“In the past, people used to help me by giving me wheat or rice, and I lived a difficult life,” says Qurban Gul, who is the head of her family in Darqad district of Takhar Province. “But now I have chickens, and they lay eggs, which has improved my situation. I even give spending money to my children.”Qurban Gul collects between 10 and 15 eggs each day. Her family consumes some, while she sells the remainder to cover household expenses.Backyard poultry can make nutritious food more accessible while providing families with a regular source of income. This is particularly important in Afghanistan, where an estimated 3.7 million children under five are acutely malnourished and many families struggle to afford diverse diets.FAO-supported backyard poultry activities combine birds, feed and essential equipment with training on poultry management, hygiene and disease prevention. The aim is to strengthen food production and livelihoods while giving families the knowledge to maintain healthy flocks.Food, income and knowledge For many Afghan women, opportunities to earn an income outside the home are extremely limited. Backyard poultry offers an accessible agricultural livelihood that can be managed within the home, with eggs providing nutritious food for the household or income when sold.For Qurban Gul, the knowledge gained through the activity is also reaching others.“Relatives and other family members come to me asking about poultry diseases, how to hatch chicks and the right timing, and I explain it to them,” she says. Starting again after returning homeIn Surkhroad district of Nangarhar Province, Ziarat Gul began raising chickens after returning to Afghanistan from Pakistan two years ago.“When I returned from Pakistan, I wondered if there would be anything for my children to eat,” he says. “The chickens’ eggs are now enough for my family. If I collect more, I sell them to buy food or meet other household needs.”Maintaining that food and income depend on keeping the flock healthy.“I clean their coop and provide them with clean water and enough feed,” Ziarat says. “If they have enough food and clean water, they do not get sick or die.”Good feeding, clean water, appropriate housing and disease prevention reflect the connections among animal health, human health and the household environment that underpin FAO’s One Health approach, reducing health risks for the most vulnerable, including young children. Evidence for preventing malnutritionA recent FAO study conducted across five districts in four provinces under the United Kingdom-funded First Foods Initiative examined how diets, livelihoods, livestock, caregiving and One Health risks interact to shape child nutrition.Children consuming four or fewer food groups were 2.7 times more likely to be acutely malnourished than children with more diverse diets. Milk and eggs showed the most consistent protective associations across acute malnutrition, stunting, illness and child food poverty. Poultry ownership was also associated with lower child food poverty.The study also found that exposure to animal faeces, unsafe water and poor livestock health was associated with greater risks of childhood illness. The findings underline the importance of combining access to nutritious foods with animal-health services, safe water, hygiene and support for the people who produce and prepare food. An opportunity to sustain and expand the benefitsBetween 2025 and 2026, FAO implemented backyard poultry activities across Afghanistan that prioritized women-headed households, with support from the United Kingdom, France and the European Union, and the Special Trust Fund for Afghanistan.Experience from other FAO-supported activities points to an opportunity to build on these investments. Poultry can begin providing eggs and income relatively quickly, but maintaining those benefits requires continued access to affordable feed, veterinary advice, disease prevention and markets.Strengthening these services can help families maintain egg production, earn more from surplus sales and keep nutritious food within reach, extending both the livelihood and nutrition benefits of the initial support.

Ahead of Eid al-Adha, FAO worked with private Veterinary Field Units across Afghanistan to reduce the risk of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), protecting lives, livelihoods and food security through a One Health approach. The days leading up to Eid al-Adha are among the busiest of the year in Afghanistan's livestock markets. Trucks arrive carrying sheep, goats and cattle. Traders negotiate prices as families prepare for one of the country's most important religious celebrations. But among the thousands of healthy-looking animals, a hidden threat can also travel unnoticed.Najibullah, a livestock trader from Takhar province, knows that danger firsthand. Last year, while trading livestock in Mazar-e-Sharif, he was bitten by an infected tick and contracted Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF)."It is a dangerous disease," he recalls. CCHF is a potentially fatal disease transmitted from animals to people through infected ticks and contact with infected animal blood or tissues. It is particularly difficult to detect because infected animals do not show visible signs of illness. Healthy-looking animals can still carry infected ticks, putting herders, traders, butchers and others who work closely with livestock at risk. With no vaccine available for either people or animals, prevention remains the most effective form of protection. Preventing diseases like CCHF requires a One Health approach that recognizes the close connection between animal, human and environmental health. Ahead of Eid al-Adha, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with support from the United Kingdom and the World Health Organization (WHO), implemented a coordinated prevention campaign across 20 provinces to reduce disease risks before they could spread.  Working through Afghanistan's network of private Veterinary Field Units (VFUs), FAO strengthened frontline veterinary services in communities where the risk was greatest. These local veterinarians sprayed livestock markets, transport vehicles, animal shelters and market entry points to eliminate disease-carrying ticks where animals and people come into close contact. They also treated livestock against parasites, raised awareness among livestock keepers, traders and butchers on safe animal handling, tick prevention and market hygiene, and tested animals to strengthen surveillance and support early action. FAO's technical and operational support is helping strengthen veterinary services that livestock owners can continue to rely on long after emergency campaigns have ended.Over the course of this campaign, veterinary teams reached approximately 100 000 households and 80 livestock markets, providing practical advice and preventive services ahead of one of the busiest and highest-risk times of the year. "Healthy livestock are fundamental to Afghanistan's food systems and rural economy," says Dr. Lutfullah Rlung, Animal Production and Health Team Leader at FAO in Afghanistan. "Investing in animal health and strengthening local veterinary services helps protect livelihoods, supports food and nutrition security and reduces the risk of diseases spreading to people." Najibullah has already seen the difference these efforts can make."In previous years, spraying was also carried out, but it was limited. This year, even before Eid, they came and carried out extensive spraying. Continue the spraying campaigns. The greater the effort, the greater the benefit will be for all of us." For FAO, preventing diseases like CCHF is about more than responding to a single health threat. It is about strengthening the systems that help rural communities stay healthy, productive and resilient.Supporting animal health is also an investment in healthier families. Emerging evidence from FAO's research in Afghanistan suggests that improving animal health and reducing disease risks can contribute to better child health by lowering exposure to infectious and zoonotic diseases, while increasing access to nutritious foods.The findings also show that households with stronger livestock production tend to have healthier children and more diverse diets. Healthy animals help families produce milk, eggs and other nutrient-rich foods, while protecting an important source of income. This reinforces the close links between animal health, child health and nutrition, household livelihoods and food security.As Afghanistan continues to face climate shocks, economic pressures and recurring disease threats, preventing outbreaks before they occur remains one of the most cost-effective ways to protect lives and livelihoods.

Families who once faced the uncertainty of displacement are gradually rebuilding their lives, not only by replacing what was lost, but by restoring a sense of safety, dignity and hope. While new homes now stand where destruction once remained, the true measure of recovery is found in the everyday moments that signal a fresh beginning.In Butan Village of Gulran District, that new beginning unfolded in an unexpected way.As newly constructed transitional shelters neared completion, women from earthquake-affected households played an active role in preparing the homes before families moved in. Through a carefully planned and culturally appropriate initiative, they helped transform newly built shelters into welcoming spaces where neighbours, friends, and relatives could begin rebuilding their lives. Their contribution extended beyond preparing the shelters, it fostered a sense of ownership, strengthened community bonds, and demonstrated that recovery is most meaningful when communities, especially women, are empowered to shape it.For many, it was the first opportunity to contribute directly to rebuilding their community."Through our participation and by being able to contribute to the finalization of our own homes, we gained a strong sense of confidence and belonging. We truly came to believe that even the dreams we once thought were impossible could become a reality. The thought that I would one day have a home of my own and contribute to making it ready for my family was once only a hope. Today, I see that hope has become a reality. This work is a reminder that our hopes and wishes can come true. I feel proud and grateful to have a safe and dignified place for my children and my family."Developed through close consultation with women, community leaders and local representatives, the initiative created a safe and respectful opportunity for women to take part in the final stage of recovery. Their participation was voluntary and reflected local traditions while ensuring women could contribute to rebuilding their communities.That sense of belonging soon became visible.As families settled into their shelters, they began making them their own. Young trees were planted outside with the hope they would one day provide shade for children and grandchildren. Decorative mirrors and handcrafted details appeared inside, while family photographs and personal belongings gradually filled the once-empty rooms. They reflected something far more meaningful: families no longer saw the shelters as temporary structures. They saw them as home.During a recent visit to the community, Andrew Kirkwood UNOPS Interim Country Director and Representative, reflected on what recovery means beyond rebuilding homes."Recovery is about much more than replacing what was lost," he said. "By combining earthquake and climate-resilient construction with traditional construction practices, locally made materials and designs that reflect local culture, we are helping communities rebuild safer homes while preserving their identity and dignity. When communities help shape the recovery process, reconstruction becomes more resilient, sustainable and meaningful."For parents, the shelters offer far more than protection from the elements. They provide children with a safe place to sleep, learn, and play, while restoring families' privacy, dignity, and the simple joy of welcoming relatives and neighbours into their homes once again. For many, they represent the return of everyday moments that disaster had taken away.Recovery after disaster is rarely defined by bricks and mortar alone. It is reflected in children laughing outside their homes, neighbours gathering once again, families planting trees for future generations, and communities rediscovering a sense of safety, belonging, and hope. These are the moments that signal recovery has truly begun.More than three years after the earthquakes struck Herat, every shelter stands as more than a physical structure. It is a foundation for resilience, a symbol of hope, and a reminder that with the right support, communities can rebuild not only their homes, but also their confidence, dignity, and future.Supported through the Infrastructure for Basic Needs (IBN) Project, and implemented by UNOPS, these efforts demonstrate that recovery is strongest when communities are empowered to rebuild their own houses and communities.

With the nearest health center more than 10 kilometres away, and Lashkargah city 30 kilometres out, treatable illnesses often went unchecked. Today, the Naseran Family Health House (FHH) stands as a beacon of community resilience and UN joint delivery.The story of Naseran FHH begins with the community itself. Previously relying on rented homes for medical care, local residents took ownership of their future by donating the plot of land where the clinic now sits. From there, Special Trust Fund for Afghanistan (STFA)’s Participant UN Organizations delivered as one: IOM constructed the facility, UNDP solarized it to ensure reliable power, and UNFPA constructed the boundary wall. Today, UNFPA runs the health center, providing all medical supplies and paying the salaries of the healthcare workers. The facility has mapped its services to cover 8,000 individuals and currently welcomes over 80 walk-in patients every single day. Services are entirely free of charge. The clinic features dedicated Outpatient Departments (OPDs) for both men and women, offering rapid testing and medication for malaria, TB, and other ailments, while referring severe cases to comprehensive regional hospitals.A Lifeline for Mothers and ChildrenStaffed by a dedicated team of ten, the facility is a lifeline for maternal and child health. Last month alone, the midwives safely facilitated 32 deliveries. While general services, public awareness campaigns, and malnutrition screenings (which recently supported over 50 children) run until 4:00 PM, the facility’s delivery services are open 24 hours a day. Through dedicated immunization rooms, family planning, antenatal care, and mobile vaccine outreach for children under five, the Naseran Family Health House proves that when we pool our resources and empower communities, we save lives.