The European union has announced a contribution of 4.7 million Euro to support returnees in Afghanistan and the communities hosting them.
In a statement released on Tuesday (December 2), The EU Delegation to Afghanistan said the funds have been allocated to UNESCO, enabling 7,500 youths and adults across five provinces to receive vocational training and livelihood skills. The delegation did not specify which provinces will be covered by the program.
According to the EU, the initiatives will offer integrated literacy education and community-based vocational training, allowing learners to acquire basic reading, writing and numeracy skills – equivalent to grade three – alongside practical livelihood skills tailored to local economic needs and opportunities.
Veronika Bošković Pohar, the EU’s Chargée d’Affaires in Afghanistan, noted that by supporting education and skills training, the EU hopes to help Afghan individuals and families improve their livelihoods, reaffirming that the EU remains alongside the Afghan people.
Patricia McPhillips, UNESCO’s representative in Afghanistan, expressed appreciation for the collaboration, noting that working with the EU will help broaden access to education and skills training that strengthens self-reliance, community resilience, and economic empowerment.
The EU noted that the program will focus on locally relevant livelihood skills such as tailoring, dairy production, poultry farming and small-scale agriculture – sectors that play a key role in household income generation.
The initiative will also strengthen UNESCO’s ongoing work in skills development and literacy across the country.
Since the Taliban’s return to power, the European Union has remained one of the largest donors to Afghanistan, having previously contributed millions of euros to education, nutrition, and health programs.
