47-year-old Mohammad Omar is a father of five young children. In the past, life for the family was simple but happy. Mohammad Omar owned some land, which he worked on to provide his family with what they needed from day to day. He didn’t earn much but they got by.

When conflict erupted in their village last year, Mohammad Omar and his wife took their children in search of safety. “Most of our neighbours died during the violence. Luckily, some of us were able to get out but during our escape I stepped on a landmine and my leg was severely injured in the explosion. Eventually the doctors had to remove some of it,” he recalled.

Adapting to life with a disability was not easy. Arriving in the district centre, the family had no money, no belongings and nowhere to stay. “Our home was destroyed during the conflict and because of my injury I was not able to carry any of our clothes, food or fuel when we left. Luckily I was able to borrow some money from my relatives to rent us a home, which I was so grateful for as my wife was pregnant and we were afraid we would lose our children to the cold. Because of my disability, I could not find work and it was too hard for me to provide my family with even their basic needs,” he said.

Providing support to those who need it most

“Then I heard that Afghanaid were providing support for people in situations like mine. We received money in four instalments to cover our rent, and to purchase fuel and firewood to warm our rooms throughout the winter months." He smiled, "Now here we are and my new-born son is 15 days old and we have a warm room for him. If I did not receive this help from Afghanaid, I would never have been able to protect him from the cold weather!”

Now here we are and my new-born son is 15 days old and we have a warm room for him.

Now the family has a warm home and Mohammad Omar is grateful that he was able to protect his family from the cold, “Afghanaid helped us when we were in a critical situation, and I will always be grateful to them for helping me and the other vulnerable families get through this time,” he said.

In partnership with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), we've been supporting some 1,300 families like Mohammad Omar's to keep a roof over their heads and heat their homes during the harsh winter months. 

With this help they will be able to keep their families warm, preventing increased illness and deaths as a result of exposure to the cold. This will also enable them to build up their financial buffers, so that they are more resilient against future shocks, such as the pandemic.

Find out more about how we support people living with disabilities

How can you help?

Complex and ever-changing situations like Afghanistan require ongoing support. Do something amazing today and set up a monthly gift to help vulnerable families like Mohammed Omar's when they need it most.

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