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AWF collaborated with Mahboba’s Promise and Tomaszewski Associates back in 2005 to develop Hope House in Kabul, a project designed to house women and children left destitute by the conflict. Community consultation and collaboration with local professionals was an essential part of the process contributing to what was a highly successful outcome. In 2007, Hope House was completed.

While the impact of COVID 19 has had a significant impact across the globe, countries beset by conflict and fragile public health systems have been disproportionately affected. In Afghanistan, urban density, migration (both internal and from neighbouring Iran and Pakistan), ongoing conflict, and poverty are creating the perfect storm for a potential COVID 19 catastrophe. Amidst this crisis shines a beacon of light – Mahboba’s Promise, an Australian Aid organization dedicated to helping disadvantaged women and children in Afghanistan.

Mahboba’s Promise has transformed its mandate from primarily welfare-oriented work to focusing on sustainable development incorporating education, health and livelihood and empowerment projects. AWF is extremely proud to be associated with such a committed and life changing organisation. It is deeply gratifying to witness the huge difference that AWF’s contribution in the form of appropriately designed infrastructure was able to make in the lives of the community.

In the words of Sourosh Cina, son of founder Mahboba,

‘Mahboba's Promise is going strong. Our projects are continuing and have also grown from ten years ago. The Hope House was recently renovated, and has acted as a blue print for our other Hope Houses which we have since constructed in Panjshir Valley and most recently in Badakhshan. So that is a beautiful continuation of the work AWF did in Kabul. Mahboba always speaks very highly of AWF, its contribution is consistently remembered. 

In terms of a specific COVID update. The situation in Afghanistan is quite dire. The lockdowns have impacted supply chains, food prices have skyrocketed, and the beginning of May brought reports from Save the Children that 7.3 million children are at risk of starvation. We have provided food and resources to keep the widows and orphans in our sponsorship system safe at home for the next few months. But we are trying to expand and reach as many people as we can. Al Jazeer actually covered our response to the lockdowns recently, you can have a look at the video on our websites front page ‘

If you would like to donate to the COVID appeal please use this link