“Now I have hope again — and goals for my future.”

— Rakema, 26, Jaghatu District, Wardak Province

Afghanistan faces harsh winters, generally between December and February. Heavy snowfall brings severe cold and icy conditions, limiting movement and drastically reducing economic activity. For many families, this “lean season” heightens food insecurity and pushes already vulnerable communities into deeper hardship.

For women-headed households—often with limited income sources and few safety nets—these months are especially difficult. Recognizing this, CRLP is supporting nearly 12,000 women like Rakema with tailored packages to improve their food security, nutrition, and income.

Livelihood Support as a Catalyst for Women’s Resilience

Rakema, a 26-year-old mother from Wardak province, received both emergency food assistance and a livelihood support package for poultry farming. This support not only met her family’s most immediate needs, but it also opened the door to something even more powerful.  When the chickens arrived, it wasn’t just a delivery — it was a symbol of renewal.

 “The first time one of my hens laid an egg, I smiled in a way I hadn’t in months. I realized we were building something again — starting small, but dreaming bigger, ” Rakema recalled.

Rakema lives in a modest mud-brick home in the remote village of Noody CRG which is nestled among the rugged landscapes of Jaghatu district. Restrictions on women’s education left her unable to continue schooling. With limited opportunities and mounting uncertainty, Rakema got married early. When her husband suffered a debilitating injury, she was faced with the responsibility of looking after her three family members in a society where women’s public roles are shrinking and opportunities are fading. Her family was pushed into extreme poverty.

Under the Social Grants component of CRLP, Rakema received a food package comprising 150kg wheat flour, 40kg rice, 15kg cooking oil, 7kg beans, 6.5kg sugar, 3kg salt, and 1kg tea. This provided her family with food for nearly 3 months. Following that, Rakema received comprehensive training on poultry rearing. The training empowered her with skills including feed production, disease management and marketing. She then received her starter package of 12 chickens, 1 rooster, 1 dripper, 1 feeder, and 100kg of chicken feed.

“Before this program, I had lost all hope and thought I had no future. Life was very difficult, and I believed I could not bring any changes. Now I have hope again and set goals for myself,”  says Rakema.

Rakema is sharing her renewed sense of hope with her community. She has formed an informal group of women where she leads the exchange of knowledge, teaching basic subjects, and sharing tailoring and carpet weaving skills. Together, they have created a small support network that contributes to their livelihoods and strengthens solidarity among women in her village. 

Towards lasting change

Although the village of Noody still faces many challenges—limited healthcare, scarce jobs, and few education options, the interventions under CRLP have contributed to key outcomes- SDG 1 (No Poverty) by providing sustainable livelihoods, SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) through food assistance and nutrition, and SDG 5 (Gender Equality) by empowering women as earners and decision-makers. When women-headed households are equipped with the resources and confidence to lead change, their resilience ripples across families and communities.