The UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, is appealing for $22 million to provide emergency relief to thousands of children and families the devastating consequences of the recent 6.0-magnitude earthquake in eastern Afghanistan that wreaked havoc and killed thousands.
By Deborah Castellano Lubov
Following the recent devastating 6.0-magnitude earthquake in eastern Afghanistan, the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has appealed for $22 million to provide emergency relief to thousands of suffering children and their families.
On 31 Aug. 2025, the quake struck the provinces of Kunar, Nangarhar, and Laghman, with Kunar being the hardest hit.
According to figures provided by the Taliban, the disaster along with multiple aftershocks killed 2,205 people, injured nearly 4,000, and destroyed more than 6,700 homes.
Death, devastation, and challenges
Countless health centers, schools, and water and sanitation infrastructure, were destroyed or damaged.
This tragedy has compounded the already-difficult living conditions in the Middle Eastern nation where more than half the population depends on aid.
On Wednesday, UNICEF’s representative in Afghanistan, Dr. Tajudeen Oyewale, explained that “geographic isolation, limited infrastructure, and deeply conservative social norms make this one of the most complex emergency responses we’ve faced.”
The need to protect children
He also stressed the need for the International Community to act swiftly to protect children before winter creates further challenges.
Regardless, Dr. Tajudeen Oyewale he explained that the UN agency’s six-month plan aims to reach 400,000 people, including more than 212,000 children, in the worst-hit areas.
Finally, the UN agency’s representative in the country acknowledged that UNICEF and its partners had been on the ground from the first day, while reassuring that ongoing support will include emergency health care, clean water, sanitation, nutrition, psychosocial services, and cash aid.
