Orphaned children in Afghanistan are facing increasingly desperate circumstances as the country slides deeper into crisis. With your support, Islamic Relief is a lifeline.

An estimated 1.6 million orphaned children who have lost one or both of their parents face particularly serious challenges amid Afghanistan’s deepening crisis. A toxic combination of natural disasters, endemic poverty and economic collapse have left more than half of the Afghan population in need of humanitarian aid.

Children are suffering the most.

Their families struggling to provide for them, they are at risk of being sent to work instead of school, early forced marriage, and exploitation – and for orphaned children the dangers can be even more acute. With most households unable to afford food, hunger is common and malnutrition is rising. Around 4 million children in Afghanistan are thought to be severely malnourished.

Afghan children going days without eating

“We don’t have any money so we have to go to people’s houses to beg,” says Najiba, a widowed mother of 7. “Yesterday we ate some bread with some boiled potatoes that I was given by a neighbour. The day before we just had bread and tea.”

Like so many parents in Afghanistan, the 30-year-old desperately wants not only to provide for her children, but to give them the opportunities that she missed out on. “Some families are marrying their daughters underage, but I won’t allow it for my daughters. I never went to school – it wasn’t encouraged in our community then. But I don’t want my daughters to be like me.”

Najiba with her young daughter in their cave home

Bibi Naz also fends alone for her family. She has 4 daughters, all aged under 11. “Sometimes I would go days and days without cooking any food. You’d be shocked. Maybe if we ate some bread and tea to get by, then that would be all… There has been a time where my children didn’t eat for 3-4 days.”

Desperate, Bibi Naz had no choice but to send some of her children away.

“I had to send two of my four daughters, Jelwa and Sana, to live with my mother because I couldn’t afford to feed them and they were getting ill,” she says. She describes her “great hope for the future” as simply that her children do not end up in the same situation as her.

A lifeline for orphaned children and their families

Islamic Relief is a lifeline for Najiba, Bibi Naz and their families. Enrolment in our orphan sponsorship scheme means the households receive a regular stipend to help pay for essentials, and ensure the children receive an education.

Bibi Naz joined the programme earlier this year, and the support she receives has reunited her with her daughters.

“Now they’re back living with me again, as the money I’ve received means that I can now feed them properly,” says Bibi Naz. She has also been able to buy fabric to sew them new clothes, purchase some furniture and, crucially, help her children to resume their studies.

Bibi Naz with her daughters Jelwa and Sana at the doorway to their home

“3 of my daughters are now going to school (the other is too young). I’ve also used some of the money to enrol them in after-school classes in mathematics and English, so they can catch up on what they missed.”

Najiba, who has recently joined the sponsorship scheme, is also prioritising food and education for her children.

“When I receive the money from Islamic Relief I’m going to spend it on food – especially fruit, rice, flour and oil – and on school equipment like notebooks and pencils for the children.”

Supporting children to build brighter futures

The Islamic Relief sponsorship programme also aims to help children escape the poverty trap and lay the foundations for a better life. Children are usually enrolled until they are 18, but some continue to receive support beyond that if they are still in full-time education.

Noorallah, a 21-year-old who lives in a small village, cares for his sister. Their father died 20 years ago and their mother just over a year ago. The money from the programme is their only source of income. It ensures he can buy food for his sister, but also enables Noorallah to continue his studies at a higher learning centre.

“I have to pay fees to study there so the Islamic Relief payment covers that,” explains Noorallah. “It also pays my transport costs, as our village is a long way from the town. In the winter the village is completely cut off by the snow, so there is no transport. The money helped me to rent a room in the town for the winter so that I could keep attending the learning centre.”

Noorallah, 21, takes care of his younger sister

Feeding hope for Afghanistan’s orphans

Noorallah’s friend Mohamad is also enrolled on the programme and is training to become the first pharmacist in his village. He lives with his mother and balances his studies with caring for her and finding work. “My mother is sick at the moment so I do a lot of cooking and cleaning around the house. Potatoes and rice are the only things we can afford to eat.”

Without the support from Islamic Relief, Mohamad would be unable to continue his studies and fulfil his dream to become a service to his community. “All of the money I get from Islamic Relief is spent on my education. The institute is expensive – there are fees and you also need new books and have to pay for internet browsing so that you can get information for assignments.”

Islamic Relief’s support means Mohamad is able to continue his studies

The worsening economic situation presents a future full of uncertainty for these families, yet with your support, Islamic Relief is providing a ray of light.

“I am now more hopeful for my children’s future. Life is still very difficult for us but it is getting better and I’m thankful to God and anyone who supports us,” says Bibi Naz.

Islamic Relief sponsors more than 5,000 children in Afghanistan, but so many more need support as the country slips further into crisis. Please support our vital work: give to our Afghanistan Emergency Appeal now.