Afghanistan

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CARE's work in Afghanistan

CARE worked in Afghanistan from 1961 to 1979, suspending activities after the Russian invasion. We then delivered cross-border assistance from Pakistan from 1989 to 2002, when we reopened an office in Kabul. Today, we help vulnerable and marginalised Afghans have a say in the decisions that affect their lives. We are recognised as a leader in community-based education, particularly for girls. Our programmes centre around education, women’s social and economic empowerment, rural development and emergency response. We strive to strengthen self-reliance and promote basic human rights, good governance and social, economic and gender equality.

Girls’ education

Years of conflict, poverty and gender inequality has made going to school difficult and often dangerous for girls in Afghanistan.

We establish our ‘community-based education’ classes right in the heart of the communities so girls don’t have to walk long distances, and we work with communities to ensure they are fully involved in setting up and running the classrooms. Since 1994, CARE’s community-based education programme in Afghanistan has helped 120,000 students, 66% of whom are girls. CARE Afghanistan currently supports more than 20,000 children in 750 community-based education classes.