ESONA Transit Initiative: Herat to Kabul

According to the UN Refugee Agency, nearly 700,000 Afghans were expelled from Iran since June. A majority of these individuals ended up in Herat, with others moving towards Kunduz, Balkh, and Sar-e Pul. Stable jobs, paid-off houses, and family all went away in an instant. With no ability to fight against the government, these individuals wound up on the streets of Herat, lacking the basic necessities for survival. Along with this, gaining resources in the city is difficult, making it almost impossible to survive. Our team on the ground pinpointed an urgent need: help people get to Kabul, where housing and work are easier to find.

We launched the project on July 12th, 2025. With 6+ buses, we were able transport over 345 people from Herat to Kabul. We focused on giving all passengers a safe ride; our main volunteer Mahmood Doost, had check ins along the routes, and made sure of a clean handoff to our volunteers in Kabul who supported those in need of further assistance.

Here are our goals for the project:

• Move families out of dangerous conditions in Herat.

• Limit the heat risk for children and the elderly.

• Connect arrivals to housing, food, and job leads in Kabul.

Our beneficiary process was highly diligent, as we sought individuals with the bare minimum in Herat, who were deported recently, and were genuinely desperate to leave the area. This work is very personal to us. We speak to families, confirm needs, and have every receipt and log so our supporters can see where their funds are going.

This is only ESONA's first step in relocation. These Afghans deserve dignity, and a genuine sense of security. With big partners like Baitulmal, we can hopefully look to scaling our projects even further, impacting those in the thousands.