WSTA

Distribution of hot meals in Nurgal District of Kunar Province under Community Kitchen CKE Project | UNDP
In the aftermath of the earthquake, Community Kitchen (CKE) will serve as a vital lifeline for affected populations. These kitchens are operated in partnership with community-based organizations (CBOs) and are designed to provide free or low-cost meals to individuals and families facing acute nutritional risks-especially children, women, and older adults. There are 4 CKs established in the areas affected by the Earthquake in Nurgal district of Kunar province of Afghanistan that will provide hot meals for 22 HHs in each targeted community for an initial period of 90 days.
This initiative was conducted in close coordination with local authorities and community elders to ensure transparency, fairness, and that the aid reached the most affected and deserving families.
The activity forms part of our ongoing efforts under the CK Project to enhance community resilience, support livelihoods, and promote recovery for families impacted by natural disasters in Kunar Province.

The UNHCR Shelter team, in collaboration with the WSTA HMNA team, conducted a joint assessment in Kahdistan village, Injil district, Herat province.
The assessment focused on identifying eligible families, including Refugee Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), in need of shelter assistance.

Community-Based Protection Monitoring sessions through KIIs, FGDs), and HHIs in Shah Tooran, one of the remote and deprived villages of Bakwa district in Farah province. Through these sessions, WSTA team collected various protection needs, concerns, challenges, and recommendations from different population groups that UNHCR works with, specifically focusing on the recent refugee returnees from Iran and host community members.

The CBPM mission was conducted through (FGD, KIIs, and HHIs) with participation of IDP Returnee, Undocumented Returnees and Host Community in Jar-e-Seya village, Ghormach district of Badghis province.
The Key protection concerns of these families was half of the boys and all girls children’s did not access to the school, limited access to job opportunities/unreliable income, limited access to the clean water, latrines, limited access to the healthcare facilities, lack of access to shelter, lack of power (electricity), destruction of the roads and civil documentation, particularly E-Tazkira have been reported. Overall, both population groups are vulnerable in the same way, while women and children are the most affected groups and susceptible to protection risks within the community.

In a proud demonstration of commitment and compassion, WSTA’s western regional office responded swiftly to the emergency situation of forcibly returned Afghan families from Iran. Beginning on June 26. 2025, all staff from the western region were urgently deployed to Islam Qala Encashment Center (Zero Point), under UNHCR’s support and coordination.

With unwavering dedication, and in close coordination with UNHCR, WSTA has successfully distributed Core Relief Items (CRIs) including blankets, water buckets, tarpaulins, kitchen kits, hygiene kits, and clothing to 9,840 vulnerable returnee families until
July 06. 2025, and it is still in continue.

This effort, driven by a sense of duty to restore dignity and offer immediate support, reflects WSTA’s heartfelt commitment to stand beside returnees in their most critical time of need.