Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (CHA)

Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (CHA), established in 1987 by a team of Afghan volunteers, is a non-profit organization registered with the Ministry of Economy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. CHA was started with the aim of providing emergency aid to Afghan war victims. However, the thematic foci of the organization has shifted over the years to include: promotion of health, nutrition and environmental health; development of education, cultural affairs and vocational trainings; development of agriculture, livestock, water and natural resources; community development and social protection; disaster reduction and responding to emergencies; and gender mainstreaming. The organization envisions to work as an effective reliable, innovative and a pioneer organization in the field of community development and reduction of vulnerability with its organizational mission being to empower individuals and communities, in joint efforts with social and civic institutions and the private sector. CHA’s main target groups are lower class rural communities across 73 districts in Afghanistan with a distinct focus on vulnerable populations and in particular, women, children and persons with disabilities. It has 15 provincial field offices across the country supported by 25 district offices in Kabul, Panjsher, Jawzjan, Herat, Kandahar, Parwan, Balkh, Sar-e-pul, Farah, Ghor, Kapisa, Samangan, Faryab, Helmand and Nangarhar provinces of Afghanistan. History CHA established by a team of educated and experienced Afghan volunteers on 1987. CHA has initially played an important role in providing emergency assistance and in delivering basic services in health, agriculture, education and infrastructure rehabilitation across its coverage areas. CHA is now one of the largest national NGOs with over 2100 employees and is acknowledged as one of the most relevant organizations for humanitarian assistance and social development in the country. CHA, as a leading Afghan national NGO, feels that operating only as a humanitarian service provider will not be enough to address civil society obligations. We believe that without involving the community and giving them ownership of their country at large and their village in particular it would be difficult to expect development to be possible and, more importantly, sustainable. CHA works with the communities to enable them and involve them in needs assessments, prioritization, communication and decision making skills, supervision and implementation of projects, and record keeping. We believe this is the most appropriate way to go about sustainable progress for development. To do so it is important to improve their capacity step by step and work with them continuously. CHA as a national NGO with more than two decades of experience in Afghanistan has the potency to change for further development of the organization to address the changing needs of the targeted communities. This is why in 2004 and as well in 2009 it reviewed its vision, mission and values, attempting to align them with current political changes, challenges and the new context. CHA continued thinking about how to work strategically to be more efficient and effective and to address community and civil society requirements in the complex Afghanistan context. In 2005, CHA has completed a major review of its policies and procedures. Consequently, comprehensive policies and procedures have been developed for Human Resource Management (HRM) , finance, admin, gender, procurement, etc. The HRM policy draws on best practice in contemporary management systems while addressing key challenges facing Afghan NGOs including staff retention, training and development and the employment of women. Projects on: - Agriculture: Livestock & Natural Resource - Health: Nutrition & Environment - Disaster Response & Risk Reduction - Gender Mainstreaming - Community Development