WSTA

Watan Social and Technical Services Association (WSTA), in partnership with UNHCR, successfully distributed winterization assistance to support recently returned families. A total of 981 households received the Muslim Aid USA Winter Assistance, which included Bukhari heaters and 200 kg of firewood per household, helping them stay warm during the harsh winter months.

Distribution of hot meals in Nurgal District of Kunar Province under Community Kitchen CKE Project | UNDP
In the aftermath of the earthquake, Community Kitchen (CKE) will serve as a vital lifeline for affected populations. These kitchens are operated in partnership with community-based organizations (CBOs) and are designed to provide free or low-cost meals to individuals and families facing acute nutritional risks-especially children, women, and older adults. There are 4 CKs established in the areas affected by the Earthquake in Nurgal district of Kunar province of Afghanistan that will provide hot meals for 22 HHs in each targeted community for an initial period of 90 days.
This initiative was conducted in close coordination with local authorities and community elders to ensure transparency, fairness, and that the aid reached the most affected and deserving families.
The activity forms part of our ongoing efforts under the CK Project to enhance community resilience, support livelihoods, and promote recovery for families impacted by natural disasters in Kunar Province.

Residents of Ghormach district in Badghis province have benefited from awareness sessions conducted by WSTA in collaboration with UNHCR.
The sessions focused on the Complaint and Feedback Mechanism (CFM), protection services, and ongoing community engagement initiatives aimed at supporting vulnerable members of the community. During these interactions, community members raised key concerns, notably the acute shortage of safe drinking water. They have formally requested the drilling of water wells to address this critical need. Additionally, local women expressed interest in accessing livelihood opportunities through tailoring and handicraft training courses.

The UNHCR Shelter team, in collaboration with the WSTA HMNA team, conducted a joint assessment in Kahdistan village, Injil district, Herat province.
The assessment focused on identifying eligible families, including Refugee Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), in need of shelter assistance.

Community-Based Protection Monitoring sessions through KIIs, FGDs), and HHIs in Shah Tooran, one of the remote and deprived villages of Bakwa district in Farah province. Through these sessions, WSTA team collected various protection needs, concerns, challenges, and recommendations from different population groups that UNHCR works with, specifically focusing on the recent refugee returnees from Iran and host community members.

The CBPM mission was conducted through (FGD, KIIs, and HHIs) with participation of IDP Returnee, Undocumented Returnees and Host Community in Jar-e-Seya village, Ghormach district of Badghis province.
The Key protection concerns of these families was half of the boys and all girls children’s did not access to the school, limited access to job opportunities/unreliable income, limited access to the clean water, latrines, limited access to the healthcare facilities, lack of access to shelter, lack of power (electricity), destruction of the roads and civil documentation, particularly E-Tazkira have been reported. Overall, both population groups are vulnerable in the same way, while women and children are the most affected groups and susceptible to protection risks within the community.

On 20th July 2025, Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, conducted a high-level mission to the Islam Qala border, Herat Province, Afghanistan. The visit took place amidst a dramatic surge in cross-border movements, with nearly 30,000 Afghans being forcibly returned from the Islamic Republic of Iran daily, a situation posing one of the most acute humanitarian challenges facing the country in recent years.
Mr. Grandi, accompanied by a UNHCR delegation, visited the Islam Qala Zero Point and Encashment Centre to witness firsthand the scale of the returns and the ongoing emergency response. He expressed deep concern over the alarming rate of expulsions and the tremendous strain it is placing on both humanitarian actors and vulnerable returnees. During his field engagement, the High Commissioner emphasized the urgent need to scale up humanitarian support, not only at the border entry points, but also in communities of return, highlighting the complexity of reintegration in areas already burdened by poverty, limited infrastructure, and a fragile social fabric.
A key part of Mr. Grandi’s mission was his meeting with the leadership of Watan’s Social & Technical Services Association (WSTA), a longstanding implementing partner of UNHCR in western Afghanistan. The High Commissioner held discussions with Eng. Mohammad Ishaq Sherzai, Eng. Mukhtar Aria and Dr. Feridoon Ahmadi. He was joined by WSTA’s senior management throughout the field visit, observing the operational realities on the ground.

On July 12. 2025; the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), Ms. Roza Otunbayeva, conducted a visit to Afghan refugees in Islam Qala. She was accompanied by Mr. Jamal Arafat, UNHCR Representative for Afghanistan, Mr. Subair Ibrahim, UNHCR Deputy Representative Operations, and Ms. Asel sharsheeva, Head of UNHCR FO Herat.

As part of the mission, the delegation met with the senior management of WSTA and expressed their appreciation for the dedication and efforts of the WSTA Western Region team in providing continuous, 24/7 assistance to refugees at the border.

In a proud demonstration of commitment and compassion, WSTA’s western regional office responded swiftly to the emergency situation of forcibly returned Afghan families from Iran. Beginning on June 26. 2025, all staff from the western region were urgently deployed to Islam Qala Encashment Center (Zero Point), under UNHCR’s support and coordination.

With unwavering dedication, and in close coordination with UNHCR, WSTA has successfully distributed Core Relief Items (CRIs) including blankets, water buckets, tarpaulins, kitchen kits, hygiene kits, and clothing to 9,840 vulnerable returnee families until
July 06. 2025, and it is still in continue.

This effort, driven by a sense of duty to restore dignity and offer immediate support, reflects WSTA’s heartfelt commitment to stand beside returnees in their most critical time of need.