Housing reconstruction progress

Following the devastating earthquake that struck the eastern part of Afghanistan on 31 August, Khan Foundation launched a crowdfunding campaign to support families who had lost their homes. Thanks to the support of donors, more than €100,000 has now been raised to make reconstruction possible in the affected regions.

Since then, a great deal of work has been done behind the scenes to prepare this project. For many families, daily life has changed profoundly and safe, stable housing is still lacking. That is precisely why it is important to develop solutions that can not only be realised quickly, but are also safe and reliable in the long term.

The first step was to analyse existing Afghan housing designs and earlier construction projects in the region. This provided valuable insights into local building methods, available materials and the challenges of building in mountainous terrain. On this basis, our partner BD+P (Beccan Davila Puentes Architects & Planners) developed a detailed housing design. This design builds on local building traditions and introduces improvements in structural stability, earthquake resistance and spatial layout.

Particular attention was paid to a practical and replicable design, so that the model can also be applied on a larger scale. In addition, the proposal introduces a terraced structure that fits the landscape of Kunar province, with homes placed in small clusters along the natural contour lines to improve stability, drainage and accessibility.

We are currently working towards the realisation of a first pilot cluster of homes. At the same time, we continue to work with partners and experts to ensure that the project contributes to a sustainable and future-proof solution for the communities in the region. We are committed to an approach that not only provides new homes, but also strengthens the resilience of communities in the long term.

We will, of course, keep you informed of further progress on this project.