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AFGHANISTAN

MEMBER ACTIVITY REPORTA Guide to Humanitarian and Development Efforts of InterAction Member

Agencies in Afghanistan

December 2010


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ABOUT INTERACTION

InterAction is the largest alliance of U.S.-based international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)focused on the worlds poor and most vulnerable people.At InterAction, we recognize that our global challenges are interconnected and that we cant tackle any ofthem without addressing all of them. Thats why we create a forum for leading NGOs, global thoughtleaders, and policymakers to address our challenges collectively. Leveraging our shared expertise, on-the-ground insights from our member organizations, and strategic analyses of the foreign aid budget, wedeliver a bold, new agenda to end global poverty and deliver humanitarian aid in every developingcountry.Principles of the InterAction AllianceWe believe that we all have a role to play.Our worlds interconnected challenges demand that we each contribute our unique insights to shape abold agenda that promotes human dignity and well-being for all.

We believe todays challenges require new solutions.Our collaboration will bring about the innovative solutions we need to confront global challenges andachieve global prosperity.We believe that human stories must give way to a new agenda.Our solutions must be rooted in our grassroots expertise, bringing human stories and personalexperiences to the halls of power.We believe all our actions must be rooted in interaction.In a world of porous borders and converging sectors, we must leverage our collective actions andexperience for a more just world.

Produced by Shana OBrienHumanitarian Policy and Practice TeamWith help from contributing member organizationsInterAction1400 16th Street, NW, Suite 210

Washington, DC 20036Phone: (202) 667-8227Fax: (202) 667-8236www.interaction.org

Copyright InterAction December 2010


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InterAction Member Activity Report 3Afghanistan, December 2010

TABLE OF CONTENTS

REPORT SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................................... 4

HUMANITARIAN SITUATION AND BACKGROUND ........................................................................................ 5

MAP OF AREA ................................................................................................................................................ 6

ORGANIZATION PROFILES

ACADEMY FOR EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................... 8

ADVENTIST DEVELOPMENT AND RELIEF AGENCY ......................................................................... 10

AGENCY FOR TECHNICAL COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT .................................................... 12

AMERICAN JEWISH WORLD SERVICE ............................................................................................. 14

CAMPAIGN FOR INNOCENT VICTIMS IN CONFLICT ............................................................................. 15

CARE ............................................................................................................................................... 16

CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES ............................................................................................................ 17

CHILDFUND INTERNATIONAL ......................................................................................................... 19

CHURCH WORLD SERVICE .............................................................................................................. 21

CONCERN WORLDWIDE U.S. .......................................................................................................... 23

COUNTERPART INTERNATIONAL ................................................................................................... 25

INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR ELECTORAL SYSTEMS ........................................................... 27

INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS ................................................................................................. 29

INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE .......................................................................................... 31

LIFE FOR RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................................ 33

MANAGEMENT SCIENCES FOR HEALTH ......................................................................................... 35

MERCY CORPS ................................................................................................................................ 37

OXFAM AMERICA ........................................................................................................................... 39

RELIEF INTERNATIONAL ................................................................................................................. 41

SAVE THE CHILDREN ...................................................................................................................... 43

UNITED METHODIST COMMITTEE ON RELIEF................................................................................ 45

WORLD VISION ............................................................................................................................... 47


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REPORT SUMMARY

This report offers international agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the U.S. government,the media, and the public an overview of the humanitarian and development assistance being provided tothe people of Afghanistan by InterAction member agencies.The 22 member organizations that submitted information for this report are conducting relief anddevelopment operations in Afghanistan. Various issues are addressed in their programs, includingagriculture and food security, shelter, gender, water and sanitation, health care, economic development,education and vocational training, infrastructure and governance, refugee and internally displaced person(IDP) services, conflict resolution, and others.InterAction member agencies work in provinces throughout Afghanistan, including Badakhshan, Badghis,Balkh, Bamiyan, Daikundi, Farah, Ghazni, Ghor, Herat, Jawzan, Kabul, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khost, Kunar,Laghman, Logar, Nangarhar, Nimroz, Nurestan, Paktika, Paktya, Panjshir, Parwan, Wardak, and Zabul.Many of the contributing organizations work in partnership with local communities, NGOs, andgovernment ministries. In addition, they coordinate with various international NGOs, often through theAgency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR), and with United Nations (UN) agencies.Agencies highlighted several key challenges that affect their work in Afghanistan. In particular, NGOs citesecurity concerns for both their staff and the Afghan people. Weak local government capacity, shrinkinghumanitarian space, and poor infrastructure are other issues identified in this report.


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HUMANITARIAN SITUATION AND BACKGROUND

Afghanistan faces incredible humanitarianneeds. Ongoing conflict has added extrachallenges to a state with already poor humandevelopment indicators. Despite some fragilegains in health and education, Afghanistanranked 155 out of 169 countries in the 2010Human Development Index. High unemploymentcontinues and state institutions remain weak andhave limited capacity to provide basic services.Life expectancy is slightly under 45 years. In2009, UNICEF proclaimed Afghanistan to be themost dangerous place to be born in the world.

Afghanistan has the highest infant mortality ratein the world and one of the highest levels ofmaternal mortality. Afghanistan is also prone todisasters including flooding, drought, landslides,and extreme winters, complicating the situationfurther.Security is currently the main concern for theAfghan people. An estimated nine millionAfghans now live in conflict-affected areas, oftenin desperate conditions with little outsidesupport. The UN Assistance Mission inAfghanistan (UNAMA) reported a 31 percentincrease in 2010 in the number of civilians killedand wounded as a result of fighting compared tothe same period in 2009. Insecurity has spreadto northern and central parts of the country.Violence has resulted in food and livelihoodsinsecurity, poor infrastructure, and limitedaccess to humanitarian aid.Vulnerable populations, including women,children, the elderly, and internally displacedpersons (IDPs) have increased protection andhumanitarian assistance needs. According to theUNHCR, there are over 319,000 IDPs inAfghanistan, leading to rapid urbanization and

the rise of slums in many instances. The AfghaniMinistry of Refugees and Repatriation (MoRR)puts the total number of refugees at nearly500,000. Armed conflicts have displaced over120,000 people since June 2009 alone.However, these displaced populations arereceiving insufficient assistance. The MoRR hasweak capacity and lacks resources to effectivelydeal with refugees, returnees, and IDPs.

In attempting to fill humanitarian gaps inAfghanistan, NGOs have faced severalchallenges including difficulty accessing safehumanitarian space to operate. Over 80 securityincidents involving NGOs were recorded during2010 by the Afghan NGO Safety Office,involving 25 NGO staff fatalities. In August 2010,President Hamid Karzai banned private securitycompanies (PSCs) in Afghanistan. While mostNGOs do not use PSCs, there is a majorconcern that this ban will indirectly affect thesecurity of NGOs as other security actors, such

as the Afghani police, will be drawn thin.Another concern is the Synchronized Pre-deployment and Operational Tracker (SPOT).SPOT was designed by the Department ofDefense (DoD) as a detailed logistical tracker forcontractor personnel and contracts in theatres ofcombat, but was later selected for use by theDepartment of State and USAID to track grantsand cooperative agreements in Iraq andAfghanistan. SPOT poses significant securityrisks for NGO staff, particularly if the database isever compromised. Consultations are underwayto ensure that SPOT can collect the aggregatedata mandated by Congress.Access issues also challenge the operationalability of NGOs. Sparsely populatedmountainous regions, in combination withfrequent natural disasters, make it difficult forNGOs to provide assistance to isolated groups,who are often the most vulnerable.Despite extreme humanitarian needs, U.S.humanitarian funding for Afghanistan is now justover a third of what it was in 2004. In FY2010,The U.S. Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance

had a mere $31 million to respond toAfghanistans humanitarian needs. As ofNovember 2010, the UNs Humanitarian ActionPlan (HAP) for Afghanistan was only about 66percent funded. Increased humanitarianassistance is necessary to meet the growingneeds of displaced and vulnerable populationsin Afghanistan.


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MAP OF AREA

Map provided courtesy of the ReliefWeb Map Centre, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.


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ORGANIZATION PROFILES

The following 22 organizations submitted information for this report regarding theirhumanitarian and development work in Afghanistan.


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ACADEMY FOR EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

ABOUT AED The Academy for Educational Development(AED) is a nonprofit organization workingglobally to improve education, health, civilsociety, and economic development thefoundation of thriving societies. In collaborationwith local and national partners, AED fosterssustainable results through practical,comprehensive approaches to social andeconomic challenges. AED implements morethan 250 programs serving people in all 50 U.S.states and more than 150 countries.

AED envisions a world in which all individualshave the opportunity to reach their full potentialand contribute to the well-being of their family,community, country, and world.AED's mission is to make a positive difference inpeople's lives by working in partnership to createand implement innovative solutions to criticalsocial and economic problems.AED IN AFGHANISTANAED has been implementing programs inAfghanistan since 2003, and in Pakistan since

the early 1980s for Afghan refugees. AEDcurrently implements three USAID-fundedprograms that entail support to education,training, and institutional capacity development.Education and TrainingThe Afghanistan Higher Education Project(HEP) is part of USAIDs approach to improveaccess to quality education in Afghanistan.Initiated in 2006, HEP is a five year effortworking to improve the instructional skills andprofessional development of education faculty at18 universities and four year teacher training

institutes across Afghanistan. In 2009, HEPswork expanded to include a focus on medicaleducation with the goal of improving pre-servicemedical training offered at the medical facultiesat Afghan universities.HEP also is working to improve the capacity ofofficials at Afghan universities and the Ministryof Higher Education to develop the policyframework needed to ensure quality teaching

and learning and a culture of excellence inhigher education.

The Afghanistan Secure Futures (ASF) Projectworks to improve the quality of informalapprenticeships for Afghan youth, and thussupport the development of a workforce that willmore fully contribute to the countrys economicgrowth. A three year initiative that started in2008, ASF is helping small and micro-businesses in the Afghan construction industryaccess the financial services, skills, andinformation they need to grow their businesses.It works with business owners to increase theirappreciation of workplace safety measures andtheir awareness of the value of enablingapprentices to remain in school.ASF also increases educational opportunities forapprentices by assisting local organizations inproviding supplemental education toapprentices.AEDs FORECAST Participant Training Project(PTP) for Afghanistan is part of USAIDs globalFORECAST contract, designed to enhancecapacity across sectors in transition countries. InAfghanistan, AED is providing services to theUSAID in Kabul to facilitate the Missions

integrated participant training activities. Amongthe services provided under FORECAST PTPare coordination with the Missions technicaloffices to identify performance development andtraining needs of key Afghan institutions andimplementing partners. As the first step in thisprocess, AED and its USAID counterpartsanalyze and prioritize the need for training andcapacity development activities. This step leads

U.S. ContactLawrence Goldman

Senior Program OfficerGlobal Education Center

1825 Connecticut Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20009

(202) [email protected]

Website

www.AED.org


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to the design of training and capacitydevelopment events that are tailored to thespecific needs of Afghans working with USAID-

funded development activities. AED provides theprogram administration for these events,including the processing of training candidatesand trainees, monitoring and evaluation fortraining events, and ongoing assistance fortrainees following their training events.Economic DevelopmentThe Afghanistan Infrastructure andRehabilitation Program, a five year project thatbegan in 2006, benefits the government andpeople of Afghanistan through the rehabilitationand construction of critical energy,transportation, and water infrastructure in thecountry, including electric power transmissionnetworks.The projects primary focus was to rehabilitatepower transmission networks and powergeneration capacity, while also rehabilitating andextending roads in the country. The project hasexpanded to include urban development andwater and sanitation infrastructure, in addition tomaking public building improvements. Together,these activities provide working youth with aricher apprenticeship experience that increasesincome and employability while leading to a

more secure future.CHALLENGESAlthough Afghanistan has seen gains ineducation, health care provision, and economicgrowth in recent years, most of its peoplecontinue to struggle economically. Furthermore,the ongoing conflict, the legacy of the Taliban,and decades of war have left the country with asubstantially under-educated and under-trainedworkforce. The ongoing conflict and politicalinstability are sustaining an uncertain securityenvironment which undermines efforts by

development groups and their Afghan partnersto expand training and capacity development toall Afghan provinces.

Higher education remains unattainable for mostAfghans. The Ministry of Education and itsimplementing partners like USAID and AED are

trying to build the quality of higher educationwhile expanding access to university entrancefor millions of Afghans that cant beaccommodated within the current system. Manyof the best trained and most highly-qualifiedfaculty members and university administratorshave fled the country or been killed during itsdecades of conflict. Although many dedicatedand effective higher education professionalsremain, they do not have the capacity or supportto rebuild the universities and expand offeringsto accommodate the burgeoning demand.

Modern teacher training is helping educators to increase the quality ofeducation in Afghanistan schools. Photo: AED / HEP

For many Afghans for which higher education isnot available, vocational and technical educationare the best alternatives for pursuing a lucrativeprofession. Apprenticeships are one of the mostcommon approaches to vocational training inAfghanistan. While valuable for youth skillbuilding, the quality of apprenticeships variesgreatly, with some apprenticeships causingyouth to forego their formal education, putthemselves at risk of physical injury, or become

stuck in low-wage jobs over the long term.


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ADVENTIST DEVELOPMENT AND RELIEF AGENCY

ABOUT ADRAThe Adventist Development and Relief Agency(ADRA) is an international non-governmentalorganization operating in more than 120countries to provide relief and sustainabledevelopment to communities without regard toage, gender, ethnicity, or political or religiousassociation.ADRA IN AFGHANISTANADRA Afghanistan aims to provide for the basicneeds of the underprivileged and vulnerable ofAfghanistan who continue to live under sub-

standard conditions. General objectives includesupport of Afghanistans effort to build a self-sufficient civil society, provision of basic healthcare and education for disadvantagedcommunities, facilitation of livelihoods andsustainable income for the unemployed, ruralinfrastructure development, empowerment ofwomen and youth, and capacity building of localpartner organizations and institutions.Economic DevelopmentADRA has organized a garment outlet to provideincome generation for women aged between 20

and 40 who have some stitching and embroideryskills but lack sustainable income. The project isproviding specialized training in ethnic andcontemporary designs, establishing andmanaging a sustainable business, and achievingsustainable financial benefits.HealthSince 2004, ADRA has been implementing areproductive health (RH) project funded by theUnited Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) inPanjao and Waras. This is a support project toan already finished Performance Partnership

Grant (PPG) health project, intended to increaseaccess to RH information and services throughthe provision of quality comprehensiveemergency obstetric care and quality outreachRH services to remote villages of Waras andPanjao. Also, the project is intended to improvethe awareness of communities on RH health-seeking behavior.

Refugees and IDPsIn an effort to improve the living conditions ofnearly 2,000 IDP and returnee families in ruralKabul, ADRA implemented a project thatprovided winter materials including quilts,charcoal, shoes, and plastic sheets. The projectalso helped create short-term jobs and incomegeneration for women-headed and economicallydeprived households, in return for their work

manufacturing the quilts for the project.Water and SanitationTo contribute to the overall basic need andquality of human life in northern AfghanistansShebergan District in rural Jawzjan Province,ADRA implemented a project that installed morethan 80 water pumps that benefittedapproximately 17,000 individuals.COLLABORATIVE EFFORTSADRA works closely with both international andlocal NGOs in co-implementing projects, and

maintains good associations with the relatedgovernment entities, both at the provincial andcentral levels. ADRA reports to the Afghangovernment on a yearly basis about its projectsand activities, along with presenting them withan annual audit and financial statement.

U.S. ContactJulio Muoz

Bureau Chief for Marketing and Development12501 Old Columbia Pike

Silver Spring, Maryland 20904(301) 680-6373

[email protected]

Field ContactVinod Nelson

Country Director, ADRA AfghanistanNo. 11, Kolola Pushta Street

Charahi Ansari CircleShar-e-Naw, Kabul Province

Afghanistan+93 70 272 601

[email protected]

Websitewww.adra.org


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ADRA provided more than 80 water pumps to communities in

northern Afghanistans Shebergan District in rural Jawzan Province.This project benefitted approximately 17,000 individuals. Photo:

ADRA InternationalADRA Afghanistan also enjoys the support andgoodwill of the beneficiary communities itserves, and has maintained friendly relationswith the local communities, irrespective of theirethnic or cultural backgrounds.

ADRA Afghanistans funding sources includemultiple ADRA network donors, A Better WorldCanada, the German government, and UNFPA.

CHALLENGESThe Afghan society at large still welcomesinternational presence and assistance. However,there is a growing resentment from the public,although not targeted directly at internationalpresence, toward the worsening social,economic, and security environment in thecountry. Moreover, the government lacks controlin certain regions of the country which arepredominantly inhabited by pro-Talibancommunities.The major concern for the international and theAfghan communities is the ongoing insecurity,which has proven to be the primary obstaclehampering many of the development and reliefprograms in the country. The essential nationalprogress towards solidarity continues to bethwarted by internal power struggles andexternal politics, threatening the hope for apeaceful and progressive nation.


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Afghanistan. ACTED systematically incorporateshygiene promotion campaigns into its ruraldevelopment programs either through its staff or

through the training of Community HealthPromoters, who sustainably provide ruralcommunities with access to first aid medicine,and who contribute to improving hygieneawareness through regular trainings in thevillages.Refugees and IDPsIn Balkh and Baghlan provinces, ACTEDsupports two land allocation sites for returneeswith a comprehensive multi-year program thatinitially addressed infrastructure and shelterneeds and has now moved to livelihood security-oriented activities, including income generation,enhancement of good governance, anddevelopment of services.Democracy and GovernanceOver the past years, ACTED has implementedseveral capacity building initiatives throughoutnorthern Afghanistan, ranging from theconstruction of district administration buildings tothe training of civil servants in management ofdevelopment projects.Disaster ResponseTo respond to victims of natural disasters

including landslides and floods, ACTED hassupervised the building and rehabilitation ofthousands of shelters through cash-for-workprograms, both in Kabul and throughout thenorth. Such activities are accompanied bydisaster awareness, construction andrehabilitation of water points, and hygiene andnutrition education.COLLABORATIVE EFFORTSACTED Afghanistan works in close collaborationwith national and local government institutionson all of its programs. This relationship is most

direct in ACTEDs capacity as implementer ofgovernment-driven development programs. Forother programs, the partnership is translated intoMoUs which are signed with local line ministries,

aiming at guaranteeing a common approach aswell as a concerted exit strategy and hand-overto local authorities. ACTED also currently

implements a number of programs in partnershipwith national NGOs, through which both thecapacity and the donor visibility of the localpartner is improved.

Agriculture and good governance election of a Toolbank Steering

Committee in Faryab Province, Afghanistan. Photo: ACTED

CHALLENGESThe main challenge ACTED faces inAfghanistan is the extremely volatile securitysituation which not only constitutes a constantthreat to staff safety, but also directly impactsACTEDs capacity to access certain areas of

intervention, making a policy of continuedpresence throughout project sites challenging toapply. In the most extreme cases, ACTED hasresorted to remotely managing projects for shortperiods of time, maintaining very low visibility inthe communities until the situation improved.Local government institutions often weakcapacity, particularly in the more remotedistricts, also presents challenges to thesustainability of ACTEDs activities. ACTEDstrives to systematically involve local authoritiesin project design and implementation, and tohand over project outcomes to them an

approach that is contingent on the capacity ofgovernment counterparts to efficiently engage insuch a process.


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AMERICAN JEWISH WORLD SERVICEABOUT AJWSAmerican Jewish World Service (AJWS) is aninternational development organizationmotivated by Judaisms imperative to pursuejustice. AJWS is dedicated to alleviating poverty,hunger, and disease among the people of thedeveloping world regardless of race, religion, ornationality. Through grants to grassrootsorganizations, volunteer service, advocacy, andeducation, AJWS fosters civil society,sustainable development, and human rights forall people, while promoting the values andresponsibilities of global citizenship within the

Jewish community.AJWS IN AFGHANISTANIn Afghanistan, AJWS provides support togroups working to improve the social andeconomic status of women and girls. Throughsmall grants to grassroots organizations, manyof which are headed by women, AJWS seeks tostrengthen protections for womens rights andensure that women and girls have access to

healthcare, education, and sustainablelivelihoods.

COLLABORATIVE EFFORTSAJWS directly supports the work of local NGOpartners in Afghanistan.CHALLENGESDue to the instability in the region, some ofAJWSs grantee partners face security threatson the ground. To ensure the safety andwellbeing of community-based partners, AJWSdoes not publicize their relationship with them.

U.S. ContactBillie Goodman

Program Officer, Asia45 West 36

thStreet

New York, NY 10018(212) 792-2852

[email protected]

Websitewww.ajws.org


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CAMPAIGN FOR INNOCENT VICTIMS IN CONFLICTABOUT CIVICCampaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict(CIVIC) works on behalf of war victims byadvocating that warring parties recognize andhelp the civilians they harm. CIVIC supports theprinciple that it is never acceptable for a warringparty to ignore civilian suffering.In 2005, CIVICs founder Marla Ruzicka waskilled in Iraq by a suicide bomb while advocatingfor families of victims. CIVIC honors her legacyand strives to sustain her vision.

CIVIC IN AFGHANISTANIn 2009, CIVIC released the groundbreakingreport, Losing the People: The Costs andConsequences of Civilian Suffering inAfghanistan. Based on a year of on-the-groundresearch, it is the first report to examine thewar's impact on civilians and document existingcompensation, support, and relief efforts.In2010, CIVIC followed up with AddressingCivilian Harm in Afghanistan: Policies andPractices of International Forces, documentingthe compensation policies and practices ofmajor International Security Assistance Force

(ISAF) troop-contributing nations. CIVIC developed a comprehensive training oncivilian protection and how to address civilianharm, now being used at the CounterinsurgencyTraining Academy in Kabul for ISAF officers. InKabul with high-level ISAF military officers andagain in Brussels with top NATO officials, theorganization worked toward a uniform

compensation system among all ISAF-contributing nations a goal at least partiallyrealized in June of 2010 when NATO adopted

guidelines for compensation to civilians inAfghanistan.CIVIC, with U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy, helpedcreate the first-ever U.S.-funded program to aidwar victims in Afghanistan (the Afghan CivilianAssistance Program, ACAP) and each yearworks to secure millions of dollars for it throughthe U.S. Congress. CIVIC continues to closelymonitor civilian deaths in Afghanistan and anyamends they may receive. COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS

CIVIC collaborates with the InternationalOrganization for Migration (IOM) on the AfghanCivilian Assistance Program (ACAP). Theorganization also works closely with otheradvocacy partners on the issue of civiliancasualties including Amnesty International,Human Rights Watch, International CrisisGroup, Open Society Foundations, and OxfamInternational.

U.S. ContactMarla B. Keenan

Managing Director1210 18

thStreet, NW, 4

thFloor

Washington, DC 20036(202) 558-6958

[email protected]

Websitewww.civicworldwide.org/afghanistan


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CAREABOUT CARECARE International exists in Afghanistan toaddress the underlying causes of poverty,human suffering, and social injustice. This isdone through strengthening capacity for self-reliance; promoting basic human rights; social,economic, and gender equity; sustainable andeffective use of resources; good governance;vibrant civil society; and provision of economicopportunities. CARE advocates with and onbehalf of poor, vulnerable, and marginalizedAfghans for policies, resources, and systems tolive in peace and dignity.

CARE IN AFGHANISTANCAREs projects in Afghanistan focus onwomens social and economic empowerment;education, with a particular focus on girls andwomen; maternal and infant health care support;sub-national governance through theNeighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP);IDP/refugee return and reintegration (includingshelter); and disaster relief. Projects are locatedin Logar, Balkh, Paktia, Ghazni, Parwan, Kapisa,Khost, Maidan, Baghlan, Wardak, and Kabul.

More recently, CARE has begun to build theirprogram-based advocacy capacity; namely, therights of women and girls, particularly around theissues of inheritance, dowry, and sexual andgender-based violence (SGBV), and thepromotion of improved sub-national governancestructures.CAREs funding sources include:CIDA, theBritish Embassy, Beyond the 11th Foundation,Panaphil Foundation, CARE Deutschland, theMicrofinance Agency for Development (MoFAD),World Bank, International Development

Association, Big Lottery Fund, AusAID, USAID,U.S. Department of State Bureau of Population,Refugees, and Migration (BPRM), MicrofinanceInvestment and Support Facility for Afghanistan(MISFA), Center for Disease Control (CDC),private donors, and the governments ofAfghanistan, the European Union, United States,United Kingdom, Japan, Norway, Denmark, andGermany.

COLLABORATIVE EFFORTSIn Afghanistan, CARE works with bothgovernmental and non-governmentalorganizations. Within the government, CAREworks with the ministries of Education, RuralRehabilitation, and Refugees and Repatriation.In the non-governmental sector, CARE workswith the Afghan Development Agency, Catholic ReliefServices (CRS), International Rescue Committee(IRC), Aga Khan Foundation, World University

Service of Canada, and MOFAD Microfinance.CHALLENGESCivil-military relations and the state of theongoing humanitarian situation in the countryhave been, and continue to be, very importantissues for CARE Afghanistan. CARE is amember of the CIVMIL Secretariat and is a keydriver in trying to change the relationshipbetween civilians and military into a form morerespectful of international humanitarian law andhumanitarian principles. CARE is also active inpushing for an improved international

humanitarian response machine in the country,including increased and improved humanitarianfunding access to national and internationalNGOs. Finally, CARE is pushing back againstthe militarization of aid, namely from USAID, inboth the conditions placed on new aid contractsand the attempts to build up relations withProvincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) andother elements of the counter-insurgency(COIN) strategy.

U.S. ContactAbbie Laugtug

Policy Advocate1825 I Street, NW, Suite 301

Washington, DC 20006(202) 609-6349

[email protected]

Field ContactBrian Cavanaugh

Country Director, CARE AfghanistanChahar Rahi Haji Yaqoob, Park Road

Shahr-e-naw, Kabul, Afghanistan+ 93 079 625 8675

[email protected]

Websitewww.care.org.af


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CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICESABOUT CRSCatholic Relief Services (CRS) is aninternational humanitarian agency providingrelief and development assistance in over 100countries globally. CRS continually seeks to helppoor and marginalized populations around theworld, providing assistance on the basis of needwithout regard to race, creed, or nationality.CRS IN AFGHANISTANCRS began supporting development efforts inAfghanistan in 1998 as a member of theinternational Caritas network. In 2002, CRS

began direct operations in Afghanistan with earlyprograms focused on emergency assistance toreturning refugees and extremely vulnerablepopulations. Since 2004, CRS has focusedprimarily on development through communitymobilization for expanding educationprogramming in rural areas; developing aninnovative market-oriented agricultural program;integrated water security; and womens socialdevelopment through self-help groups.Throughout this time, CRS has maintained acontinuous humanitarian response capacity andin 2008-2009, CRS implemented a large

response to the food security situation inwestern Afghanistan. CRS currently employsabout 400 staff and supports projects in Herat,Ghor, Bamyan, Kabul, and Kapisa provinces.Agriculture and Food SecurityOver the last two years, CRS has implementeda food security program through which theyhave reached over 15,000 households in 89villages through cash-for-work projects(including irrigation infrastructure development),food and non-food vouchers, livelihood recoveryactivities, and the formation of womens

enterprise groups.Since 2004, CRS has pioneered efforts toincrease on-farm and off-farm production andincome for rural and peri-urban households,taking advantage of the entrepreneurial talentsof Afghans and the growing market opportunitiesthat exist in the country. CRS has developed aninnovative market-driven agriculture programthat has drawn positive attention from donors

and the Afghan government, and hasdemonstrated improvements in peoplesagriculture-based livelihoods. CRS is using andfurther developing a set of agro-enterpriseinterventions, including building farmers andother rural stakeholders knowledge and skills inproduction, processing, and marketing whileworking strategically to increase peoples accessto productive assets, such as water, credit, andtools. The self-help group model for ruraleconomic and social development is an integralpart of this program, with a focus on womensenterprise development.Economic DevelopmentCRS aims to enable farmers to reduce theirvulnerability by extending the period in whichthey can financially gain from their crop yields,as well as profit from favorable price variationsin off-season production. To optimize potentialbenefits that can be derived from production,CRS promotes improved harvesting techniques;sorting, grading, and packaging of production

prior to marketing; improved storage techniques;and local-level drying methods.

Education and TrainingSince 2003, CRS has worked to expand qualitylearning opportunities for marginalizedcommunities and their children. Current projectsinclude support for community-based education,accelerated learning, early childhood education,

U.S. ContactMegan Sheehan

Regional Representative, Asia228 W. Lexington Street

Baltimore, MD 21201(410) 625-2220

[email protected]

Field ContactScott Braunschweig

Kabul RepresentativeCRS Afghanistan Kabul Office

House #804Junction of Taimane and St. 8, District 10

Kabul, [email protected]

Websitewww.crs.org


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and the Afghan National Association for theDeaf and their efforts to provide qualityeducation to deaf children in Kabul.

For rural education, CRS maintains a long-termstrategy based on the community-basededucation model and supports efforts initiated bymany rural communities throughout Afghanistanto provide basic education to children whocannot access formal, government-supportedschools. The community-based education modeluses the national educational curriculum and isdesigned to eventually integrate communityschools into the national system.GenderAs part of agriculture and food securityprogramming, CRS facilitates trainings ofwomens enterprise groups (WEGs), whichencourage development of skill sets pertinent toselected enterprise activities such as businessskills, basic literacy, numeracy, and accounting.

Refugees and IDPsWith resources provided by the U.S. StateDepartment Bureau of Population, Refugees,and Migration (BPRM), CRS recently beganimplementation of an agriculture/food securityprogram which focuses on refugees.

Since 2006, CRS has helped at least 47,000people settle or resettle in their communities inHerat Province with a combination of productiveassets and water infrastructure, cash-for-work,community-based education, and vocationaltraining with grants to start up small businessesin villages of return.Water and SanitationOver the past four years, CRS has elaborated adrought and water conservation strategy withcommunities in Herat, Ghor, and Bamiyanprovinces, which includes watershed

development activities and improving access topotable water. CRS engineers have helpedcommunities develop infrastructure for waterharvesting, storage, and management, as wellas supported improved natural resourcemanagement to protect against acceleratedrunoff and erosion. Given the tremendous need

for controlling waterborne disease, CRS hasmade hygiene-skills training (particularly forwomen) and sanitation infrastructure an integral

part of its projects, complementing governmenthealth clinics and other village health workers.Emergency Preparedness and ResponseFrom the time of its arrival in Afghanistan, CRShas maintained a standing, in-countryemergency response capacity, which is currentlyoperational in Herat, Ghor, and Bamiyanprovinces. In response to the food crisis in 2008,CRS implemented an emergency responseproject to meet immediate needs, reducevulnerability, rebuild assets, and increase futureproduction. The four-tiered response includedfood and non-food vouchers for extremelyvulnerable households; cash-for-work projectsfocusing on road rehabilitation, snow-clearing,and water infrastructure; livelihood voucher fairs;and the establishment of womens enterprisegroups as an inclusive means of bolsteringhousehold income.COLLABORATIVE EFFORTSCRS Afghanistan implements its educationprogram in partnership with local and nationalorganizations, and in coordination with otherinternational organizations, especially as part ofthe USAID-funded and CARE-led Partnership

for Advancing Community-Based Education inAfghanistan (PACE-A) consortium and theMinistry of Education.CRS is also a member of the Sustainable LandManagement Institute (SLMI), in which CRScollaborates with multiple NGOs, theGovernment of Afghanistan, and BamiyanUniversity to improve soil and waterconservation (SWC) awareness andinterventions in Bamiyan province.CHALLENGES

The security situation remains a concern inCRS areas of implementation. Ambushes,suicide bombings, and IEDs put high pressureon aid workers. CRS monitors security situationsclosely in order to take preventive measures forthe safety of its field teams and partners.


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CHILDFUND INTERNATIONALABOUT CHILDFUND INTERNATIONALChildFund helps deprived, excluded, andvulnerable children have the capacity to improvetheir lives and the opportunity to become youngadults, parents, and leaders who bring lastingand positive change in their communities.ChildFund promotes societies whose individualsand institutions participate in valuing, protecting,and advancing the worth and rights of children.

ChildFund believes that the well-being ofchildren leads to the well-being of the world. Theorganization places childrens experience of

deprivation, exclusion, and vulnerability at thecenter of their policy and practice. They work toempower children so they can thrive through allstages of life and become leaders. ChildFundscore outcomes enable children to becomehealthy and secure infants, educated andconfident children, and skilled and involvedyouth.CHILDFUND IN AFGHANISTANChildFund began working in Afghanistan in2001. Last year, funds spent to improvechildrens lives totaled $2,055,959. ChildFund

assisted more than a half million children andfamily members.Child ProtectionFollowing war, ChildFund focuses on makingchildren feel safe. They have created child well-being committees, which are designed to involveeveryone in the protection of the children of thecommunity. ChildFund trains parents,community members, and government staffregarding basic child protection issues anddeinstitutionalizing services for orphanages andfamily preservation programs.

Agriculture and Food SecurityChildFund provides skills training for youth over16, and distributes livestock and agriculturalequipment (seeds and fertilizers) to ruralcommunities to fuel the agricultural economy.Economic DevelopmentChildFund has developed and implemented amicro-finance program in post-conflict northern

Afghanistan to provide loans to families, many ofwhom fled to other countries or were living inIDP camps.Education and TrainingChildFund supports community-based literacyclasses for rural children and youth, trainsteachers on classroom procedures conducive todevelopment, and advocates against corporalpunishment.Gender

ChildFund works in 20 communities in theBadakhshan Province of Afghanistan to addressviolence against women, including physical,sexual, and psychological violence. Thisincludes forced marriage; domestic violence;denial of human rights in treatment of womenand girls (both in conflict with and in contact withthe law); denial of access to basic services,including education and health services; andcommunity-specific violence against women,including trafficking of girls and women.In addition, because girls are highly represented

among moral offenses, ChildFund works withthe juvenile justice in Kunduz and Baghlanprovinces, conducting assessments throughsocial workers to expose and addressmaltreatment from the time of arrest todetention. ChildFund also addresses the lack oflegal support and the lack of proportionality inpunishments against child offenders.

U.S. ContactCynthia Price

Director of Communications2821 Emerywood Parkway

Richmond, VA 23294(804) 756-2722

[email protected]

Field ContactAnnie Locsin

National Director+93 0 798 205 952

[email protected]

Websitewww.childfund.org


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CHURCH WORLD SERVICE

ABOUT CWSFounded in 1946, Church World Service (CWS)is the relief, development, and refugeeassistance ministry of 36 Christiandenominations and communions in the UnitedStates. Working with partners, CWS buildsinterfaith and intercultural coalitions to eradicatehunger and poverty and promote peace andjustice around the world. Within the U.S., CWSassists communities in responding to disasters,resettles refugees, promotes fair national andinternational policies, provides educationalresources, and offers opportunities to join apeople-to-people network of local and globalcaring through participation in CROP HungerWalks, the Blankets+ Program, and the CWS KitProgram.CWS IN AFGHANISTANCWS has worked on the ground, providingemergency relief and long-term development inAfghanistan since 1954. CWS-Pakistan/Afghanistan has offices in Karachi,Lahore, Islamabad, Murree, Mansehra,Jalalabad, Kabul, and Quetta. CWS adheres tothe belief that the communities themselves must

set the agenda for change and that thisapproach encourages equal and even growth incommunities. CWS has worked, or is currentlyworking, in Kabul and Kabul Province, as well asSorkh Rood District, Nangarhar; Pachir WaAgaam District, Nangarhar; Shib Kob District;Ghorband District; Arghestan District, KandaharProvince; and Shomali Valley, Parwan Province.Projects are also located in Bamyan, Nimroz,Farah, Badakhshan, Paktiya, Zabul, Ghazni, andWardak provinces.Emergency Response

Since 1997, CWS has organized, incollaboration with the ACT Alliance, national-level disaster management training workshopsthat have set the agenda for the establishmentof a network of disaster response partners,called the Pak-Afghan Disaster ResponseNetwork. The network consists of 13 regionalorganizations working in the relief anddevelopment sector.

For some time after its inception, the Pak-Afghan Disaster Response Network focused oninformation sharing regarding training anddisasters. From 1998 onward, after doubleearthquakes, cyclones, and floods, the networkbecame very active. The network has since ledto an expansion of CWS activities and support ofindigenous NGOs in disaster areas, particularlywithin Afghanistan.

CWS currently has more than 80 traineddisaster managers in the region and more than50 trained security managers. Each disastermanager has completed training in linkingdisasters and development, natural hazards,compound and complex disasters, disasterpreparedness, vulnerability and riskassessment, mitigation, capacity building,disaster assessment and response,rehabilitation and reconstruction, psycho-socialand spiritual care, building disaster-resilientcommunities, and terminology and phrase. Inrecent years, CWS responded with assistance tosurvivors of floods in Badakshan Province in

2005, and in Ghazni and Paktia provinces in2006. In 2009, CWS responded to earthquakesin Nangarhar Province and more recently toflooding near Jalalabad.Education and TrainingCWS has supported a children's rehabilitationcenter in Kabul since 2002, which has benefitedmore than 2,000 destitute children. There are

U.S. ContactDonna Derr

Director, CWS Development and HumanitarianAssistance Program

110 Maryland Avenue, NE, Suite 409Washington, DC 20002

(202) 481-6937Fax: (202) 546-6232

[email protected]

Field ContactMarvin Parvez

Director, Church World ServicePakistan/Afghanistan

+92 21 721 5604

Websitewww.churchworldservice.org


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currently 200 children enrolled in the program. Asimilar program began in 2006 in Bamyan. Thegoal of the program is to enhance the capacity

of children to develop their learning ability andlife management skills, and focus their behavioron social cooperation and peace building. Inboth locales, physical fitness, a nutritionprogram, and health and hygiene awareness arepart of the curriculum.

A participant in the childrens' rehabili tation center in Kabul. Photo:

Chris Herlinger / CWS

Initiated in July 2006 in Hazarajat, the IntegratedProgram in Livelihood Skills and LiteracyImprovement for Women works to provideinformal education to women and furtherdevelop their carpet weaving skills. The projectaims to offer carpet weaving training to 48females and literacy classes to 150-180 femalesover the course of six months. So far, sixcenters in the Qarabagh District of GhazniProvince have been established with therequired stationary and carpet-weaving material.In Kandahar, CWS and its partner, the AfghanDevelopment Association, are providing skillstraining to women and men in tailoring,embroidery, and rural construction, and

supporting the rehabilitation of roads, canals,and water supplies that are needed to supportrural livelihoods.

More than 6,800 families are benefiting from thework in Kandahar, including 60 women and 55men who are participants in the skills trainingactivities. The remainder of the 6,800 is familymembers or others in the community whobenefit from the improved infrastructure.Health CareCWS is continuing health programs servingapproximately 170,000 people in NangarharProvince and the Mansehra District of Pakistan.The project goals are to strengthen communitydecision-making and improve current healthlevels by supporting preventative and essentialcurative health care services for returningrefugees, other Afghans in Nangarhar Province,and refugees in Mansehra.In 1997, CWS established a primary health careproject in Nangarhar Province with itsheadquarters in Jalalabad. In Nangarhar, CWSprovides health services through six local healthcenters and one district hospital, and supports anetwork of more than 500 male and femalecommunity health workers to conduct outreachand health education in remote communities.

The project provides both preventive andcurative health care to the communities andreturning refugees in Nangarhar Province. Itprovides assistance to some 10,000 patients amonth more than 100,000 patients directlyper year. This project is a joint venture betweenCWS and the U.S. Department of State Bureaufor Population, Refugees, and Migration(BPRM).


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CONCERN WORLDWIDE U.S.ABOUT CONCERNConcern Worldwide is a non-governmental,international, humanitarian organizationdedicated to the reduction of suffering andworking towards the ultimate elimination ofpoverty in the worlds poorest countries.Concerns mission is to enable extremely poorpeople to achieve major improvements in theirlives which are sustainable without ongoingsupport from Concern. Their work directlyimpacts the lives of more than 9.8 million peoplein 28 countries in Africa, Asia, and theCaribbean, and covers a wide spectrum from

emergency response to development andincludes programs in shelter, health (includingnutrition and water-sanitation), education,HIV/AIDS, and livelihoods.CONCERN IN AFGHANISTANConcern began working in Afghanistan in 1998in response to two major earthquakes in north-eastern Afghanistan that claimed severalthousand lives. Concern established a presenceand launched emergency relief operations in theregion focusing on shelter, water supply, andrelief aid of food and non-food items. Currently,

Concern has programs focusing on food/incomeand markets, education, health (water,environmental health, and hygiene promotion),and HIV/AIDS. In 2010, Concern Afghanistanserved more than 300,000 people. Concernfocuses on working with the most vulnerablepeople in some of the most vulnerablecommunities in rural and urban areas ofAfghanistan.Agriculture and Food SecurityConcerns Food, Income, and Markets (FIM)program aims to reduce poverty and improve

food security by training local community groupsand government bodies, strengtheningcommunity structures, and implementing naturalresource management and disaster riskreduction (DRR) projects. The FIM program hasa strong water management focus, working withcommunity development councils and water-user groups to effectively manage and maintainwater canals and empower user groups toadvocate for resources in order to improve their

water systems. Concern is also runningagricultural production programs and marketinterventions, specifically in the food insecureprovince of Badakshan. These projects arereaching approximately 150,000 people.HealthConcern is running water and environmentalhealth projects to improve the health status ofcommunities and reduce the incidence of water-and sanitation-related illness in Takhar and

Badakshan provinces. Concern providesresources for the physical structures of watersystems, spring protection, and latrines, whilesupporting existing community structures(community development councils). A strongemphasis is placed on health education,including maternal and child health, hygiene,and nutrition. These projects benefitapproximately 20,000 people.Concerns HIV program involves the training ofmullahs, medical students, community healthworkers, and police. Concern developed

research films aiming to challenge negativestereotypes and labeling of people living withHIV/AIDS (PLHIV). These films will continue tobe disseminated throughout Afghanistan in2011. Further innovative initiatives are beingdeveloped, including working in conjunction witha local NGO on HIV-related issues in District 16,Kabul. Concern is mainstreaming HIV across thecountry program and developing linkages withHIV-focused NGOs.

U.S. ContactDominic MacSorleyOperations Director

110 East 40th

Street, Room 903New York, NY 10016

(212) [email protected]

Field Contact

Fiona McLysaghtCountry Director+93 799 489 507+93 700 278 617

[email protected]

Websitewww.concernworldwide.org


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Disaster PreparednessAfghanistan is extremely vulnerable to naturaldisasters, including droughts, floods,

avalanches, and earthquakes. It is also affectedby conflict-related emergencies that result inmassive displacement of vulnerable survivors.

Concern remains responsive to the needs ofpeople affected by emergencies. Concern workson DRR programs, which incorporate preventive

and mitigation strategies in the areas mostvulnerable to disasters.


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COUNTERPART INTERNATIONALABOUT COUNTERPARTCounterpart is an international nonprofitdevelopment organization that works inpartnership with people and communitiesworldwide to build sustainable solutions toshared challenges. The organization works inpartnership to create the infrastructurenecessary for lasting and true self-reliance byfocusing on three core objectives: economicdevelopment, food security and nutrition, andeffective governance and institutions.The mission of Counterpart is to empower

people to implement innovative and enduringsolutions to social, economic, and environmentalchallenges.COUNTERPART IN AFGHANISTANCounterparts work in Afghanistan focuses onpartnering with local Afghan organizations tobuild their organizational capacity andsupporting these organizations to becomesustainable and effective. To accomplish this,Counterpart has created a network of more than200 civil society organizations (CSOs) and usedinnovative training techniques to successfully

spread best practices for CSOs.Grants ProgramSince 2005, Counterpart has awarded morethan $4.5 million in institutional support grants toAfghan NGOs and directly trained 5,225 (3,728male, 1,497 female) individuals in key technicalareas like gender, advocacy, monitoring andevaluation (M&E), media, and NGO law.Through its small grants program, more than320,000 Afghan citizens have directly benefittedfrom grants that promote human rights, womensrights, education, environmental protection,

community involvement, and advocacy.Civic EducationCounterpart has also played an important role incivic education efforts in the country. Bypartnering with local civil society organizations,Counterpart has engaged almost two millionAfghans in face-to-face civic education sessionsthat focus on topics such as democracy andelections, good governance, the roles of elected

officials, womens rights, and the interactionbetween democracy and Islam. Counterpart hasbuilt upon its face-to-face sessions with anationwide radio campaign that focused on thesame messages.Education and TrainingUsing an innovative cascade training method,Counterpart has trained hundreds of local civiceducators and has provided civic education

lessons in 33 provinces. Counterpart also wroteand designed the Civic Education Handbookthat provides an overview of Islam anddemocracy, government, parliament, thejudiciary system, elections, and women insociety. Besides being distributed toCounterparts civic educators, 40,000 copies ofthis handbook will be distributed by the Ministryof Education for use by Afghan school teachers.GenderCounterpart has been active in promotinggender equality in Afghanistan. More than half of

Counterparts institutional support grants went towomen-led or women-focused projects. In 2008,Counterpart led the first Womens Council inAfghanistan. The event brought together morethan 400 women with the goal to advance theNational Action Plan for the Women ofAfghanistan (NAPWA) and to develop a list ofshort-term priorities, which was delivered toPresident Hamid Karzai.

U.S. ContactAltinay Kuchukeeva

Program Officer2345 Crystal Drive, Suite 301

Arlington, VA 22202(703) 236-1200

[email protected]

Field ContactSuzana Paklar

Country Team Leader/Chief of PartyWazir Akbar Khan

Kabul, [email protected]

Websitewww.counterpart.org


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Democracy and GovernanceThrough its civil society promotion and civiceducation activities, Counterpart is indirectly

supporting the promotion of good governanceand a democratic society. For example,Counterpart created and aired a radioroundtable that brought together members ofparliament with civil society leaders. At theroundtable, they discussed how insights andknowledge from civil society can inform the lawsparliament writes.Civil SocietyCounterpart has a network of more than 200NGOs that receive technical support throughCounterpart and its key partners. Theseorganizations have received important trainingson such topics as strategic planning, proposalwriting, monitoring and evaluation, genderintegration, fundraising, advocacy, andcommunity needs evaluation, among others.

Girls display signs at a local festival urging action against poverty in

Afghanistan. Photo: Counterpart InternationalCOLLABORATIVE EFFORTSBesides partnering with local Afghanorganizations, Counterpart has collaborated with

many international organizations. This includesthe International Foundation for Electoral

Systems (IFES) to implement civic educationactivities, and the International Center for Non-Profit Law on improving rules and regulations

that govern civil society. Counterpart alsoparticipates in inter-agency meetings that focuson gender and is leading efforts to coordinatecivic education in the country.OTHERIn recognition of the success of Counterpartsprevious efforts to enhance civil society, USAIDrecently awarded Counterpart a 36-monthfollow-on grant, the Promote Afghan CivilSociety II (I-PACS II) program. Under I-PACS II,implemented jointly with the International Centerfor Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) and Developmentand Training Services (DTS), Counterpart willcontinue its partnership with the U.S.government in order to build a more democratic,prosperous, and gender equitable society bystrengthening civil society within Afghanistan.I-PACS II will focus on three key objectives: 1)improve the accountability, legal, and regulatoryframeworks for civil society; 2) strengthen thecapacity and infrastructure for democraticprocesses of civil society; and 3) increase citizenmobilization and engagement in relevant policyprocesses.

The I-PACS network will continue to cover all 34provinces of Afghanistan, but will be expandedfrom nine to 21 key partners, and fromapproximately 210 to more than 400 grassroots,target CSOs. At least half of these partners willbe women-run organizations. At the end of thisthree year program, I-PACS expects that bothcitizens and government will view civil societyorganizations as reliable partners instrengthening communities, deepening thecountrys democratic channels, and representingall constituencies, especially those in theminority or who are vulnerable.


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INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR

ELECTORAL SYSTEMSABOUT IFESThe International Foundation for ElectoralSystems (IFES) promotes democratic stability byproviding technical assistance and applyingfield-based research to the electoral cycleworldwide to enhance citizen participation andstrengthen civil societies, governance, andtransparency.Every IFES project is staffed by nationalpersonnel and international experts, and

partnered with local organizations. Thishomegrown approach ensures the expertiseIFES offers fits the needs of the country or clientand the benefit of assistance outlasts the life ofthe project.IFES IN AFGHANISTANSince 2002, IFES has supported thedevelopment of a robust and vibrant electoralsector in Afghanistan. IFES programming hassupported electoral law development, voterregistration, election logistics, results reporting,poll worker training, media monitoring, civic

education, and other long-term capacity buildingactivities such as womens political participation.

IFES aims to build upon the momentum withinAfghan society to advance political and electoralprocesses incrementally and to channel thedesire for change into organized, peaceful, andlegitimate action.IFES programming since 2008 has focused oncapacity building and institutional support toelectoral institutions, public outreach and civiceducation, and civil society programs that foster

the educated participation of Afghan voters inthe electoral process. IFES takes acomprehensive approach in supportingdemocratic elections and citizen participation byworking both at the institutional- and thecommunity- levels.Institutional Capacity BuildingIFES supports Afghanistans IndependentElection Commission (IEC), which since 2005

has been responsible for conducting elections in

the country, through long-term capacity buildingactivities. IFES provides expert technicaladvisors who work closely with IECcounterparts; organizes study and electionobservation tours for IEC members; andsupports training in management, computerproficiency, and English. Currently, IFEStechnical advisors provide support to IECdepartments including training, legal, logistics,public outreach, and gender and mediamonitoring units.For the 2010 parliamentary elections, IFES also

provided two international commissioners to thefive-member Electoral Complaints Commission(ECC) that is charged with investigating andadjudicating electoral complaints. IFES alsosupports the ECCs outreach and legaldepartments.GenderThrough IFES support to the newly-establishedIEC Gender Unit, the unit conducted stafftrainings on harassment for IEC male andfemale staff and succeeded in training genderfocal points in all 34 Afghan provinces.

Public Outreach and Civic EducationIn 2010, IFES supported an IEC call center withlive operators that answered callers questionsabout the elections. Between July and October,the call center provided useful information toalmost one million callers across the country. Inaddition, IFES produced radio and televisionpublic service announcements to encouragevoter participation and to disseminate

U.S. ContactBelma Ejupovic

Senior Program Manager1850 K Street, NW, 5

thFloor

Washington, DC 20006(202) 350-6724

[email protected]

Websitewww.ifes.org


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information about the election process. IFESand Counterpart International also support face-to-face civic education sessions for men and

women in 32 provinces. As of September 2010,over 1.8 million people have been reachedthrough face-to-face meetings.

Advocacy training participants in Herat. Photo: International

Foundation for Electoral Systems

IFES also operates a triple language website,www.Afghanistanvotes.com, in Dari, Pashto,and English. The site provides citizens with up-to-date news on Afghan elections, politicaldevelopments, and social and cultural events.The website has an SMS feature and includesarticles authored by participants in the IFESjournalist training program, as well as video clips

featuring interviews with ordinary Afghans aboutthe elections.Civil Society ProgramsIFES implements womens advocacy trainings,journalist trainings, youth programs, and campaignfinance monitoring activities. Womens advocacytrainings promote issue-based voting throughinformation on the Afghan electoral system,womens rights to vote, womens participationand Islamic law, and human rights law. Theprogram is conducted in six provinces: Balkh,Bamyan, Herat, Nangarhar, Kandahar, and Kabul.

IFES approach includes training women ofinfluence who in turn disseminate information toother women in face-to-face meetings. Inaddition, IFES organizes radio roundtableswhere participants discuss issues important to

women with local political figures, governmentofficials, and community leaders.Parallel to womens advocacy trainings, IFES

conducted journalist training workshops aimedto improve journalists skills on electionsreporting. Trainings covered information on theAfghan electoral system, elements of good storywriting, working with sources, and theimportance of unbiased reporting. In 2010, 92journalists participated.IFES launched three youth initiatives in 2010: alecture series, a debate club, and a youngwomen leaders club. The university lectureseries features guest speakers to increase youthunderstanding of democratic principles and theelectoral process. The pilot debate club programtakes place in three private Kabul universities.These clubs foster a culture of debate throughtrainings in the British parliamentary debatesystem, culminating in a citywide competition.And finally, a pilot club for young women, namedthe Future Leaders Club, aims to create anetwork of youth activists, promote the idea ofissue-based elections among youth, provideadvocacy and public speaking training, andconnect participants with women of influence.IFES worked with local partner Free and FairElection Foundation of Afghanistan (FEFA) on a

campaign finance monitoring pilot project for the2010 parliamentary elections. The goal of theprogram was to provide recommendations forfuture legal reform, provide suggestions forfuture monitoring, and raise awareness oncampaign finance issues. FEFA monitorscandidate compliance with campaign financeregulations and abuse of state resources in 20districts.COLLABORATIVE EFFORTSIFES is working closely with Afghanistanselectoral institutions and international

stakeholders, such as the United NationsAssistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)and the United Nations DevelopmentProgramme (UNDP), and is also working withother local and international civil society partnersto implement the Afghanistan program.


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INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPSABOUT INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPSInternational Medical Corps is a global,humanitarian, nonprofit organization dedicatedto saving lives and relieving suffering throughhealth care training and relief and developmentprograms. Established in 1984 by volunteerdoctors and nurses, International Medical Corpsmission is to improve the quality of life throughhealth interventions and related activities thatbuild local capacity in underserved communitiesworldwide. International Medical Corpsrehabilitates devastated health care systemsand helps bring them back to self-reliance.

International Medical Corps has delivered morethan $1 billion of health care and training to tensof millions of people in more than 50 countries.INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS INAFGHANISTANInternational Medical Corps was established in1984 to address the critical need for medicalcare in war-torn Afghanistan during the Sovietoccupation. Over 25 years later, InternationalMedical Corps is still in Afghanistan, deliveringservices that improve the health and livelihoodsof nearly one million people. International

Medical Corps operates a broad range ofinterventions to assist Afghanistans mostvulnerable groups, including internally displacedpeople, refugee returnees, women ofreproductive age, and children. Theorganizations programs work to fill immediateneeds while creating long-term solutions toproblems facing Afghanistan.International Medical Corps works in both ruraland urban areas, focusing on basic health careservice provision via clinics, hospitals, andmedical training. Health care and medical

training are provided through more than 300health facilities throughout Afghanistan.International Medical Corps programs in thecountry have spanned eleven provinces: Khost,Paktika, Laghman, Kunar, Kabul, Nangahar,Nuristan, Herat, Bamyan, Parwan, and Paktya.Hospital ManagementInternational Medical Corps is implementing twohospital management programs, making it the

leading international organization in the hospitalmanagement field operating in the country. InKabul, International Medical Corps teams workwith Afghanistans Ministry of Public Health andlocal staff at the Wazir Akbar Khan (WAK) andRabia Balkhi Womens (RBH) hospitals toreorganize key administrative and operatingsystems to boost capacity, expand the use of

information technology, and modernize recordssystems. Other goals include achieving greaterefficiency in the use of medical supplies andequipment, upgrading electronic procurementsystems, and establishing effective qualitycontrol programs. As part of the three year, $6million program at WAK Hospital, InternationalMedical Corps has developed a training plan forall departments in the hospital and designed anequipment procurement program. At RBH, theorganizations focus is to strengthen hospitalmanagement and leadership.

Community Midwifery EducationIn the eastern border provinces of Khost andPaktika, International Medical Corps hasoperated highly successful community midwiferyeducation (CME) programs since 2007, trainingabout 90 young women to assist expectantmothers through pregnancy, childbirth, and post-natal care. Students learn essential clinicalskills, including how to perform an antenatalexam, manage severe hypertension, and

U.S. ContactMargaret Aguirre

Director, Global Communications1919 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 400

Santa Monica, CA 90404(310) 826-7800

[email protected]

Field ContactJalal Maqsood

Communications OfficerHouse # 1, Street # Alif (A)

Adjacent to Sitara SchoolDistrict 9, Shash Darak

Kabul, Afghanistan+93 700 288 229+93 799 343 905

[email protected]

Websitewww.InternationalMedicalCorps.org


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resuscitate a newborn. The Khost CME programhas been recognized as the best midwiferytraining in the country. Its graduates all raised

in the province are helping ease a majorshortage of midwives in a country that has theworlds highest infant mortality rate at over 150per thousand.Refugees and IDPsSince 2002, International Medical Corps hasoffered basic health care services to those whohave returned to Afghanistan after years asrefugees in neighboring Pakistan. Today, theorganization serves a target population of about55,000 returnees residing in nine camps, mainlyin Nangahar and Kunar provinces, in the area ofthe regional hub city of Jalalabad. In the springof 2010, International Medical Corps beganoperating mobile clinics to assist residents offour spontaneous returnee settlements in Kunarand Laghman provinces. Their work in all campsis also aimed at reducing both mortality andmorbidity rates for vulnerable Afghans andimproving overall living conditions.Sexual and Gender-Based ViolenceInternational Medical Corps supports projects innine Afghan refugee returnee camps in Kunarand Nangahar provinces to prevent gender-based violence mainly domestic violence. To

date, 18 psychosocial counselors have beenrecruited and trained under the program.Integrated Community-Based Health CareInternational Medical Corps offers primary andcommunity health care services through anetwork of health facilities in all eight districts ofNuristan Province, a remote and isolatednortheastern border province. The organizationalso operates two full health centers wheremidwives provideantenatal careand assist withdeliveries of newborn children. Householdsurveys have indicated International Medical

Corps work in the province has contributed toimprovements in eight out of ten vital healthindicators.

COLLABORATIVE EFFORTSInternational Medical Corps collaborates at theinternational, national, regional, and local levels

to ensure successful and sustainable programimplementation. Program partners include: theMinistry of Public Health, World FoodProgramme, UNHCR, Agricultural Health andDevelopment Organization, Agency for theAssistance and Development of Afghanistan, andthe Afghan General Health Coordination Office.

International Medical Corps has trained over 50 resident physicians

at Rabia Balkhi Womens Hospital and more than 100 nurses throughin-service and refresher trainings. Photo: Jonathan Saruk

CHALLENGESThe Soviet occupation in the 1980s, decades ofuninterrupted civil war, and the low status of

women have taken their toll on the Afghanpopulation. Today, they have one of the lowestlife expectancies (slightly less than 45 years)and highest maternal and infant mortality ratesin the world. One of every four children diesbefore their first birthday. About three-quartersof the population have no access to cleandrinking water and continued armed conflictmakes security tenuous for civilians, who alsofind it difficult to obtain basic services whenmuch of the country is inaccessible tointernational assistance agencies. Despite theunsettled security conditions, InternationalMedical Corps has tended to Afghan health careneeds for over a quarter of a century.


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culturally appropriate and allow them to workfrom their homes. IRC also ensures that womenhave a voice in their communities development

by supporting the inclusion of women incommunity development councils (CDCs) or,where this is not possible, establishing womensCDCs.RefugeesThe IRC supports refugees returning home toAfghanistan as they face the reality of startingover. Over the past year, the IRC has facilitatedthe construction of 450 homes, 276 latrines, and90 borewells and given thousands of families thetraining and tools to prevent the spread ofwaterborne disease. The IRC also supportsvocational training to help Afghans rebuild theirlivelihoods.Community-Driven DevelopmentThe IRC works in partnership with more than athousand communities across Afghanistan asthey identify, plan, and manage their owndevelopment projects such as the constructionof roads and schools and the implementation ofliteracy and vocational classes. As part of theAfghan-owned National Solidarity Program

(NSP), the IRC has helped to establish 1,376locally elected CDCs over the past seven years.These councils have led more than 2,800

projects reaching some 1.8 million people,administering a total budget of $43.5 million.Over the next three years the IRC will extendthis program to some 600 new communities.COLLABORATIVE EFFORTSIRC Afghanistan partners with the following localNGOs as part of its humanitarian responseprogram: Sanayee Development Organization(SDO), Afghan Planning Agency (APA), WatansSocial and Technical Service Association(WSTA), and Afghan Public WelfareOrganization (APWO).IRC is member of the Partnership for AdvancingCommunity Education in Afghanistan (PACE-A)consortium with CARE, Agha Khan Foundation,and Catholic Relief Services.IRC is an active member of the AgencyCoordinating Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR)and the Advisory Board of the Afghan NGOSafety Office (ANSO).


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LIFE FOR RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENTABOUT LIFELife for Relief and Development (Life) is a non-profit humanitarian charity founded in 1992 byconcerned Arab and Muslim Americanprofessionals in response to the humanitariancrises that developed in Iraq as a result of the1991 Gulf War.Today, Life is the largest U.S.-founded MuslimAmerican humanitarian relief and developmentorganization. Life is devoted to providinghumanitarian aid to people regardless of race,color, religion, and cultural background with an

annual budget of about $30 million. Life is inConsultative Status with the Economic andSocial Counsel of the United Nations. It is also amember of InterAction and is CFC certified. Lifeis a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization.Due to the great generosity of donors, Life hasbeen able to distribute over $155 million ofhumanitarian assistance items and in theprocess, kindly touched more than 20 millionlives. Life works diligently to help the poor andneedy in a number of countries such as Iraq,Pakistan, Afghanistan, Haiti, the Palestinian

Territories, Jordan, Syria, and Sierra Leone, aswell as others. When natural disasters occur,Life rushes to answer the call of humanitarianduty and provide emergency food, water,medical aid, and temporary shelters.In addition to Lifes emergency relief effortswhich address immediate needs during crises, italso has a number of long-term programs itimplements, including building and maintainingmedical clinics, providing medicines and medicalequipment to hospitals and clinics, providingwheelchairs and other equipment for the

handicapped, building and repairing waterpurification plants, digging water wells, buildingand repairing schools, and providing educationalbooks to schools, colleges, and universities.Some of Lifes programs include running low-cost medical clinics in poor neighborhoods inIraq and providing educational books andmaterial to Native American schools in variousstates.

LIFE IN AFGHANISTANAgriculture and Food SecurityLife provides food packages several times ayear for thousands of families, IDPs, returningrefugees, and needy Afghan widows andorphans. The packages consist of rice, flour,cooking oil, pulses, sugar, salt, tea, and othercomplimentary food items such as vegetablesand meat.Education and TrainingLife ensures that over 600 orphaned studentsattend school. Life provides the uniforms, bookbags, and stationary for students that aresupported. Life staff receives the studentsreport cards to make sure that they areattending school on a regular basis and passingtheir classes.HealthLife provides health and dental care to over 600orphans in Afghanistan. Each child receives a

yearly health and dental exam so that thechildren are screened for disease on a regularbasis. If there are any health issues that needsurgical intervention or treatment, Life staffensures that the children receive the propermedical care.

U.S. ContactVicki Robb

Grants and Projects Manager17300 W. 10 Mile Road

Southfield, MI 48075(248) 424-7493

[email protected]

Field ContactNoor Agha

Field CoordinatorKabul-Afghanistan Center Post Office

Kabul PO Box 912Kabul, Afghanistan

+93 778 099 [email protected]

Website

www.lifeusa.org


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Life provides food for orphans in Afghanistan.Photo: Life

Refugees and IDPsLife assists IDPs in Afghanistan and returningrefugees by providing food and other essentialitems to poor families that are in need.

Seasonal ProjectsDuring Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha, Life providesfood and meat packages to poor and needy

families, refugees, and IDPs so the families cancelebrate the Eid festivals.CHALLENGESLife staff faces many challenges. There aresecurity risks including the ongoing war,frequent bomb blasts in public places, andrandom kidnappings. Afghanistan is alsodisaster-prone, which can lead to damage toinfrastructure, such as roads, making it difficultto access some areas where communities are inneed of basic commodities to survive.
http://www.lifeusa.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=9079&news_iv_ctrl=1163


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MANAGEMENT SCIENCES FOR HEALTHABOUT MSHManagement Sciences for Health (MSH),founded in 1971, is a nonprofit internationalhealth organization composed of more than2,000 people from 73 nations. Their mission isto save lives and improve the health of theworlds poorest and most vulnerable people byclosing the gap between knowledge and actionin public health. Together with their partners,MSH is helping managers and leaders indeveloping countries to create strongermanagement systems that improve healthservices for the greatest health impact.

MSH takes an integrated approach to buildinghigh-impact sustainable programs that addresscritical challenges in leadership, health systemsmanagement, health service delivery, humanresources, and medicines.MSH works with health care policymakers,managers, providers, and the private sector toincrease the efficacy, efficiency, andsustainability of health services by improvingmanagement systems, promoting access toservices, and influencing public policy.

MSH IN AFGHANISTANFor 22 years, MSH has been collaborating withlocal and international organizations to supportthe immense effort required to rebuildAfghanistans health service network. MSHpromotes collaboration among all healthprojects, including those funded by the U.S.government as well as those supported by otherdonors.Support to the Ministry of Public HealthThe Technical Support to the Central and

Provincial Ministry of Public Health (Tech-Serve)project works to build the Ministrys capacity toguide the health system by establishingobjectives that address national health prioritieswhile ensuring equity and fosteringsustainability. Tech-Serve provides technicalassistance in key public health technical areasand engages both central and provincialmanagers in developing their management andleadership skills to focus on health results and

accountability. The Tech-Serve ManagementSupport for Provinces (MSP) initiative worksdirectly with provincial health directors and theirteams to effectively articulate their healthpriorities and strategies to address health needs,to plan and implement the strategies, and tomonitor their activities. The five year USAID-funded project initially worked in 13 provinces,and was recently expanded to work in an

additional 11 provinces.Child SurvivalThe USAID Afghanistan Mission enlisted theBasic Support for Institutionalizing Child Survival(BASICS) project in 2007 to strengthen the childhealth component of the national health caresystem. Among the projects accomplishmentsare the introduction of community-basedinstruction in essential neonatal care and growthmonitoring; the addition of integratedmanagement of childhood illness (IMCI) trainingto the community health worker (CHW)curriculum; and the identification of necessaryimprovements at hospitals, including emergencytriage.Tuberculosis ControlThe Tuberculosis Control Assistance Program(TB CAP, 2005-10) aims to decrease morbidityand mortality by increasing case detection andtreatment success of pulmonary TB patients. Asone of eight partners, MSH leads efforts with the

U.S. ContactAlain Joyal

Director, Country Programs784 Memorial Drive

Cambridge, MA 02140(617) 250-9500

[email protected]

Field ContactDr. Mubarakshah Mubarak

MSH Afghanistan Country Representative#24 Darulaman Road

Ayub Khan MenaKabul, Afghanistan

+93 799 410 [email protected]

Websitewww.msh.org


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Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) in Afghanistanto control TB in an insecure environment. Byworking through an extensive network of

community health workers, the project hasimproved case detection and treatmentsignificantly. MSH supports community-baseddirectly observed treatment, short-course(DOTS) in 24 provinces, helping to improve theimpressive 89 percent treatment success rate.Pharmaceutical SystemsThe Strengthening Pharmaceutical Systems(SPS) Program (2007-12) builds on the workinitiated under previous MSH projects inincreasing Afghanistans ability to managepharmaceuticals. The SPS Program works withAfghan partners to establish and maintain atransparent procurement system; increase theavailability to safe, effective, and affordablepharmaceuticals; and ensure the quality ofpharmaceuticals, particularly in the privatesector.Access to Health Information and ProductsThe Communication for Behavior Change:Expanding Access to Private Sector HealthProducts and Services in Afghanistan (COMPRI-A) Project increases Afghans access to healthinformation and products by strengtheningprivate sector capacity through a comprehensive

and integrated social marketing program. MSH,as subcontractor to Futures Group, leads thepolicy and public-private collaborationcomponents of the project, and led communitymobilization through September 2010.Global Fund SupportThe USAID-funded Grant ManagementSolutions (GMS) Project works with the CountryCoordinating Mechanism (CCM) in Afghanistanto ensure that it conforms with Global Fundcriteria and to undertake any reforms that mightbe needed. With the CCM, GMS will c

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