AFGHANISTAN

Key executives

Usha Somasundaram, Executive Director
Amir Ahmad Safawi, Deputy Executive Director

Background

Hand in Hand Afghanistan is based in Mazar-e-Sharif with a liaison office in Kabul. It started work following a request from HE President Hamid Karzai to Percy Barnevik in 2006, and have adapted the Tamil Nadu self-help group model for job creation here.

In 2007, with the World Bank’s help, the Afghanistan Rural Enterprise Development Programme (AREDP) was officially launched by President Karzai. This aims to create more than two million jobs in at least 70% of villages in 10 years. The budget is USD 580 million. The World Bank has started preparation funding, and several countries have expressed interest.

We create pilot projects and supply practical knowhow to AREDP. Sustainability is the focus. Hand in Hand Afghanistan hires locals as far as possible, and its exit strategy is to create cluster associations of community groups, and link them and the micro-entrepreneurs to banks, private investors and service providers.

In 2007, Hand in Hand Afghanistan started a pilot in Balkh, and 3,000 beneficiaries in two districts have been mobilised into community groups and trained in group dynamics, bookkeeping, savings, and business basics. The microfinance methods that are used are Sharia-compliant. The target is 7,500 beneficiaries by end-2009, and 10,000 jobs by end-2011.

In Badakshan, an existing self-help group project is being fine-tuned with the support of AfghanAid. The aim is to create 750 new jobs by June 2009. Hand in Hand also heads a consortium working to develop small/medium enterprises here. With the help of the World Bank, a Horticulture and Livestock Programme has been started to improve the quality and output of farmers across the country. So far, 40 farmers’ groups have been mobilised, and 400 training sessions held.

The main purpose of the pilots is to help lay the foundation and get experience for the big AREDP programme.