Across Samangan province, families are continuing to grapple with the effects of Afghanistan's deepening humanitarian crisis.Decades of conflict and instability, economic collapse, the climate crisis and widespread poverty have left communities struggling to meet even their most basic needs. For many, access to food, income, and essential resources has become increasingly limited.

At the family level, these difficulties are most acutely felt in two ways: an inability to earn a secure income, and extreme difficulty in growing or accessing basic levels of food. For Khatira, a mother of six, such hardships had become a daily reality. Living through a protracted humanitarian crisis with limited resources, she struggled to support her family.

I had very limited options. I worked tirelessly to meet my family’s needs, but my income was not sufficient, and it was hard to keep up with everything.

On top of the financial burden, Khatira faced the growing restrictions on the rights of women and girls, which made access to opportunities even more difficult. “The conditions in my village were very challenging,” she explained. “There were limited resources and opportunities for everyone... Women, in particular, were heavily impacted by these limitations.”

In response to these intersecting challenges, Afghanaid launched a comprehensive project in Khatira's area to help women and men build sustainable livelihoods and improve food security. The project was designed not only to support individuals like Khatira, but also to address the deep rooted issues that drive these harmful cycles and to strengthen the resilience of local communities.

Kitchen gardens across our programmes

Growing a more food-secure future

With a strong resolve and desire to rewrite her story, Khatira enrolled in this programme, and received hands-on training in gardening, with the aim to create her own home garden. In Afghanistan, kitchen gardens are a key form of subsistence farming, especially for women, offering a reliable way to feed their families and generate incomes. Their drought-tolerant nature makes them a sustainable source of food and income-generator, at a time when water scarcity is a growing challenge across Afghanistan. As such, Khatira knew this was a vital step toward a more hopeful future.

Over three days, Khatira learnt land preparation, composting, mulching, pest control, and harvesting, as well as business skills. After absorbing these valuable lessons, she was also given eight types of vegetable seeds and essential tools, including a hoe and a watering can, enabling her to set up her own kitchen garden at home. 

With her new garden, Khatira has secured a reliable source of nutritious food for her family, and generates a regular income by selling surplus produce at the local market. By letting some vegetables mature and go to seed, she has also created a sustainable growing cycle that allows her to replant without having to continuously buy external supplies.

“Before receiving the vegetable seeds, my life was not in a good state,” Khatira told us. “However, after learning the techniques of planting, harvesting, and selling vegetables, my situation has improved significantly. I now have a better life and can financially support my family, which brings me a sense of accomplishment and happiness.”

Ripples of change

Beyond her personal success, Khatira is now helping others in her community benefit from the same training and knowledge. Recognising the value of becoming an income-earner in raising her status as a woman in her area, she is helping others to do the same:

I have learned many valuable skills through the project, such as advanced farming techniques and pest management. I am now able to share this knowledge with other women in my village, contributing to their development and the overall improvement of our community.

Today, Khatira feels more confident and hopeful than ever. “The quality of my life has improved significantly compared to before. By producing fresh vegetables, I have been able to meet the nutritional needs of my family, ensuring a healthier diet. All of my family’s essential needs are now met, and I no longer worry about how to provide for them. I feel relieved and enjoy a comfortable and stress-free life.”

Khatira’s story is a powerful reminder of the strength and resilience of Afghan women, and the myriad of ways that sustainable food programming can improve lives and restore hope.