KABUL — South Korea has pledged $3 million in humanitarian aid to support displaced Afghans, returning refugees, and vulnerable host communities, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said on Sunday.
According to UNHCR statement, the funding will enable the construction of permanent shelters for 400 households, or about 2,800 people, many of whom have returned to Afghanistan after years of displacement. The initiative also includes mental health and psychosocial support programs targeting 34,000 individuals struggling with the long-term effects of conflict and instability.
Afghanistan remains one of the world’s most crisis-affected countries, with decades of war, natural disasters, and harsh winters leaving millions in unsafe or makeshift accommodations. Shelter has emerged as one of the most critical humanitarian needs, particularly for returnees trying to rebuild their lives.
The newly funded shelters will be engineered to withstand earthquakes, floods, and extreme weather, providing safe and dignified housing for returnee families in UNHCR-designated Priority Areas of Return and Reintegration (PARRs). These areas, home to large numbers of displaced people, are also the focus of broader efforts to strengthen community resilience and improve access to basic services.
The statement said that The grant will also help expand mental health and psychosocial support programs, offering individual counseling, group therapy, and referrals to specialized care for people suffering from psychosocial distress, which is estimated to affect more than half of Afghanistan’s population.
“We are extremely grateful for this strong support from the Republic of Korea,” said Arafat Jamal, UNHCR’s Representative in Afghanistan. “It will help us provide both immediate assistance and long-term solutions for some of the most vulnerable people who have faced displacement and are trying to rebuild their lives.”
The aid comes at a time when Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis remains severe, with funding shortfalls threatening essential relief programs for displaced communities.
