Destroyed Mud House

Ariana's Story

Trapped beneath the rubble for three days after the Afghanistan earthquake.

Trapped, with barely any space to move. Sharp debris pressed in around her as dust filled the air, catching in her throat each time she tried to breathe. No light, no touch of warmth left in the space around her. 

This was Ariana’s nightmare for three days after the earthquake struck her home in Kunar. Just five years old, too young to fully understand what had happened. She did not know where her parents were. She did not know if anyone could hear her. All she knew was fear, cold and being alone. 

When Ariana was eventually pulled from the rubble, she had physical injuries and her exposure to the debris put her at serious risk of infection and longer-term health issues. But the impact of her ordeal was not merely physical. 

In the days that followed, Ariana struggled to sleep. Sudden sounds frightened her. She withdrew, unable to explain what she was feeling. For a child so young, the experience was overwhelming. She had lived through something life changing without the language or ability to process it. 

At the same time, Ariana’s family were trying to rebuild their lives after the disaster. Their home had been damaged and the stability they relied on was gone. Income became uncertain, and even basic medical care came with costs they struggled to meet. They wanted to support Ariana but the lack of income affected the family’s ability to provide care and emotional support. 

This combination of physical injury, trauma and financial strain meant Ariana was an extremely vulnerable child. Without the right support, the effects of those three days could have lasted for years or indefinitely. 

War Child Staff Member sat on a carpet with a young Afghan girl

Through War Child’s local partner, Ariana was identified and supported in a way that placed her needs, safety and experiences at the heart of the response. This meant taking time to understand her needs, listening to her parents and building trust. 

Ariana was referred to medical services so her injuries could be treated and monitored. Alongside this, she received psychological first aid and ongoing psychosocial support appropriate for her age and specific needs to restore a sense of safety and strengthen her coping mechanisms.  

Cash for protection support helped relieve the immediate pressure on her family. It allowed them to cover medical costs and daily essentials without having to worry about where the money for those choices would come from. For Ariana’s parents, this meant they could focus on caring for their child rather than worrying about how to survive until the next day. 

With time, there was signs of progress. Ariana’s injuries were successfully treated through follow-up care. She began to sleep more peacefully. She started to engage positively with her family once again. The trauma did not leave all at once, but it no longer shaped every moment of her life. 

Ariana’s story is one of many. Across eastern Afghanistan, families continue to live with the risk of earthquakes alongside poverty and limited access to services. When disaster strikes, children are often left facing challenges they are too young to understand or manage alone. Child-centred, rights-based support like War Child and its partners provide can give children the chance to recover, slowly and with their needs placed firmly at the core of the approach. 

Ariana and her family were helped by War Child and its local partner Organisation for Human Welfare with support from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).