Six months after a massive earthquake devastated eastern Afghanistan, about 25,000 children in Kunar province are still living in tents with no clear timeline for reconstruction, the aid group Save the Children said in a statement on Thursday.

The 31 August earthquake—one of the deadliest to strike Afghanistan—killed more than 2,000 people and damaged or destroyed over 8,000 homes, leaving families in makeshift shelters that have since been battered by winter snowfall. Reconstruction in the mountainous region has barely begun, and some villages may never be rebuilt, the organisation said.

More than half of nearly 1,300 assessed classrooms were destroyed or heavily damaged. Construction on schools has yet to start, leaving around 17,000 students studying in temporary learning spaces.

More than 6,000 displaced families continue to rely on humanitarian support after losing their homes and incomes, which previously averaged US$75–120 a month from agriculture and small-scale work. Many now depend entirely on cash assistance.

Bujar Hoxha, Country Director for Save the Children in Afghanistan, said: “As needs across Afghanistan continue to rise while funding declines, we cannot allow the communities devastated by the earthquake to be left behind. Families need hope that their shattered lives can be rebuilt, and that requires sustained funding.”

The housing crisis has intensified as more than 2.9 million Afghans returned from Iran and Pakistan in 2025, with some settling in areas hit by the quake.

The United Nations estimates about 4.2 million people across Afghanistan need shelter support this year.

The Bayat Foundation has continued its annual Ramadan assistance campaign by distributing food packages to dozens of vulnerable families in western Farah province, as part of its broader humanitarian outreach across Afghanistan.

The initiative aims to support families facing acute poverty and economic hardship during the holy month of Ramadan — a time traditionally marked by charity, compassion, and community solidarity.

Each aid package includes essential food staples such as flour, rice, and cooking oil, providing critical support to households struggling to meet their daily needs.

Friadoon Abdullah, the Bayat Foundation’s representative in Farah, said the assistance followed a detailed assessment process.

“Bayat Foundation’s survey team had previously identified needy families across various districts and villages of Farah province,” Abdullah said. “Today, these food packages, which include flour, rice, and oil, are being distributed to those most in need.”

Established in 2006 by Afghan-American entrepreneur Dr Ehsanullah Bayat, the Bayat Foundation is one of Afghanistan’s largest private charitable organizations.

Over the past two decades, it has delivered emergency relief, healthcare services, educational support, and seasonal assistance programs throughout the country.

Its annual Ramadan campaign is among its most significant initiatives, reaching thousands of families each year.

Beneficiaries in Farah expressed appreciation for the timely support.

“Thanks to the Bayat Foundation for providing this aid to needy people in Farah province during the blessed month of Ramadan,” one recipient said.

Another added, “We are grateful to the Bayat Charity Foundation for assisting us during Ramadan.”

Foundation officials say the Ramadan aid campaign will continue through the end of the holy month, with distributions planned in Kabul and several other provinces as part of its nationwide relief effort.

Sources report that following an earthquake in Fayzabad, the capital of Badakhshan province, two workers who were collecting sand in the Jowzgun Valley, first district of the province, were injured due to a landslide.

According to sources, the two workers were transferred to the provincial hospital after the incident and are receiving medical care.

The earthquake, which occurred on Wednesday afternoon was also felt in Kabul and Nangarhar provinces.

However, the U.S. Geological Survey has not yet released information regarding the magnitude, depth, or epicenter of this earthquake.

Last Friday, a 5.8-magnitude earthquake also shook northeastern Afghanistan.