CRS History in Afghanistan

Catholic Relief Services began working in Afghanistan in 1998, supporting local organizations through the international Caritas Network. Shortly after September 11, 2001, CRS opened offices in Kabul, Kandahar and Herat with suboffices in the districts of Herat and Ghor provinces. Initial CRS efforts focused on delivering food and shelter, and providing vocational training and materials to returning refugees and the poor who had suffered severely from drought, oppression and war.

In 2002, CRS focused our efforts on supporting communities by building water systems and roads, training community-development councils, and providing primary education for girls and boys. At the same time, CRS collaborated with the University of Massachusetts to develop gender-sensitive accelerated-learning and teacher-training programs in rural areas.

Over time, CRS has transitioned its emergency efforts to rehabilitation, helping people rebuild their homes and farms and establish basic livelihoods. Working with Afghan communities, CRS supports cash-for-work programs that allow people to earn money by rebuilding neglected and war-damaged infrastructure, such as irrigation canals and roads. CRS also helps people who lived as refugees in Pakistan or other countries to resettle safely and to rebuild their lives within their communities.

With current field offices in Kabul, Herat, Ghor, and a new program in Bamiyan, CRS is now engaged in the long-term development phase of programming that will help families strengthen their means for self-sufficiency and establish an overall improved quality of life. These programs provide access to education, clean water, health and sound livelihoods for Afghans living in the most remote parts of the country.

Afghanistan is a new, emerging civil society. The presence of vibrant, effective nongovernmental organizations to orchestrate this renewal is limited, as are the capacities and skills of those in existence. But, this is growing. CRS considers partnership with local organizations an essential part of our progress in Afghanistan, and works to bolster the ability of these organizations to effectively serve the people of Afghanistan for years to come.