How we’re supporting former refugee families ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌







Dear friend,

For many displaced families, their main wish is to return home. They crave the comfort of their homes, familiar faces, and a normal daily life.

Afghan refugees are experiencing a different story. An overwhelming number of returnees from Iran and Pakistan are entering Afghanistan — with no food, shelter, or essentials.

Learn more below about the returnee crisis in Afghanistan and how Mercy Corps is supporting families. You can also read more in my recent statement on this crisis.
Read more ▸
Large numbers of people arriving at Herat Province, the main returnee hub. © Faraidoon Osmani/Mercy Corps
Afghanistan has faced decades of conflict and political instability, which drove millions of people out of their homes — and often into neighboring countries. Four years ago this month, the Taliban took control of Kabul, intensifying instability and violence and driving more Afghans from their home.

Until recently, more than 6.3 million Afghan people were displaced in other countries, with the majority of refugees fleeing to Iran and Pakistan. But as the hostility in the Middle East rises — especially between Iran and Israel — many are returning home.

Hundreds of thousands are repatriating at once, overburdening the public infrastructure and worsening an already critical humanitarian crisis.

Many are arriving in Herat, the main returnee hub, where overcrowded border facilities and transit centers are unable to keep pace. Shelter is non-existent for returnees, and water, sanitation, health care, and education are scarce at best.

Mercy Corps is working in Herat and surrounding provinces to scale its humanitarian response to support Afghan returnees and the communities where they are arriving. Between January and May 2025, over 200,000 arrivals in Afghanistan have received:
    Cash assistance, which allowed them to purchase food, hygiene products and basic necessities;
 
    Water and sanitation services so children and families could cook, clean and take care of household needs; and
 
    Shelter kits for the many families who could not find their homes.
Despite global funding cuts, Mercy Corps is staying the course and delivering relief where it’s needed most. Our team members, partners, communities we serve — along with generous supporters like you — make this work possible.

With support from people like you, Mercy Corps provides critical support to refugees returning home and overcome the many challenges they face in starting over. Thank you for being part of our community.

Sincerely,

Arnaud Quemin
Asia, Middle East, North Africa & Europe Regional Director
Mercy Corps