clothing, and nutritious food.

This shift to cash assistance not only restores families’ dignity but also gives them the choice and freedom to buy the things they need the most, and which best suits their circumstances and conditions.

‘Your assistance has been a true blessing for my family‘

“I am the sole breadwinner for my family, working as a daily labourer. Since winter began, I have been returning home empty-handed,” explains Abdul, a father of 7 who lives in a camp for internally displaced people in Ghor’s Feroz Koh district.

“It has been nearly 20 days since we last had wheat flour in our home. I rely on donations from neighbours and charitable organisations,” Abdul says, reaching for his walking cane.

“Since the winter started, my family’s needs have doubled.

“I received 23,660 Afs (approximately £270) from Islamic Relief. This assistance has been a true blessing for my family. I used 5,000 Afs (approx. £60) to settle a food debt that had been weighing on me. I used the remainder to buy heating wood, blankets, food, and medicine for my family.

“My family and I are profoundly grateful for this help, as it has provided us with comfort during these challenging times.”

‘My children can sleep peacefully at night, feeling safe and warm‘

In a bleak and remote village nestled on the outskirts of Feroz Koh City, Bibi Jan, a resilient mother of 7, busily prepares breakfast in her humble 2-room mud house. Inside, worn blankets and thin mats are strewn across the floor, offering little comfort against the cold. The coughs of 2 unwell children echo in the chilly air, highlighting the struggles this family endured.

“When the winter arrived, I fell seriously ill, and my children were left shivering in the cold,” says Bib Jan. “My husband disappeared, leaving us behind alone. No one in my family works. We are living through the generous support of humanitarian organisations like you.

“Thanks for your cash assistance. I was able to buy blankets, firewood, warm clothing, and food for my children. Now, they can sleep peacefully at night, feeling safe and warm. Your generosity has reminded us that we are not alone in our struggles. I will forever pray for those who have sent us this assistance.”

As winter deepens and the temperatures grow colder in Afghanistan, the need for urgent support has never been more critical. Families are facing unimaginable hardships as soaring food prices and a lack of humanitarian aid leave them in desperate need.

Help Islamic Relief provide lifesaving support to vulnerable families this winter: Donate to our Winter Appeal now.