About us
Youth Assembly for Afghanistan Rehabilitation (YAAR) is a Non- Governmental, Non-Profitable and Non-Political organization established in 1994 in Afghanistan with the aim to put its efforts in the rehabilitation and development of Afghanistan.
YAAR works in partnership with communities, humanitarian and development organizations through a participatory approach for the marginalized communities with special focus on women, children and youth in Afghanistan.
YAAR interventions mainly focus on achievements in program areas including Protection, WASH, Education, Health, Irrigation and Disaster Management.
Since its inception, the organization has made all possible attempts to reach the most disadvantaged, marginalized and vulnerable communities facing man made or natural disasters. YAAR has collaborated with like- minded humanitarian organizations and community-based organizations (CBOs) to identify the pressing needs of societies vulnerable for humanitarian assistance.
With the aim of “developing societies where the citizens live together in peace and harmony”, YAAR has continuously focused on interventions that contributed to more productive and sustainable livelihoods, food security, peace building, social cohesion and basic education etc.
We place communities at the center of our activities as we believe that only through strong communities the vulnerable segment of population can feed itself, educate, care for and protect its children, promote the economic wellbeing of people and live in peace.
Since 1994, YAAR has successfully implemented various small, medium and large-scale relief and development projects and has helped communities with thousands of tons of wheat and food packages among vulnerable people in Afghanistan.
YAAR Objectives:
1. To enhance cooperation and people to people diplomacy among various communities especially among youth for peace and harmony.
2. To network and coordinate with NGOs, CSOs and donor agencies for sustainable gender sensitive development in the areas of water supply & sanitation, Education, Health & nutrition and shelter with special focus on women, children and youth.
3. To promote and create economic and recreational opportunities for youth through skills development trainings.
4. To promote gender sensitivity by implementing women – oriented projects.
Mission Statement:
“To facilitate an enabling environment for enhancing peace, harmony, poverty reduction and mobilizing communities towards rehabilitation and sustainable development”.
Program Priorities
Water & Sanitation (WASH):
YAAR has been actively involved in the provision of quality WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) in the remote areas of Afghanistan in the provinces of Kabul, Laghman, Nangarhar, Nooristan, Kunar and Parwan funded by UNHCR, UNICEF and Relief International (RI).
YAAR has worked in urban and rural communities to ensure the accessibilities of water supply and sanitation facilities to the needy people. YAAR has constructed and rehabilitated reliable supply of water like hand pumps and dug wells in these provinces.
Education:
The YAAR Involvement in the education sector is not confined only to the construction of educational institutions but also provision of primary, vocational and civic education opportunities to the rural communities in Afghanistan, especially for women, youth and other deprived segment of population in Kabul, Kunar and Nangarhar provinces.
For the purpose of promoting education and literacy in Afghanistan, YAAR has established Qalam Educational, Social and Cultural Center in 2009. Qalam is aimed to promote the knowledge and skills of young generation to provide necessary support to local socio-economic initiatives and democratic processes and pave the way for the youth to integrate in the mainstream society by earning a respectable livelihood and put its efforts in the rehabilitation and development of Afghanistan.
YAAR has implemented various projects in these provinces that were funded by UNHCR, UNOPS and Relief International (RI) and the Embassy of Japan in Afghanistan.
Humanitarian Assistance/Emergency Relief:
Since its establishment in 1994, YAAR has been actively involved in the provision of humanitarian assistance and also provision of emergency relief to the needy people of Afghanistan wither its man-made or natural disasters. In this regard YAAR has implemented over 26 projects in various provinces like in Bamyan, Kabul, Kapisa, Laghman, Logar, Nangarhar, Parwan Paktia & Paktika that were funded by multiple donors like UNWFP, Relief International (RI), International Rescue Committee (IRC) & PRTs. Besides that, YAAR has also conducted basic line surveys of Afghan Returnees/Internal Displaced People (IDPs) in the Central & Eastern and Eastern regions of Afghanistan for record the number and urgent needs of the people to ensure provision of timely relief and assistance to them. It Is worthy to mention that YAAR tackles these activities with the intention of long term development requirements and bridging the gap between the relief and development activities after the crisis is abated.
Rehabilitation & Construction of Road infrastructure:
Since its establishment, YAAR has been focused on rehabilitation and construction of roads infrastructure to boost the economic development and provide ease of access to the rural population of Afghanistan. The roads and highways have been severely damaged/destroyed during the wars and people need access to markets and cities especially the farmers to transport their agricultural goods and outputs to cities. YAAR has implemented many projects in the provinces of Laghman, Kabul, Kunar, Nangarhar and Nooristan those were funded by MRRD, UNDP, UNOPS, UNWFP and Embassy of Japan.
Raising Public Awareness/Civic Education
YAAR has been specifically involved in raising public awareness on life-saving and strategic issues. YAAR considered awareness raising the most important way for the people to understand, analyze, adopt and practice democratic processes in order to initiate, develop and sustain development outcomes. Raising public awareness ensures community support for mitigating emerging disasters and improving local family livelihoods. YAAR will mainly focus on promoting public awareness on; 1) negative consequences of corruption; 2) strengthening democratic processes, accountability and transparency; 3) improved public service delivery; and 4) civic education.
Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation:
YAAR has been supporting communities thorough its agriculture, live stock and irrigation program by implementing various projects for rehabilitation of agricultural lands, water channels, deg-wells and educating families about modern agricultural techniques. YAAR has also provided trainings and livestock to families in order to enable them to be economically empowered. We have worked with the communities to help them adopt modern agriculture methods and necessary trainings for skills development to enable them to make money for their basic needs.
YAAR has implemented multiple projects in Agriculture and Irrigation sectors in Laghman, Kunar, Nangarhar, Nooristan and Ghazni provinces funded by FAO, IRC UNHCR, UNOPS, UNWFP, Relief International & Embassy of Japan.