A total of 1,000 residential houses built with the support of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Gayan district of Paktika province have been handed over to families affected by the devastating earthquake.

In addition to the housing units, the agency has also constructed a clinic and a school in the district, stating that the total cost of these projects amounted to $7.8 million.
Arafat Jamal, UNHCR representative in Afghanistan, said: "We have worked with the community to build 1,000 permanent shelters. This has benefited 7,000 people, of whom two-thirds are women and girls.”

Hamdullah Fateh, head of refugees and repatriation in Paktika, stated: "The total cost of building these houses, which also includes a clinic and a school, was $7.8 million."

The families affected by the earthquake in Paktika expressed their satisfaction with the provision of shelter, saying they had previously been struggling with severe livelihood challenges and a lack of basic living facilities.

Naib Khan, a resident of Gayan district, said: "These solid houses were built for us and we are very happy about it. We are thankful to the UN Refugee Agency, which has cooperated with us significantly; but we hope they do not forget us, as many families are still in urgent need of such assistance."

Momin, another resident of the district, said: "I am very happy about the construction of this house because we lived in tents for nearly three years."

It is worth noting that on June 22, 2022, a powerful earthquake struck the districts of Gayan and Barmal in Paktika province, leaving thousands of families homeless.

Even after more than two years, 250 families in Gayan district still remain without proper shelter.