2025 Kunar and Nangarhar Earthquake Shelters
In September 2025, a devastating earthquake rocked eastern Afghanistan, claiming over 2,500 lives and displacing thousands. In response, Engineer Amin Mahmood spearheaded an initiative to construct 15 emergency shelters for affected families in Kunar Province, raising over $16,000 through community support and personal contributions.
The September 2025 Earthquake
In September 2025, a catastrophic earthquake struck the eastern and northeastern provinces of Afghanistan, most notably affecting the Kunar and Nangarhar regions. This devastating natural disaster inflicted heavy casualties, claiming the lives of more than 2,500. The earthquake caused severe property damage, reducing entire villages and towns to rubble and displacing thousands of families from their homes.
Our Initial Response
As an organization, the Society of Afghan Engineers (SAE) recognized a moral obligation to respond to this tragedy. Our management initially allocated a modest monetary donation to help assist the victims and support the outstanding efforts of emergency assistance groups working on the ground.
The Emergency Shelter Initiative
In the aftermath of the destruction, one of our dedicated members, Engineer Amin Mahmood, took a bold, humanitarian initiative to deliver a professional engineering response to the crisis. Traveling directly to the devastated localities, he utilized his own personal funds to design and construct a prototype emergency shelter unit for the displaced residents.
Humbly noting his extraordinary actions as a “call of duty,” Engineer Mahmood’s patriotism and humanitarian commitment led to the design and financing of fifteen emergency shelters for families in need within Kunar Province. His effort and initiative were received with enthusiastic commendation and appreciation from our community, inspiring us to pursue the construction of low-cost shelters as a potential future project.
Funding and Construction
This vital shelter project was made possible through dedicated fundraising and immense personal generosity. A total of $8,240 was raised through community donations, which Engineer Mahmood matched with an equal personal contribution of $8,240. This combined effort resulted in $16,480 in total dedicated funds for the emergency housing.
While it was initially estimated that this amount would fund the construction of 10 to 12 shelter units due to changing material prices, the initiative successfully yielded fifteen emergency shelters in Kunar. The Afghanistan Relief Alliance (ARA) was also instrumental in raising funds to support the creation of these emergency shelters.