190,000 Afghan people receive China aid

Sixty-year-old Abdul Latif has three daughters. Several years ago, he lost both legs in a land mine bombing and an earthquake forced his family to flee from Paktia province to Kabul. They lived in a rented house. Because of his injuries, he can no longer do the repair work he previously did and has to sell fried potato chips to feed his family.

"I almost can't pay the rent," he said.

His plight is common in Afghanistan. To date, 3.2 million people have lost their homes because of military conflicts, natural disasters and extreme climate. Afghanistan is stuck amid one of the largest humanitarian crises and half of its population needs assistance.

China Aid and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have conducted a series of cooperation to address the humanitarian needs of Afghan people. Supported by the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund (GDSSCF), the UNHCR has provided 190,000 Afghan people with necessary living materials since 2024, including kitchenware, blankets, buckets and plastic waterproof covers, helping refugees keep warm in the harsh winter and resume daily activities like cooking and washing.

"Hearing that we will get kitchenware, I was very happy," said Latif. "I am so grateful. I hope that those in the same bad situations can get this support, too."

Although the GDSSCF-funded project is coming to an end, the demand of humanitarian assistance is expanding as more refugees return after the strong earthquake. Humanitarian assistance alone cannot solve the problems fundamentally, and more efforts should be made to rebuild refugees' lives via investments made for their employment, skill training, education and healthcare. China's experiences in development, especially in poverty alleviation, also provide an exemplary model for other countries.