Within hours of the devastating earthquake in Afghanistan, United Nations OCHA mobilized US$10 million from its pooled funds to launch immediate life‑saving assistance. The rapid allocation, drawn from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund and the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund, aims to provide critical relief while humanitarian teams assess needs and scale up operations.
The funds were released to support urgent response activities coordinated by Humanitarian Coordinator Indrika Ratwatte and OCHA teams on the ground. Donor contributions to both the CERF and the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund enabled the quick disbursement, allowing responders to move supplies and personnel into affected areas without delay.
Initial assistance focuses on core lifesaving needs. Emergency shelter materials are being distributed to displaced families, food assistance is being provided to those who have lost access to regular supplies, and safe drinking water is being restored where infrastructure has been damaged. Health care support, including emergency medical treatment and supplies, is being deployed to treat the injured and prevent disease outbreaks. Child protection services are also being expanded to safeguard children separated from their families or exposed to heightened risks.
Logistics support is a key part of the allocation, helping to coordinate transport, warehousing, and delivery of relief items to remote and hard‑to‑reach communities. This early funding is intended to catalyze a broader humanitarian response, enabling partners to reach more people quickly while further assessments determine longer‑term needs.
Humanitarians emphasize that needs remain immense and that additional funding is urgently required to scale up operations and reach everyone in need. Continued donor support will be critical to sustain life‑saving services, expand relief coverage, and move from immediate relief to recovery and longer‑term assistance for affected families.
