Support for Afghan Refugees

Refugee Trauma Initiative (RTI), founded in 2016, is committed to supporting refugees and frontline workers through non-clinical mental health support – we want to make safe spaces available to every child and family affected by conflict and displacement.

The withdrawal of US and other forces from Afghanistan in August 2021 has led to chaos and a climate of fear across the country. Over half a million people (682,000) Afghans have been internally displaced in 2021, 80% of whom are women and children. This is in addition to the 2.9 million already internally displaced from previous conflict. The number of people forced to flee the country continues to rise, adding to the 2.2 million Afghan people in neighbouring countries. 

Chronic, toxic stress and the breakdown of protective structures (support networks) make refugees, particularly children, vulnerable to the impacts of trauma, poor health, economic and life outcomes. In the case of Afghanistan, forty years of conflict means that Afghan people are dealing with intergenerational trauma. International, state, humanitarian and local agencies are struggling to provide adequate psychosocial support to help those affected in the aftermath of their journeys from conflict, in transition or when integrating into their host countries.  

As part of our response, we have launched partnerships and are delivering a programme of support with organisations working with Afghan communities in the Balkan region and in Italy. We are now launching a new call to partner with grassroots and community-based organisations working with the Afghan community and newly arrived Afghan refugees in Pakistan, and help set up safe, healing spaces.