How to Help Afghan Refugees

The ongoing crisis in Afghanistan may leave you wondering how to help Afghan refugees in meaningful ways. After more than forty years of a protracted refugee crisis, almost 6 million Afghans have been forcibly removed from their homes. Of that number, over 3 million are displaced people still living in Afghanistan while roughly 2.5 million people are living as refugees in other countries.

The beauty of Afghanistan has been overshadowed by war for decades.

This means that there are opportunities to volunteer to help Afghan evacuees in locations like neighboring Pakistan and Iran—but also the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Nordic countries like Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.

As the situation in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate due to security breakdowns and significant acts of violence against the Afghan people, it can be difficult to know how to help Afghanistan right now, while still managing to keep yourself safe from danger.

It’s important to consider what you need to know when you decide how to help Afghanistan refugees without jeopardizing your own wellbeing or putting yourself in harm’s way. Below you will find useful information about how to help refugees from Afghanistan in safe and effective ways.

Can you volunteer to go to Afghanistan?

While volunteering to help Afghan refugees in Afghanistan might seem like the most direct solution, due to threats to health, safety, and—quite simply—human life, it’s far too dangerous for most people to volunteer in Afghanistan right now.

Being in a conflict-zone requires a specific set of skills, and even if you understand Afghan custom or speak the languages of the country, the State Department strongly recommends against traveling to Afghanistan at this time. At the time of publication, Afghanistan is classified as a Level 4: Do Not Travel destination.

While programs to support refugees do exist all over the world, the best way to provide your support and help Afghanistan right now is through direct donation, working with other reputable agencies in safer locations, and providing support to people and organizations that offer connections to hosting Afghan families in your community.

The recommendations below should provide you with some additional information about what kinds of conditions Afghan refugees are facing—and how you can most effectively help.

How to volunteer to help Afghan refugees

It’s difficult to volunteer in Afghanistan right now, but there are many ways to donate.

Losing your home, your belongings, and your sense of place is difficult enough, but doing so while traveling to unknown locations complicates that loss even further. Not being able to work, provide for yourself, care for your family, or have a sense of food security or access to health care means that there are many different kinds of needs to be met.

This also means that there are countless ways that provide support, including volunteering to house Afghan refugees, exploring ways to help children still in Afghanistan, and ​​generally sharing the message about how to help Afghanistan refugees, wherever they may be.

See the information provided below to get started working with organizations.

How to avoid scams when donating to donating to Afghanistan

Given the size and scope of the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, the number of charitable organizations that have been organized to provide resources and support is varied and long. Some of these organizations have been working to provide support for several decades, while others have been developed as a response to recent issues of violence or crisis.

So how do you know which charities or relief organizations you can trust? And how can you determine where to send donations without having to worry about your funds being misused? At the very least, consider the four suggestions listed below.

1. Check with third-party watchdogs

There are two resources that are most widely-used and well-respected when it comes to evaluating charitable organizations and nonprofits. These are GuideStar / Candid (the largest source of nonprofit information results) and Charity Navigator (the largest independent evaluator of nonprofits). A search of any charity or nonprofit on these sites will give you valuable information.

2. Explore the organization’s website

When you’re considering an organization to donate to, make sure you explore the organization’s website. Read the testimonials. Look for evidence of successful programs. Watch for videos that show work being done by the organization. Make sure that the organization is providing the kinds of humanitarian aid in Afghanistan they claim to provide.

3. Ask questions and expect answers

Any organization doing good work will provide you with direct answers and responses to the questions you present. If they claim to have provided 800,000 meal kits to refugee families, there should be clear processes in place for how they achieve these goals and how they will continue to track their own effectiveness. If they won’t answer, reconsider your donation or gift.

4. Investigate the organization’s annual financial report

As is the case with the other tips mentioned, the proof of an organization’s effectiveness can be found in the metrics and statements of impact. Any organization that claims to provide resources to resolve the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan should be able to share their annual financial statements and copies of their charitable reports.

Reliable Afghanistan charity and humanitarian organizations

Now that you have a better sense of evaluating where to give and which organizations are going to be the most effective, as you consider how to help Afghan refugees in need, take a look at the list of some reliable charity and humanitarian organizations listed below. If your goal is to volunteer to help Afghan refugees with a sense of confidence that your efforts are truly helping people, any of the charities listed below would be a good start.

• International Rescue Committee – Afghanistan. This organization provides direct support to the people of Afghanistan, sponsors operations inside the country, and collects donations to address issues like food security and the welfare of women and girls.
• UNICEF. This well-known donation-based organization provides opportunities for support on the ground in Afghanistan in order to help children in Afghanistan and their families—many of whom live in open areas, making them vulnerable to attack.
• Doctors Without Borders. This organization provides opportunities for those with medical experience to provide direct medical support to Afghan people. If you can volunteer to go to Afghanistan, and you hold a medical license, this is one way you might help.
• Save the Children. This organization has been working for the humanitarian response in Afghanistan since 1976. They offer education and health services and protect the safety of women and children who are often targeted for violence.
• ActionAid International. If you’re interested in organizations that help Afghan refugees while working to challenge the kinds of social and cultural norms that put women in Afghanistan at risk, this is a highly-rated organization that is making a difference.
• Islamic Relief. This UK-based organization provides food, emergency aid, and survival packets to those in need. If you’re wondering how to donate to Afghanistan and where your money goes, you can also read their Afghan Emergency Appeal to learn more.
• World Central Kitchen. This initiative, launched by Chef José Andrés, brings nourishment, food, compassion, and community during crisis. They have been providing meals to Afghan refugees living in Spain, the US, and Qatar, often employing Afghan chefs.
• CARE International. This program focuses on economic empowerment, sexual health, and women’s rights. Launched in 1961, they’re working on how to help Afghanistan right now, with a field office in Kabul, in the midst of some of the most recent conflicts.
• Women for Afghan Women. Many organizations focused on Afghan relief offer solutions for the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan facing women and children. This organization provides direct support, but also helps you host fundraisers to support them monetarily.
• The Norwegian Refugee Council. Norway is among those volunteering to house Afghan refugees, and this organization makes that happen. They’re also the only organization that provides day-to-day refugee camp management services in Afghanistan.
• UNHCR. This organization is the United Nations Refugee Agency. They provide support to those living in Afghanistan, offer refugee updates in their data portal, offer reports on funding through Global Focus reports, and report on legislation and policy in RefWorld.
• Global Giving. If you’re looking for individual projects to fund with social media fundraisers, direct donations, or micro-investments for other organizations helping Afghan refugees, you’ll find this list of projects you can fund to be helpful.
• International Medical Corps. Humanitarian aid in Afghanistan is often connected to a strong medical response to extreme poverty and crisis, while medical facilities are often targeted for violence. This organization provides care and answers that call.
• Vital Voices. This US-based charity focuses on women’s leadership. Their call to action on behalf of Afghan women focuses on ending gender-based violence and providing important resources to those in need of health care and protection.
• Turquoise Mountain Trust – Afghanistan. This Scottish agency works to provide important health care to refugees, and also connects Afghan craftspeople with companies that can offer economic support and independence to those in need of reliable income
• Women for Women International. This organization contributes to the humanitarian response in Afghanistan by providing specific items like chickens, gardening tools, sewing machines, and dairy animals to alleviate poverty and encourage independence.
• Muslim Hands France. This French organization allows donors to select individual projects they want to finance through a list of donation opportunities from bread, water, and meals, to education, religious ceremonies, or individual orphans in need of support.
• Afghan Aid. If your goal is to learn more about how to donate to Afghanistan, this UK-based agency will help you put your money toward emergency food packages, farming supplies, trees, water pumps, and other essential environmental resources.
• The British Red Cross. Not only does the British Red Cross provide immediate aid to those in need in Afghanistan, for those in the UK, it offers resources on how to host Afghan refugees, including how to find families who are being housed in your area.
• Mercy Corps – Afghanistan. This organization focuses on how to help Afghan refugees with donation-based projects connected to agricultural development, job skills for young people, natural resource management, and affordable renewable energy.
• Enabled Children – Afghanistan. If your desire is to help children in Afghanistan, this organization will help you provide support to some of the most vulnerable. The goal of ECA is to care for disabled children in Afghanistan, many of whom are otherwise alone.
• Child Foundation. Not only does this foundation provide critical care to children and their families in need of significant support, it also works to keep children in school and prevent young girls from being forced into child marriage and related gender violence.
• UN Crisis Relief / Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund. This initiative of the United Nations is a pooled fund, allowing for maximum effect from every individual donation. Crisis funds can be released immediately and directed to the greatest or most pressing need.
• The Halo Trust. This group with international locations works to address the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan through the clearing of landmines, IEDs, and dangerous explosives. Their efforts have the support of the Taliban, reducing conflict.

Ways to provide support to Afghan refugees in need of housing in your area

• AmazonSmile Donations. This is a great way to host a long-term fundraiser for the nonprofit or charity of your choice. Once you connect the verified nonprofit to your Amazon account, you can shop as you normally do, and raise money for your cause.
• Social Media Fundraisers / Local Fundraisers / Supply Drives. It’s easier than ever to host a fundraiser for a good cause on social media or in your neighborhood. Check out this helpful article from GoAbroad Foundation for some great ideas to get started.
• Church World Service. This faith-based organization addresses how to help Afghanistan refugees through efforts directed to hunger and poverty, displacement, and disaster. They also help refugee families settle in new homes and host events like hunger walks.
• World Relief. This organization helps community members obtain more information about how to host Afghan refugees by partnering with local churches in their efforts to build a more comprehensive network for housing refugees.
• HIAS. Founded in 1888, this Jewish organization provides pro bono legal support to Afghan refugees who are displaced and residing in the United States. Accepts financial donations and offers to work on legal cases for refugees in need.
• Refugee Action. Provides volunteer opportunities for those living in the UK, and works directly with those volunteering to house Afghan refugees and provide support.
• International Relief Service. This specific resource provides important information about how to welcome Afghan refugees and how to volunteer to house Afghan refugees in your community, including a simple list of items most often requested for new arrivals.
• Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS). If you’re curious about how to host Afghan refugees and want to know where to find resources inside the United States in support of the Afghan Allies program, you can use this website to gain helpful support.
• Homes Not Borders. This charitable organization is located in the Washington, DC area, and they provide helpful resources about the kinds of items refugee families often need upon arrival. Even if you’re not in DC, this is a great guide for your community.

Learn more about the Afghanistan refugee crisis and its historical context

• NPR – Simple Steps You Can Take Right Now to Help Afghan Refugees
• The Atlantic Council – The Afghan Refugee Crisis
• Amnesty International – Afghanistan’s Refugees: 40 Years of Dispossession
• Observer Research Foundation – Afghan Refugee Crisis and Impact on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
• Middle East Institute – The Politics and Geopolitics of the Afghan Refugee Crisis
• Afghanistan World Foundation – Global Project List
• BBC News – How Many Afghan Refugees Are There and Where Will They Go?
• Refugees International – Afghanistan
• People in Need – Afghanistan
• UNHCR – Refugees Magazine on Afghanistan
• CNN – Afghan Refugees Who Fled to Ukraine, Now Fleeing Again

Resources for protecting journalistic integrity in and about Afghanistan

• Rukshana Media. Reporting on critical women’s issues from inside Afghanistan.
• Afghan Journalists Safety Commission. Providing protection to Afghan journalists and monitoring acts of violence against the press.
• International Women’s Media Foundation. Protecting women journalists from the Taliban.

More ways to help refugees abroad

If you’d like to find out more about helping refugees around the world, please explore the resources below. Remember to do research before you make a commitment to any one program or donate any funds.

There are all kinds of great organizations focused on providing relief work and support to those who need it most—and a little bit of thoughtfulness will make sure your efforts are able to do the most good.

Resources for relief volunteer work abroad

• All Hands and Hearts
• United Nations Volunteers
• 80+ Refugee Volunteer Programs Abroad
• 80+ Disaster Relief Volunteer Programs Abroad
• 100+ Conflict Resolution Programs Abroad
• 400+ Human Rights Volunteer Programs Abroad

GoAbroad articles about working with refugees and displaced populations

• What I’ve Learned Volunteering During Humanitarian Crises
• Volunteering with Crisis Refugees in Europe
• International Relief Volunteer Work—Hurricane Recovery, with Refugees, & More
• The Refugee Crisis & How International Volunteers Can (or Can't) Help
• How to Provide REAL Relief When You Volunteer in Refugee Camps

Explore Refugee Volunteer Programs Abroad on GoAbroad.com

If you have resources that you would like to share or if you find information above that is no longer accurate, please reach out to us at information@goabroad.com or comment below.