After the quake, Afghanistan’s children face a crisis within a crisis

As a ruthless magnitude 6.0 earthquake ripped through eastern Afghanistan this week, it flattened entire mountain villages and shattered the fragile lives of thousands, particularly children, who were already grappling with soaring humanitarian needs and funding cuts.

This earthquake, centred in the provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar, has already killed more than 1,400 people and the number is expected to rise, while aftershocks continue to wreak havoc. Thousands more are injured, with entire villages levelled in remote, mountainous terrain where roads are blocked, and rescue teams – including Save the Children mobile health staff – are battling to reach those in need.

But this is not just another natural disaster – it is a collision of disasters for Afghanistan, where nearly 23 million pe