On the 21st of November 2023, we hosted our event Resilience Through Adversity: 40 Years of Afghanaid, at the Royal Geographical Society. Whether you participated in-person or online, we are incredibly grateful to all those that joined us to show their continued support for the people of Afghanistan, and we very much hope you enjoyed the thought-provoking evening discussion. 

Throughout the evening, one message was clear. The international community must not prolong their attempts to sanction or isolate Afghanistan from the rest of the world. With this approach only comes one outcome: the suffering of ordinary men, women and children. Having faced successive deadly earthquakes and a deportation crisis over the last two months, and with the freezing winter fast approaching, international actors must reengage in Afghanistan through investing in development initiatives, with the aim of building a stronger and brighter future for vulnerable communities, who have already faced far too many challenges. 

Were you unable to attend, or simply keen to watch our panel Lyse Doucet, Sana Safi, Hameed Hakimi and Charles Davy all over again?

Click here to request our event recording    

Our panel and 40th anniversary film

Let’s be clear, it’s tough right now for many Afghans. According to the UN, as many as two thirds of the population are facing acute hunger, and there is widespread poverty and hardship following years of conflict, drought, and the aftermath of Covid. But there are positives, and we will hear some of those tonight.

- Charles Davy, Managing Director of Afghanaid

Another key takeaway from the evening was the focus on the remarkable resilience of Afghan women, and how with support from organisations like ours, they are able to become agents of change, despite the continuing restrictions they face. 

Women find their own ways. It’s very difficult- they need help and support, but they have always found a way for themselves… that agency, it’s very important.

- Sana Safi

Through initiatives like self-help groups, we are able to create spaces in which these rural women can thrive, supporting one another, earning an income, and growing in autonomy. 

Earning an income just transforms the status of a woman in the family in the household and in the community, and that there's a lovely quote from [Catherine Philp's] article actually: it says "I earn 10,000 Afghanis a month, and I decide how to spend it.

- Chris Kinder, Chairman at Afghanaid

As part of the evening's discussions, we showed inspiring clips of our 40th anniversary film, Still Here: Afghanaid at 40, hearing from some of the resilient people we work with including Abdul Latif and Haifa Mohammadi. Hear their stories in their own words by watching our full film, now available on our YouTube channel: 

Watch the 40th film

Our silent auction

Our silent auction during the event was a tremendous success, allowing both in-person and virtual attendees to support our projects whilst bidding on our fantastic selection of prizes, many of which directly showcased or paid homage to the beautiful and diverse culture of Afghanistan.

A huge thank you to everyone who kindly got involved in our silent auction either at the reception or online, which included unique jewellery by Sima Vaziry, beautiful Afghan textiles by Yashar Bish and The Afghan Rug shop, and incredible experiences and items from many other generous donors. 

Help us continue our work for decades to come

You are 40 years old, and we should all say: happy birthday Afghanaid!

- Lyse Doucet

We are so honoured that you chose to celebrate 40 years of Afghanaid with us. Despite the immense challenges both Afghan communities are our hardworking staff have been facing, we hope the event served as a reminder that there is hope even in the toughest of situations, and that we all have our part to play in supporting Afghan men and women to build a brighter future. 

With your continued generosity, we can reach even more vulnerable families, and assist them to navigate oncoming challenges, such as the impending winter: