Helping earthquake affected communities through psychosocial support – Afghanistan

TAKHAR, AFGHANISTAN – “I thought the end of the world was coming and we might not be able to survive.” It was a few minutes of a terrifying experience that Salima* will remember for the rest of her life.

Last March 21, a 6.5-magnitude earthquake hit Badakhshan province in northeastern Afghanistan, and it was felt by residents in neighboring provinces and neighboring countries in Central and South Asia.

In the Warsaj district of Takhar province, 230 kilometers from Badakhshan, Salima was about to fall asleep when the ground started shaking at around 9:17 pm local time. It took a few seconds and then turned into a slight jolt. A few seconds later, another earthquake wave occurred. This time, it was so strong that Salima decided to run for her life.

“I just walked out of the room barefoot,” recalls Salima. “The shaking intensified and the roof of my house collapsed.”

At those crucial moments, 28-year-old Selima pulled herself together and looked for her mother. The old lady was found unconscious. I was so worried because I thought she was dead. Fortunately, she regained consciousness.

When the shaking stopped, Salima Salima thought everyone in the village was dead. Even the three sheep and the cow on which she depended for her livelihood were killed when the roof of her house fell. In the aftermath of the earthquake, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said at least five people were killed and 80 injured, while 653 homes were damaged, leaving many families homeless. The earthquake also caused losses in people’s livelihood.

While Salima is thankful that she and her mother survived the earthquake, the experience had a significant impact on her mental health. Just like everyone in her village, Salima is trying to cope with the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. But going through a terrible experience at the same time is very stressful.

UNFPA and its partner HEWAD, a non-governmental organization in Afghanistan, rushed to dispatch psychosocial counsellors to Salima village to provide psychological first aid to earthquake-affected women and girls.

Two counsellors from the UNFPA-supported Women’s Friendly Health Space (WFHS) funded by the Government of Denmark, and the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund-funded Psychosocial Counseling Center (PSCC) in Takhar have been able to provide much-needed immediate support.

“We were the first responders, seeing damaged homes and giving emotional support to women, listening to them,” recounts a psychosocial counsellor, who was trained by UNFPA in psychological first aid.

Through HEWAD, and with the support of the Italian Government, UNFPA has also distributed dignity kits to support women and girls with their personal hygiene needs. About 50 kits were initially distributed in the village. It is part of the nearly 9,000 Karama kits available in the country and ready for immediate distribution when needed. Each kit contains essential items that specifically address the specific needs of women and girls in emergencies, such as underwear, sanitary pads, towels, head coverings, soap and shampoo.

Psychological first aid and other forms of psychosocial support can help mitigate the negative effects of these events on the target population. Psychosocial support aims to enhance psychological resilience, reduce distress, and promote healing in individuals and communities affected by emergencies.

“I was scared and sad because I lost everything, our house and our livestock,” says Salima. “But I am also relieved and thankful that the women (psychosocial counsellors) have come to help us in this difficult time.”

Afghanistan is highly vulnerable to natural hazards, the frequency and intensity of which are exacerbated by the effects of climate change, increased humanitarian needs, and structural limitations in disaster mitigation.

UNFPA is working with its frontline NGO partners on the ground in all eight regions to provide immediate support to the reproductive health and psychosocial needs of crisis-affected populations, especially women and girls. UNFPA has also stockpiled life-saving commodities to ensure the availability of maternal and reproductive health care, as well as prevention and response to gender-based violence when needed.

* The name has been changed to protect privacy.

(Story contributed by Ancy Ipe, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Specialist)

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos