Petition updateHELP AFGHAN WOMEN STAY STRONGHolding the line for life and dignity—amid airstrikes, blackout, and an earthquake
Nadja MullerDoorn, Netherlands
Nov 9, 2025

Dear you,

First, a beam of hope. By now, 26 more Afghan activists reached safety in Brazil, bringing our total to 61 people resettled. Each person is a whole world—one more family that can finally sleep without fear.

What changed on the ground (October–November 2025)

1) Airstrikes and border whiplash
In the pre-dawn hours of October 9–10, 2025, explosions in Kabul were widely reported as Pakistani air/drone strikes aimed at TTP militants; Afghan authorities publicly blamed Pakistan and vowed consequences. The episode triggered days of clashes along the frontier and closures at Torkham, Chaman, and other crossings, repeatedly halting visa renewals, exit permits, and embassy travel. A tenuous ceasefire was later brokered, but talks remain fragile and interruptions keep recurring. 

Why this matters to our people: every border closure or surge in hostilities makes it harder (and riskier) to reach the Brazilian Embassy for interviews, renew visas legally, or even cross a city checkpoint without harassment. When borders close suddenly, families burn through savings on unexpected lodging, safe transport, and document extensions—if those extensions are even possible.

 

2) A two-day information blackout
From September 29 to October 1, 2025, the Taliban imposed a nationwide shutdown of internet and telecoms. Connectivity went dark for roughly 48 hours, severing families, grounding parts of the economy, and stalling humanitarian coordination. Afghan women human-rights defenders told us those two nights felt like “being blindfolded”—terrified that, in the information darkness, relatives or colleagues could be taken and no one would know. Services were gradually restored on October 1; officials blamed “old fiber” and maintenance, while independent outlets described a deliberate blackout. 

Why this matters: we coordinate legal steps, safe moves, and medical pre-authorizations by phone and data. A total blackout turns every hospital run and embassy appointment into a gamble—no confirmations, no maps, no SOS.

 

3) Another earthquake, as winter approaches
Just after midnight on November 3, 2025, a magnitude 6.3 quake struck near Mazar-i-Sharif (Balkh/Samangan). Reports list at least 20 fatalities and hundreds of injuries, with homes damaged and even the historic Blue Mosque affected. The UN and aid groups are responding, but this adds another layer of displacement and medical need right before winter. 

Why this matters: families already in precarious housing now face cracked walls, aftershocks, and cold. 

And women are not rescued from the rubble. Because men cannot touch women and women are not allowed to help with the rescue work. Another concrete manifestation of gender genocide of the Taliban. 

For people waiting on documents, a quake can mean lost papers, blocked roads, or a hospital surge that pushes back urgent procedures.

 

A story from this week: a father finally out of pain
Islamabad, 6 November 2025 — Our volunteer physician, Dr. Mohammed Yama Shahab, called just after midnight about Uncle Mohammad Afzal, the father of four daughters who are women human-rights defenders.

For months, Afzal endured burning urination and then complete urinary retention. He was living at a partner safe house outside the city; reaching care meant a long, risky transfer to Islamabad. On arrival, a catheter was placed so he could pass urine again. The urologist confirmed he needed surgery.

“Today we performed a transurethral prostate surgery (a modern, minimally invasive procedure). The tissue is now at pathology to rule out cancer,” Dr. Yama reported from the hospital. “Without legal status, every checkpoint and hospital visit carries the risk of arrest or deportation. Your donations made this operation possible.”

Please see here Dr Yama and the patient speaking in the hospital: https://youtu.be/NvsX5TrPdXk


He’s recovering. His daughters—already carrying so much—could finally exhale. This is what your support translates into: a father out of pain, a family a little safer, and one less crisis consuming their strength.

 

That same week, another urgent call came in: Nargis’s two-and-a-half-year-old son was fighting for his life. He had developed severe pneumonia, his oxygen levels were dropping fast, and the cold weather was worsening his condition.

Because undocumented Afghan families risk arrest if they stay home during police searches, many spend nights on the streets or rooftops to avoid raids. For children like him, that exposure can be lethal.

We managed to get him into the hospital in time. His situation stayed critical for hours, but he pulled through. 


A simple, concrete ask
This petition has 512,700 supporters. If each person chipped in €2–€10, we could fund the next round of medical cases, legal renewals, and embassy travel—the exact bottlenecks between families and safety.

  • €2 keeps a phone line active for a day so a woman can coordinate papers safely during unstable periods.
  • €6 covers two days of food while waiting for an interview.
  • €10 helps pay hospital tests or a same-day trip to the embassy.


If you can give more, great. And many small gifts keep this lifeline open.

Thank you for staying with us in a moment that keeps throwing up new walls—airstrikes, blackouts, quakes. We’ll keep moving—quietly and steadily—until more families cross from fear to safety.


💸 Donation Details


Name: HeartWork Stichting
 https://heartwork.earth/peacework

 

Source notes for readers who want context

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