CARE Afghanistan

CARE Afghanistan has been working for decades to support vulnerable communities affected by conflict, poverty, climate shocks, and systemic gender inequality. Through a principled, community-based, and gender-transformative approach, CARE delivers life-saving humanitarian assistance while strengthening resilience and social cohesion. CARE Afghanistan prioritizes women, girls, and marginalized groups, ensuring that programs are inclusive, culturally appropriate, and responsive to local needs. 

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)

CARE Afghanistan integrates Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) across its humanitarian and development programming, recognizing mental well-being as a critical component of recovery, resilience, and dignity. CARE delivers community-based psychosocial support services through trained staff and partners, including individual and group counselling, psychological first aid, psychoeducation, and referral to specialized services where available. MHPSS interventions are closely linked with protection, gender-based violence (GBV) response, health, and livelihoods programming, ensuring a holistic and survivor-centered approach. CARE’s MHPSS work aligns with international standards, including the IASC Guidelines on MHPSS in Emergency Settings, and emphasizes capacity building of frontline workers and community structures.

Health

CARE Afghanistan supports access to essential and quality health services, particularly for women, children, and underserved populations. Health interventions focus on primary healthcare, maternal and child health, sexual and reproductive health, and community health promotion. CARE works closely with health authorities, partners, and communities to strengthen service delivery, increase health-seeking behaviors, and improve referral pathways. Health programming is designed to be conflict-sensitive and gender-responsive, integrating psychosocial support, protection, and nutrition to address the multiple and interlinked needs of crisis-affected populations.

Nutrition

CARE Afghanistan implements life-saving nutrition interventions to prevent and treat malnutrition among children, pregnant and lactating women, and other vulnerable groups. Programs include community-based management of acute malnutrition, nutrition screening and referral, infant and young child feeding (IYCF) support, and nutrition education at community level. CARE adopts an integrated approach by linking nutrition with health services, food security, livelihoods, and MHPSS, recognizing the strong relationship between nutritional status, mental well-being, and household resilience.

Education

CARE Afghanistan supports access to safe, inclusive, and quality education, particularly for children and youth affected by displacement, poverty, and crisis. Education interventions focus on community-based education, learning continuity, teacher support, and life skills development. CARE integrates psychosocial support and well-being into education programming to help learners cope with stress, trauma, and uncertainty, creating protective learning environments that promote resilience, participation, and hope for the future.

Livelihoods and Economic Empowerment

CARE Afghanistan strengthens livelihoods and economic resilience through gender-responsive and community-driven approaches. Livelihood interventions include vocational skills development, small-scale income-generation activities, cash-based assistance, and support to women-led and household-level economic initiatives. CARE integrates psychosocial support, social cohesion, and life skills into livelihoods programming to enhance participants’ confidence, coping capacities, and decision-making power. These interventions aim to reduce economic vulnerability while promoting dignity, self-reliance, and long-term recovery.