In Afghanistan, Ali Mohammad’s family was surviving on a diet of wheat bread, with the occasional addition of potatoes or rice. Like many other families across the country, Ali faces daily challenges in accessing enough food to feed his family, as Afghanistan faces an extreme hunger crisis. 

At 79, Ali is the sole provider for his family of four, which includes his wife Amina, his 35-year-old daughter Ruqia, and his nine-year-old grandson. Despite his age, he works tirelessly to protect and support those who depend on him.

In the past few years, Ali and his wife Amina have experienced significant loss. In 2016, their son Eiwaz, 24, died when a roadside mine exploded. At the time, his wife, Zainab, was nine months pregnant with their first child; however, due to the immense grief of losing her husband, she suffered severe complications and passed away during childbirth. Then, in 2022, as Afghanistan’s economy deteriorated and job opportunities became scarce, their 23-year-old son, Qurban, left for Iran in search of work and has not been heard from since.

In their remote village, there are no employment opportunities for his daughter and years of physical labour have left Ali unable to continue working. 

“I don’t know what to do without any source of income,” he explains. “Earlier, I used to get essential food and hygiene items on credit from the Nayak Market—the district center market, 21 km away from my home. However, for the past seven to eight months, they have refused to lend me anything because they know I cannot repay it,” he adds.

Ali’s family was identified as eligible for a food assistance program that was implemented by PWS&D’s local partner (not named due to security concerns). The program provided five months of cash assistance to 3,810 households like Ali’s in Bamyan province. 

“With this assistance, I was able to purchase essential food items like flour, oil, sugar, salt and rice. For the first time in a long while, we no longer have to worry about food,” he shared.

Ali is grateful, emphasizing how this assistance has relieved his anxiety about feeding his family.

Life and circumstances have been challenging for Ali Mohammad and his family, but thanks to your generosity, the family found much-needed relief. With your continued support, we can ensure that other families in Afghanistan experience the same hope and assistance.  

*This project receives support from Global Affairs Canada through Canadian Foodgrains Bank. PWS&D is a member of the Foodgrains Bank, a partnership of 15 churches and church agencies working together to end global hunger.