Kunar, Eastern Afghanistan – August 31, 2025.

When the earthquake struck, it destroyed many districts, flattening houses and leaving thousands of people without shelter. In its aftermath, frequent aftershocks continued, and the people of Kunar lived in constant fear. Families who once had safe homes were now forced to stay in temporary camps like Zirri Baba, where daily life became a struggle for survival.

The camp was overcrowded, unsafe, and unhygienic. Without toilets or clean water, families were forced to practice open defecation and drink from unsafe sources. Specially for women and children, the risk of waterborne diseases like diarrhea grew with every passing day.

Among the displaced was Aslam Khan. He remembered those first days vividly, “After the earthquake, life in the camp became extremely difficult. We lost access even to basic necessities, safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities. Every day felt like a risk to our health and our children’s lives.”

^{Aslam Khan fetches safe drinking water from a DACAAR-installed water tanker in Zirri Baba Camp.}

In the onset of the crisis in September 2025, DACAAR became a source of hope for displaced families. With financial support from the European Union (EU), DACAAR has been assisting people in Zirri Baba Camp by providing handwashing stations, placing dustbins, distributing hygiene kits, and conducting hygiene promotion sessions to help people protect themselves from diseases. Emergency Baths and Latrines (EBLs) were also installed to improve sanitation. Most importantly, every single day, trucks delivered 49,500 liters of safe drinking water, enough to meet the needs of 791 families (5,437 individuals).

For Aslam, this support was truly life-changing. “DACAAR’s assistance brought dignity back to our lives. We learned how to keep ourselves safe from disease. The water trucking gave us enough to drink, cook, and clean. It wasn’t just health, it was hope, in the middle of our hardest days.”

Although families in Zirri Baba Camp are still without permanent shelters, they now live with a sense of safety and resilience. They hope that proper houses will one day protect them from future hardships, especially the harsh winter. For now, DACAAR’s support has given them relief, dignity, and hope, even as they wait for permanent homes.

^{DACAAR field staff lead a hygiene promotion session to raise awareness on healthy practices in Zirri Baba Camp.}

Written by: Israrullah Sahil