NGO warns of “heartbreaking” child protection challenges, shelter shortages, and service gaps amid chaotic surge in returns

This is the first SitRep for the West Afghanistan Forced Returnees Response (WAFRR), providing an overview of the evolving situation at the Iran–Afghanistan border, major needs, and World Vision Afghanistan’s response to date.

World Vision Afghanistan’s situation reports, outlining activities and impact for the months of April and May 2025.

Johan Eldebo, Senior Adviser for Strategic Partnerships and Fragile Contexts at World Vision Nordics, shares personal reflections from a recent field visit to Afghanistan, highlighting why sustained engagement matters, especially for the country’s most vulnerable children.

To empower communities over their challenges in health sector, World Vision train and equip Community Health Workers (CHWs) who serve their communities with basic health and nutrition services.

In many rural communities, families face significant obstacles in ensuring children receive proper nutrition and healthcare. Jenifer Nyoto Nyambe, a 69-year-old grandmother, experienced this firsthand when she suddenly found herself in a maternal role once again. Her daughter passed away in 2023, just three months after giving birth to her baby, Maybin. Left in Jenifer’s care with limited resources, the young child faced a difficult start, malnourished and struggling to thrive.

Mayibongwe Mhlongo, the only male among 50 trainees in a Rural Health Motivator programme, is breaking gender norms and bringing vital health knowledge to his community in Maseyisini, Eswatini—thanks to a World Vision and Ministry of Health partnership.

"They sit on pieces of cardboard, hot, thirsty, with nowhere to be." Thousands of Afghans are being pushed back from Iran every day. At Islam Qala, Thamindri De Silva, World Vision's National Director, stands at the heart of the crisis - children waiting in the dust, hungry, dehydrated, some alone, all unsure where to go or what comes next. In Ghor, Mark shows us what they're returning to: drought, hunger, and empty clinics that were meant to serve thousands - now abandoned after funding cuts. With millions of Afghans working in Iran to support their families, the scale of what’s coming is far greater than what we see today. Watch and witness the reality unfolding on the ground.

Unexploded ordnance (UXO) continues to kill and maim children across Afghanistan. Laurentia Jora, World Vision’s Strategic Communications Manager, takes you inside the home of a family in Qarchiqai, Qadis district, Badghis province, who lost two sons to these deadly remnants of war. Eight-year-old Jamaluddin, cousin to the two killed boys and survivor, watched as his closest friends were killed by unexploded ordnance right before his eyes. World Vision Afghanistan and Save the Children warn that as funding for UXO clearance dries up, children – who make up 80% of casualties – are left increasingly vulnerable.

In the rural areas of Zambia, a remarkable change is taking shape thanks to the dedication of local nutrition supporters. Women like Vera Mufungulwa, 48 years old, are playing a vital role in helping mothers and children thrive by sharing practical knowledge about food. It’s not about complicated solutions, but about understanding how to make the most of what’s available right here at home.