In recent months, Afghanistan has been hit by what could soon be among the world’s largest forced displacements of people in the 21st century. Nearly 2 million Afghans, primarily living in Iran for years to avoid repression at home, have been pushed back across the border. A total of 5.9 million Afghans could arrive from both Iran and Pakistan by the end of the year, the United Nations projects.
What’s more, international aid agencies say they can reach only about 10% of the deportees, a result of the hard-line, ruling Taliban restricting aid flows after taking power nearly four years ago.
Yet as this tragedy of mass deportation unfolds – a result of a surge in anti-Afghan attitudes in Iran and Pakistan – thousands of people inside Afghanistan are turning the tables on the Taliban with acts of compassion. They are volunteering hot meals, clothing, shelter, and transportation to deportees in ways that not only outshine the government’s weak response but also open a door for a dialogue with Taliban officials.
“It doesn’t matter whether you have a lot of money or not. I don’t have much, but with the help of Afghans here and abroad, we manage,” one volunteer, Fatima Rezaei, told Agence France-Presse. Another volunteer told AFP, “We have a duty to give what we can, no matter if it is a little or a lot.”
A resident in Herat province wrote on Facebook, “Tomorrow is Friday [Muslim holy day], what a nice day to do a deed,” according to the Diplomat news site. “We sincerely invite anyone who has a vehicle; please bring it to help transport refugees from the border. It is rough days, but it is the least we can do.”
In a society living under authoritarian rule, these actions by ordinary people are a way to exercise rights denied by the Taliban. In particular, women are joining teams to provide aid.
An example of this was set in 2022 after a large earthquake. Local women raised money to support survivors, which led to a discussion with local officials about girls’ education.
Many Afghans have “pivoted towards more humanitarian or less overtly political work” to improve their interactions with the Taliban, concluded a report by the Afghanistan Analysts Network.
Many activists who are nonconfrontational “have made substantial progress in engagement with the Taliban,” found a 2024 report by the Heinrich Böll Foundation in Germany. “What has remained of the civil society in Afghanistan now is more sustainable, more grass-roots, and more firmly rooted in Afghan realities.” And one reality is Afghans opening their hearts to other Afghans.
