Najibullah lives in a remote rural village with his wife and four children, alongside his two brothers and their families. Life has never been easy for families living here, but they have always supported each other and they got by.

Najibullah has faced many challenges and battled many obstacles to try and support his family. “One of my eyes cannot see and the other one is poor so I am not able to work," he said.

Najibullah cannot afford to visit a doctor or get treatment, and his condition has worsened over time.

"In the past I was always stressed and felt the burdens weighing on me heavily. I was supposed to provide for my family, for my children, but with what? Before Afghanaid came into our lives I was really frustrated. I thought what can I do? I am disabled, I cannot work."

Over the past year the situation for families like Najibullah's has been getting progressively worse, with many resorting to extreme measures to survive.

"When we had nothing to eat, my brothers try to help us, but they were also struggling. My children and my wife needed help. All of us in the village were in the same situation and there was no one else to help us," he recalled.

"It was not a good time for us. I kept thinking: is there no one who can help us? How can we continue with life? I felt hopeless. 

And then Afghanaid came to the village. I was so happy. Afghanaid's staff really do want to help, and they were careful to find the people who needed the most support."

Along with other families in the area, we provided Najibullah with emergency cash to cover the cost of basic essentials like food, warm clothes and fuel for their heater over the winter. 

For Najibullah the help came just at the right time.

"We were in a bad situation. Without this help, I don't know what we would have done, or where we would have found food for our children. I am not sure we would have survived. We are so grateful."

What next for people like Najibullah?

Whilst emergency assistance is a welcome relief to families like Najibullah's, the problems facing the people of Afghanistan are long term, and will require longer term support.

"Now I am hopeful that some more help will arrive because still I cannot get a job. I am the only disabled person in this village. I am the only one who cannot work and support my family. This is a feeling that is so difficult - to not be able to support your own family. I really hope that one day my children will be able to go to school but right now I cannot afford it. We cannot even afford food."

Thank you to Afghanaid and everyone involved for providing this help when we needed it most. But to the donors I ask: please do not forget us.

How can I help people in Afghanistan?

All of our work is specifically designed to target the most at-risk people, including those with disabilities and chronic illness, helping to remove the barriers which may prevent them from enrolling in our projects, earning an income, and playing a role in crafting a better future for their communities.

This requires sustained, committed support. If you wish to set up a regular gift, no matter how small or large, you will be helping us to provide reliable support for tens of thousands of vulnerable Afghans in the months and years ahead.

Set up a monthly gift

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