Following the political changes in Afghanistan, small businesses have emerged as a key source of hope for women seeking financial independence. Interviews with 23 women reveal that while many rely on small loans to sustain themselves, for some, these loans also bring economic and emotional stress.
On Sunday night, 31 August 2025, a powerful earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan, especially Kunar Province. The tremors were also felt in nearby provinces. According to reputable global seismic centers, the earthquake registered 6.0 on the Richter scale, which is relatively rare in Afghanistan’s history of natural disasters. Most districts of Kunar were affected, with the strongest shaking felt in Nurgal, Sawkai, Khas Kunar, and some other districts. This earthquake has been recorded as one of the deadliest in Afghanistan in recent years. As a result, around 2,200 people lost their lives, more than 4,000 were injured, and over 8,000 homes were destroyed.
Provinces like Badghis, Logar, and Kunduz are in an extreme crisis; Faryab and Maidan Wardak are severely affected, while Badakhshan is among the less affected provinces. Geographically, central provinces face high migration and land dryness, Northern provinces experience reduced production, and eastern provinces show limited coping responses.
This survey, conducted with the direct participation of 1,800 families and indirectly covering nearly 15,000 residents across 20 districts of Kabul, reflects the state of groundwater and people’s access to water in the city. The findings paint a worrying picture of the water crisis facing the Afghan capital.
Sabor Noori, a resident of Badakhshan, says that deforestation has surged in recent months, causing severe floods, soil erosion, and spreading desert-like conditions in parts of the province. He added, “Areas that used to be green and full of forests—which also helped keep floods in check, or as we Badakhshanis call it, reduced the ‘rocky water’—have sadly been destroyed. Beautiful plains and meadows are now turned into rocky, unusable land, and this makes floods even more damaging for the people.”
Afghan youths are leaving their country in search of economic opportunities despite serious risks abroad. Iran remains a primary destination, even amid political unrest and security threats. Salam Watandar’s findings indicates that Afghan young people are migrating to Iran despite the country is facing waves of internal instability and the threat of an external conflict.
Through a series of 29 exclusive and statistical reports, Salam Afghanistan Media Organization’s Omid (Hope) program has shed light on the grim challenges and promising opportunities faced by the Afghan youths.
KABUL (SW) – Salam Watandar conducted a survey across 28 provinces of Afghanistan to examine young people’s attitudes toward polygamy, revealing that 8 out of 10 participants reject the concept of having multiple spouses.
KABUL (SW) – In a bid to understand young people’s attitudes toward polygamy, Salam Watandar conducted a survey across 28 provinces of Afghanistan to determine which factors influence their acceptance or rejection of the practice.
KABUL (SW) – Findings of a comprehensive survey by Salam Watandar in 25 provinces of Afghanistan show that young people in this age of technology and modernity seek a balance between traditional and modern lifestyles.
This survey examines the rate of educational drop outs among young people and its consequences on the Afghan society. This Survey has investigated the number of educated young individuals, the effectiveness of their education, and it has also investigated the reasons for missing or dropping out of education among young people.
Salam Watandar’s survey findings, based on responses from 412 girls and women across 26 provinces in Afghanistan, reveal that 84% of participants reported experiencing violence from the same gender (female). In contrast, 16% stated that they had never been subjected to violence by womn.
