Food, shelter and other assistance

If you can’t find what you’re looking for here, please contact us.

My family needs food. Can UNHCR help?

UNHCR does not provide food assistance. For help with food, please contact the World Food Programme (WFP):

Telephone: 079 055 5544 (toll free, 8AM to 4PM Sunday-Thursday)

Email: [email protected]

I need help to buy fuel, clothing and other essentials. Can UNHCR help?

If you meet our eligibility criteria, UNHCR might be able to provide you with essential items like blankets, kitchen kits, fuel and hygiene items. To find out if you are eligible for support, you must first be assessed by UNHCR or one of our partner organisations. Please contact us  for more information.

Can UNHCR provide me with cash?

UNHCR provides cash assistance to families who have been displaced (forced to leave their homes due to conflict or other reasons) or who have recently returned to their place of origin. If you have been living as a refugee abroad and return to Afghanistan, you are also eligible for cash assistance from UNHCR.

UNHCR provides cash assistance to families who are in the most urgent need – unfortunately, we do not have enough resources to help everyone. To find out if you are eligible for assistance, you must first be assessed by UNHCR or one of our partner organisations. Please contact us for more information.

If you are not eligible for cash assistance, you might be able to benefit from other services provided by UNHCR in the place where you live. Our team can advise you on what help is available.

My home has been damaged or destroyed. Can UNHCR provide me with shelter?

UNHCR might be able to help you repair your home or provide alternative shelter if your current accommodation is not suitable for living. UNHCR provides shelter assistance to families who are in the most urgent need – we do not have enough resources to help everyone who needs support.

To be considered for shelter support, you must meet one of the below criteria:

  • You have evidence of land ownership
  • You are living on communal or public land, and can get a non-objection certificate from local authorities
  • You can obtain a land transfer or right of use document
  • Your home has obvious damage

To find out if you are eligible for shelter assistance, you must first be assessed by UNHCR or one of our partner organisations. Please contact us for more information.

I want to return to my home in another part of the country. Can UNHCR help me?

You should think carefully before deciding whether to return to your home or move elsewhere. Before deciding whether to move, you should consider the security situation, employment options available to you in the place you plan to live, as well as the services available there for your family. Whatever decision you make, it should be entirely your own choice and you should never be forced to move against your will.

If you decide to go back home, UNHCR might be able to help you with the cost of transport and provide you with cash and other support to help you re-start your life.   To find out if you are eligible for support, you must first be assessed by UNHCR or one of our partner organisations. Please contact us for more information.

I am thinking about returning to my home, and I want to know what services and employment options are available to me there. Where can I find more information?

Before making a decision about whether to return to your home or move elsewhere, you should consider the options and services that will be available to you in the place you plan to live. If you plan to move to one of the districts where UNHCR works, we can give you information about the services available in that district. Please contact us for more information.