In October 2023, western Afghanistan was hit with three 6.3 magnitude earthquakes within less than ten days. The devastation resulted in more than 2,000 deaths, thousands of injuries, hundreds of people missing, and the loss of nearly 3,500 homes.* Afghanistan has sadly seen its share of tragedies in recent years, but this series of earthquakes caused a level of suffering that is almost unimaginable. Whole villages were left with no homes standing and no families were spared from injuries and the loss of family members, friends, and neighbors.
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) was on the ground, providing direly needed emergency medical aid at the Herat Regional Hospital and in tents MSF set up to address patients' needs. MSF provided medical supplies including mass casualty kits, assistance with triage for emergency cases, and management for stabilized patients in emergency tents. They also deployed a team of operational, medical, and logistical staff to assess some of the most affected areas outside of the city to provide medical aid.
The Khaled Hosseini Foundation provided over $64,000 in emergency aid to MSF to assist with their work helping the victims of the Herat earthquake.
Your support in 2023 allowed us to provide over $303,000 to programs providing education, healthcare, resettlement/refugee assistance to women and children in Afghanistan, and emergency aid to vulnerable Afghans in Afghanistan.
Courtesy of MSF, we would like you to meet Farhah Din Malik and his daughter, as they seek shelter and services in one of the MSF tents at the Herat Regional Hospital. Farhah Din was in Iran when he received news of the earthquake. Many members of his family died, including his nine-month-old daughter.
This is just one of many families who suffered horrific loss and are seeking help from MSF in the aftermath of the Herat earthquakes. The aid they receive is possible in no small part to the kindness and generosity of our supporters. When the world seems to be unraveling in chaos and hardship, taking small tangible steps makes all the difference. Providing aid regardless of the amount and sharing stories to raise awareness does make a difference. YOUR support and kindness have and continue to make a difference.
"What matters is how quickly you do what the soul directs."
-Rumi
*Data from OCHA
Photo Credits: Photo 1 is MSF/Herat, 2023 and photos 2 - 4 are Afghanistan 2023/Paul Odongo/MSF