UN builds 1,000 homes for Afghan quake survivors in Paktika

UNHCR also constructs clinic and school in Gayan district as part of $7.8 million aid package for displaced families.

KABUL, Afghanistan (MNTV) — The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has handed over 1,000 newly built homes to families in Afghanistan’s Gayan district, more than two years after a powerful earthquake devastated the region.

The permanent shelters were constructed in Paktika province for those displaced by the June 2022 quake, which flattened homes and left thousands without shelter. The initiative also includes the construction of a school and a health clinic to support long-term recovery and stability in the area.

According to TOLOnews, the total cost of the project amounted to $7.8 million. UNHCR officials said the aid package will benefit more than 7,000 people — two-thirds of whom are women and girls.

“We have worked with the community to build 1,000 permanent shelters,” said Arafat Jamal, UNHCR’s representative in Afghanistan. “This effort has directly helped thousands of vulnerable families begin rebuilding their lives.”

Local authorities have welcomed the assistance, but warned that the need remains urgent. Hamdullah Fateh, head of the refugees and repatriation department in Paktika, confirmed that despite this progress, at least 250 families in Gayan district are still without adequate housing.

Residents expressed gratitude for the support but urged continued aid. “We lived in tents for nearly three years,” said Momin, one of the beneficiaries. “This house has brought us dignity and stability.”

Another resident, Naib Khan, added: “We thank the UN Refugee Agency for not forgetting us. But many families are still waiting for shelter.”

The earthquake that struck Gayan and Barmal districts in June 2022 caused widespread destruction and was one of the deadliest natural disasters in Afghanistan in recent years.