Faryab March 1st, 2018

- for unique transparency, effectiveness and quality

DACAAR has been awarded the best and most efficient organisation in Faryab Province by Governor Homayun 'Fawzi' at his office on 27th of February 2018.

Amajor meeting was held with the heads of different governmental departments, directorates, NGOs and UN in Afghanistan with the purpose of highlighting and appreciating the effective development actors offering their best quality of work in Faryab Province over the past years.

Best work

“It is a pleasure to inform you that amongst all NGOs in Faryab, DACAAR was honoured with the award. We received special thanks and appreciation from the Governor and other high ranking governmental officials for the best work and unique transparency,“ says DACAAR Engineer Salahuddin Safi.

He received the award along with Safety Officer Abdul WaliKakaron behalf of DACAAR.

“We ensured the Governor and the other participants of DACAAR’scontinued commitment to the people of Faryab and that we will do our best to help the residents improve their lives at a time when many suffer from insecurity and poverty,”Engineer Salahuddin Safi adds.

Team effort

DACAAR Director John Morse is encouraged by the news from Faryab:

“I am thankful and honoured to represent DACAAR and pass on my appreciation for the hard work and excellent team effort by the staff members of our Faryab office.”

Currently, Faryab has approximately 2 million inhabitants and is considered one of the poorest provinces of Afghanistan, a deprived area with limited infrastructure, services and employment opportunities. Therefore, the province has been significant for DACAAR’s work over the last ten years.

“Together with our donors and partners, we’ll keep momentum to continue our much-needed help,” John Morse points out.

Positive review

The award follows a very positive reviewcommissioned by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs funding the rural development project in Faryab.

The final reportcovering the period 2013-16 states that:“DACAAR has proved to be a reliable and competent provider of basic social services in areas of Afghanistan where interventions have been difficult. In Faryab DACAAR’s performance has been outstanding.”

According to the final report released in January 2018, the project has reached out to a large number of beneficiaries, actually more than anticipated, with a gender split largely well balanced.

The project has “made significant strides towards the implementation of agreed plans and achievement of targets.”

Health, living conditions and household incomes have all been improved.Revenues from the sale of agricultural produce have increased by 90%. There is evidence that all the beneficiaries under the project Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) now use safe drinking water. The average time for collecting safe drinking water from shared hand-pumps has decreased from 28 to 10 minutes.

Small-scale irrigation systems have been a success, so has the introduction of improved breeds of milk cows and artificial insemination.An important innovation is the promotion of saffron, and the membership of the Producers’ Associations is growing, and 10% are women.

Difficult environment

The review underlines that “under difficult circumstances the project has been able to deliver on its activities and goals.”

Faryab is a very conservative society, and furthermore, security has deteriorated over recent years with several NGOs having withdrawn from the province.

There are shortcomings in the project enlisted in the review, for instance; the achievements of the Women’s Resource Centres being less than anticipated.

The review calls for data on sustainability when it comes to maintenance of water points. There is also lack of information as to whether the targeted increase in agricultural and livestock production has been reached and on lasting impacts of vulnerable persons receiving vocational training with the aim of establishing own businesses.

But altogether, a review to be very proud of for DACAAR.

Facts about DACAAR’s work in Faryab
The programme aims to improve health, livelihoods and quality of life on a sustainable basis amongst targeted Faryab communities. This will be achieved through:

- Durable access to safe water and improved hygiene and sanitation behavior change
- Improved and sustainable increase in agricultural and livestock production for male and female farmers
- Improved and sustainable business and employment opportunities for unemployed youth and male and female farmers
- Improved and sustainable social and economic opportunities for vulnerable women.

Facts about DACAAR

DACAAR is an apolitical, non-governmental, non-profit humanitarian and developmental organisation.
DACAAR aims to improve the livelihoods of vulnerable Afghans through sustainable activities that encourage Afghan communities to invest in their own development process.
DACAAR works with internally displaced persons, recent returnees, refugees, and vulnerable host communities.
We integrateemergency relief, humanitarian, early recovery and developmental interventions within the sectors of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Natural Resources Management, Small Scale Enterprise Development and Women’s Empowerment.
DACAAR is also a facilitating partner in the Afghan Government’s Citizens Charter Program.