A crisis on top of a crisis
Afghanistan's children have endured decades of conflict and suffering. Four years since the Taliban regained control in Afghanistan, conditions for children and their families are even more catastrophic.
A perfect storm of climate disasters, a severe economic crisis and the collapse of essential services have led to one of the worst food crises ever recorded. In 2025, two devastating earthquakes presented a crisis on top of a crisis.
The earthquakes in August and November came as the country was already enduring its worst humanitarian crisis in recent memory. Unprecedented levels of hunger and malnutrition combined with the worst drought in 30 years and a crippling economic crisis have left 2 out of 3 people in need of assistance. 3.2 million children under 5 are currently facing acute malnutrition.
Families are taking desperate measures to survive. Parents are withdrawing their children from school and sending them to work. In some extreme cases, children are being sold to cover debts or to buy food for other children in the family. It’s a heart-breaking dilemma for parents but they are left with little choice.
Now a dramatic escalation in conflict in the Middle East and wider region has triggered a rapidly expanding regional crisis with devastating consequences for children. Many families continue to return to Afghanistan from Iran and the numbers of people crossing borders may increase in the coming weeks.
We have been helping children in Afghanistan for over 40 years. We won't stop now. Donate to help children living in crisis.
Damaged buildings that were destroyed by the 6.0 magnitude earthquake which devastated parts of Kunar province, eastern Afghanistan, on the 1st September 2025. Save the Children
Afghanistan emergency
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Shayesta's* Story
1-year-old Shayesta* lives with her mother Zahida*, her father Khalid*, and her eight siblings in a rural village in northern Afghanistan.
Life is extremely difficult for the family. Zahida and Khalid often struggle to feed their children. There are no jobs in their village, so Khalid travels to the closest city to find employment, but it is often unreliable. Most days the family survive on tea and bread alone.
“Our biggest problem in life is a lack of food, water and bread. If there is no bread, people will die of hunger. If there is no water, on these hot summer days, people will die from thirst. All people rush to wells for water - they even fight over the water.” said Khalil*
Afghanistan is experiencing the worst drought it has seen for 30 years which has caused crops to fail, livestock to die and put food and water further out of reach for children and their families.
The Save the Children Mobile Health Team visit the family’s village once a week, providing primary, newborn and maternal healthcare, nutrition and mental health services. Thanks to these doctors, Shayesta is now being treated for malnutrition.
Zeba* (20) is a mother of four children who lives with her in Afghanistan and is suffering because of the worst hunger and malnutrition crisis on record that hit the country, driven by factors such as extreme drought, a decrease in humanitarian funds, and poverty. Zeba’s younger child, Sima* (7 months), needed treatment for severe acute malnutrition in Save the Children’s Mobile Health Team (MHT) clinic. Although Sima* is responding well to treatment, Zeba* still worries about how they can afford food for her other children. Her husband, Hashim* (32), is a labourer and earns 150 AFN [2 USD] daily, which is insufficient for a family of six members. She says they couldn’t afford bread most of the time, and her children go to bed hungry. Atabek Khadim / Save the Children
Life in Afghanistan Since the Taliban Returned to Power
Children in Afghanistan are going hungry. Decades of conflict, poverty and drought have pushed the people of Afghanistan into a humanitarian catastrophe. Read the stories of Afghanistan's hungry children.
Our work in Afghanistan
We have been working in Afghanistan since 1976 to deliver life-saving services to children and their families.
Since August 2021, Save the Children has been scaling up its response in Afghanistan to support the increasing number of children in need.
We’re delivering health, nutrition, education, child protection, shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene and food security, and livelihood support.
Following the latest escalations in the Middle East and Wider Region, we have reached over 7,500 people who were living in Iran and crossed the border into Afghanistan with emergency cash, healthcare, water, protection and education.
Save the Children’s Emergency Fund has allowed Save the Children to continue providing life-saving healthcare for children and their families when they need it most.
