At just 8 months, Malika was suffering from severe acute malnutrition. “Since we started therapeutic food treatment, she is getting better,” says her mother. With support from European Union in Afghanistan, UNICEF provides life-saving treatment for children.

Breast milk is a child's first protection against illness and their first step towards healthy development. Female health workers are helping mothers stay healthy and breastfeed successfully by providing UNICEF-supported Multiple Micronutrient Supplements during and after pregnancy.

Healthy mothers = Healthy children 👶🏽 Female health workers play an essential role in helping mothers while breastfeeding. UNICEF supports breastfeeding education, breastfeeding support, and prioritizing women’s nutrition and essential antenatal care.

Breastfeeding is essential for a sustainable start in life. With support from UNICEF and its partners, mothers receive nutrition counseling on when and how to breastfeed, giving every child the strongest start in life across Afghanistan.

“I breastfeed my children for over two years and they’re healthier. Some neighbors don't breastfeed their children, and they often get sick and are at risk of malnutrition,” says Zahra's mother. Breastfeeding has lifelong benefits for a child’s healthy growth and development. 💙

Fatima, a nutrition counsellor, advises Asma on breastfeeding and the importance of taking Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) during and after pregnancy. With donor support, UNICEF provides MMS to pregnant and breastfeeding women, helping prevent anaemia and malnutrition.

Recent floods have impacted several provinces in eastern Afghanistan, and access to water is critical during emergencies.💧 UNICEF and partners established a temporary water supply solution in #Nuristan - with a capacity of 60K liters, to provide safe drinking water to 2K people.

Fraud Alert! 🚨

Polio has no cure, but it is preventable. Hania receives her 2 drops of polio vaccine, protecting her from lifelong paralysis. With @gatesfoundation.bsky.social support, UNICEF is strengthening community engagement, raising awareness, & supporting vaccine procurement to reach every child.

When Roads Cut off, UNICEF Finds a Way to Reach Children! Recent floods have washed away roads and cut off communities in #Nuristan. Our teams are on the ground, reaching affected communities with emergency kits, health services, nutrition support, and safe drinking water.

UNICEF and partners reached flood-affected communities in #Nuristan, distributing emergency kits to 690 people in need, including 🧼 soap, 🪣 jerry cans, 🍳 kitchen sets and🧴 hygiene kits. Together, we are helping families stay safe and recover with dignity during the emergency.

Satayesh, was severely malnourished. After one week of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) she gained 0.5kg. “Now I can see she is getting better,” says her mother. With European Union Civil Protection & Humanitarian Aid support, we provide RUTF for children to fight severe acute malnutrition.

Every child deserves a healthy start. With support from UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, UNICEF's Mother & Child Cash Transfer programme is helping vulnerable Afghan families afford nutritious food & essential supplies while improving access to health & nutrition services.

Right from pregnancy, mothers and babies are connected. With support from the Bezos Family Foundation #ChildNutritionFund, UNICEF provide Multiple Micronutrient Supplements to pregnant women to ensure they and their babies receive the nutrients needed to survive and thrive.

In Daikundi, Idris is recovering from malnutrition with the help of therapeutic food. “Before, he could not walk or understand me. Now he walks, understands, & repeats some words,” says his mother, Fatima. With Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office support, more children recover & survive.

On this #YouthSkillsDay, meet Ahmad in his tailoring class ✂️. “Learning tailoring has changed my life,” he says. “Now I can support my family and feel proud.” With support from European Union in Afghanistan, young people gain vocational skills to earn an income for a better future.

“One day, I want to become a doctor,” says 7-year-old Shagofa, who attends a community-driven learning class close to home in Bamyan. With support from EU Civil Protection & Humanitarian Aid, more children are gaining access to safe learning spaces where they can learn and build a brighter future.

Baby Mohra receives her measles vaccination. 💉 With support from the government of Japan through JICA, we procure vaccines and strengthen the cold chain to ensure every dose remains potent, helping protect children like her across Afghanistan.

“I learned new things in training and can answer many of my patients’ questions,” says midwife Bibi Gul, as she examines baby Taib and advises his mother on newborn care. With @adb.org support, Skills Labs help midwives deliver quality care for mothers and newborns.

Bringing lifesaving services closer to children and families. Over 6.5 million people accessed essential health services through UNICEF-supported health facilities across all 34 provinces of Afghanistan. Read more in our May Situation Report: unicef.link/44hL0nJ

Asma, a 7-month-old baby girl, was malnourished and weighed 5kg. After two weeks of therapeutic food, she gained 1kg. “I am grateful to UNICEF for helping the children of Afghanistan,” says her mother. With thanks to European Union in Afghanistan, more children recover, survive and thrive.

“The water was bitter & made us sick. Now we have clean water here & I'm happy,” says Tamana. With support from European Union-funded humanitarian projects in Asia pacific, nearly 10,000 people in Nuristan now have access to safe water, helping protect children & families from waterborne diseases.

"Now, I'm learning how to sew clothes, and I even receive a small amount of money for my daily expenses. I feel very happy," says Salma, who is 15. With support from European Union in Afghanistan, girls like her are gaining the skills and confidence to create a secure future for themselves.

Elyas and Raiqa wash their hands at a clinic. It looks simple. But clean water here means infection prevention, safer care and a healthier start for every child. With support from European Union in Afghanistan, more children are gaining access to safe water in health facilities.

Reaching every person with vaccines in Afghanistan means navigating real challenges like a scattered population. Despite this, nearly 87% of the eligible population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Over half are women. With support from @gavi.org, we continue this work.

Mozamel is 3 days old. His mother Sima made a long journey to get him vaccinated. "Vaccines are very important," she says. With support from @gavi.org, we procure vaccines & strengthen the cold chain to ensure every dose remains potent, helping protect children across Afghanistan.

Zobaida and Fatima are friends studying together at a community-driven learning class close to home. For them, it makes education possible where a public school is too far away. With support from the government of Japan, more children are getting that chance.

Zero-dose children have never received a single vaccine. In Afghanistan, too many children still miss out on their first dose. 53-day-old Arsan is not one of them. With support from @gavi.org, we are reaching more children with lifesaving immunization services across Afghanistan.

Two drops. A lifetime of protection against polio. Four-year-old Mohammad received the oral polio vaccine. Polio has no cure but is entirely preventable. With support from the government of Japan, we are reaching every child across Afghanistan to keep communities polio-free. #EndPolio

18-month-old baby Hania was severely malnourished but after just one week of therapeutic food (RUTF), she gained weight. “What I really like about RUTF is that it’s easy to use,” her mother says. With support from the European Union to Afghanistan, more children recover, survive and thrive.