Canva Launches Aussies For Afghanistan Appeal

The humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan has reached a breaking point – it has now deteriorated into the world’s largest humanitarian crisis leaving more than 23 million people on the brink of starvation. To put that into perspective, that’s nearly the entire population of Australia.

The withdrawal of foreign aid has resulted in a damning food crisis, an economic and banking crisis, and the collapse of critical services. Afghanistan, which has endured repeated humanitarian crises, faces its darkest time. It’s estimated that as much as 97 per cent of the population is at risk of sinking below the poverty line unless a response to the country’s political and economic crises is urgently launched. Swift action and public awareness are needed to save the millions of people who are running out of time.

Together we can make a difference

Starting today, Canva is launching Aussies for Afghanistan, a two-week appeal to provide urgent relief for the millions of Afghans affected by this devastating humanitarian crisis.

We’re initially committing AUD $250,000 to the cause and we’ve spent the last few weeks doing extensive research and having conversations with multiple organisations on the ground who we’re working with to ensure we’re contributing funds towards initiatives that can be immediately deployed with the greatest impact.

We’re proud to announce that we’re partnering with Médecins Sans Frontières (AKA Doctors Without Borders) and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), two very well established nonprofits that are operating on the ground and providing life-saving assistance to those in need. We’re also working with the Organization for Development Solutions, a grassroots development and peacebuilding NGO in Afghanistan, led by young Afghan Australians.

“This support comes at a time when the challenges in Afghanistan are compounding: health structures are under an enormous amount of pressure, staff and equipment are in short supply, COVID-19 cases continue to rise and many aid organisations have withdrawn their support entirely. Médecins Sans Frontières is committed to remaining in the country, supporting our patients in Herat, Kandahar, Khost, Kunduz and Lashkar Gah,” said Jennifer Tierney, MSF Australia Executive Director.

Since the very beginning, we’ve always had a deeper mission surrounding Canva which we talk about as our ‘simple’ Two-Step plan:

We want to use our voice, reach and resources to help solve global challenges in the most impactful way possible and hope our actions will inspire others to make a difference. We hope that by putting this campaign in motion, we’ll be able to encourage other companies and individuals who are able to contribute to get behind the cause.

No contribution is too small. For less than $10 you can provide a blanket to a family and shield them from the freezing winters. A donation of $21 can feed a malnourished child for three weeks. A gift of $300 can help teams on the ground safely deliver an at-risk baby. In any humanitarian crisis, a little goes a long way.

“A devastating combination of conflict, drought and economic collapse has left the country on the brink of famine with over half of the population facing starvation,” added Naomi Steer, national director of Australia, UNHCR. “I am grateful to Canva and the tech community for helping UNHCR reach millions of vulnerable Afghans with life-saving support.”

The people of Afghanistan are facing a profound humanitarian crisis that threatens the most basic of human rights. The time to act is now. We’re encouraging anyone who would like to get involved to donate directly to Médecins Sans Frontières, the UNHCR and the Organization for Development Solutions.

It’s only through collective action that we can make the world a better place. We look forward to keeping you updated on how the appeal progresses.