Capacity Building

At DACAAR, we believe that communities should have the skills and tools to take control of their own development process. Our vision is an Afghanistan where all communities have the ability to independently withstand periods of calamity and stress.

 

National Solidarity Program (NSP)
A central part of our capacity building focuses on our role as a facilitator of the National Solidarity Program (NSP). Created in 2003 by the Afghan government, the programme aims to address the needs of rural Afghan communities through a participatory approach. DACAAR has been involved in the establishment of democratically elected Community Development Councils (CDCs) for each village, made up of both men and women, and providing them with training in accounting, community management skills, minute taking and chairing meetings. The eventual aim is that such organisations will become local governing bodies allowing villagers to interact directly with governmental authorities and other external agencies.

In 2008 alone DACAAR worked with 1,101 Community Development Councils across seven provinces.

Vocational training and the long-term sustainability of projects
Recognising that rural communities rely on a broad range of agrarian and non-agrarian income sources in order to survive, we help build their capacities in order to diversify rural economies, at the same time as raising income levels. One such capacity building scheme is the vocational training offered in a variety of trades, including carpentry, tailoring, embroidery, and welding.Click here to meet 20-year old Lal Mohamed along with other beneficiaries of our vocational training activities.

We also work with rural women to give them the skills and confidence necessary to be active participants in communities and set up their own small businesses. Members are taught business planning and social organising, which are skills central to the day-to-day running of WRCs. This allows centres to become self-sufficient, thus ensuring their long-term sustainability. Read more about our work with Women's Resource Centres.

Moreover, we build the capacity of beneficiary communities to ensure that, when our projects are over, communities have the skills and expertise to carry on the work themselves. As an example, with every water pump we install, community based maintenance systems are established. A caretaker is identified and trained to be responsible for the functioning of the water point on a daily basis. For each 50 to 100 water points, we also train a hand pump mechanic and provide him with tools and a bicycle.


Case Study

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Women and Development

As an organisation we are highly committed to the active involvement of women in the development process. Ho...

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Hygiene Education

At DACAAR, we realise that it takes more than the provision of safe water to transform lives. Th...

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A beneficiary of one of DACAAR’s Natural Resource Management uses drip irrigation to grow crops in Faryab province. Training farmers to effectively use limited water resources is a key element of DACAAR projects to improve the livelihoods of the Afghan pe
A beneficiary of one of DACAAR’s Natural Resource Management uses drip irrigation to grow crops in Faryab province. Training farmers to effectively use limited water resources is a key element of DACAAR projects to improve the livelihoods of the Afghan pe
As part of DACAAR’s rural development activities, farmers are provided with training in Saffron growing as an alternative to opium farming. The project also trains women to be essential actors in the growing and harvesting of saffron.
As part of DACAAR’s rural development activities, farmers are provided with training in Saffron growing as an alternative to opium farming. The project also trains women to be essential actors in the growing and harvesting of saffron.
A well is being drilled in a returnee settlement in Nangarhar province as part of DACAAR’s water supply and sanitation activities. Wells provide vulnerable families with clean and easily accessible water, reducing mortality and the burden on women and chi
A well is being drilled in a returnee settlement in Nangarhar province as part of DACAAR’s water supply and sanitation activities. Wells provide vulnerable families with clean and easily accessible water, reducing mortality and the burden on women and chi
DACAAR installs hand pumps, like the one featured, in order to provide villages with safe, clean water.
DACAAR installs hand pumps, like the one featured, in order to provide villages with safe, clean water.
As part of DACAAR’s Water Supply and Sanitation activities a motorized pipe scheme and reservoir were installed to provide families in Faryab province with clean and easily accessible water.
As part of DACAAR’s Water Supply and Sanitation activities a motorized pipe scheme and reservoir were installed to provide families in Faryab province with clean and easily accessible water.
A trainer from DACAAR’s hygiene education team delivers a message about proper hygiene and sanitation practices to families in Nangarhar province as part of DACAAR’s continued effort to reduce the mortality and morbidity caused by waterborne diseases.
A trainer from DACAAR’s hygiene education team delivers a message about proper hygiene and sanitation practices to families in Nangarhar province as part of DACAAR’s continued effort to reduce the mortality and morbidity caused by waterborne diseases.
A beneficiary demonstrates his newly acquired welding skills provided through DACAAR’s rural development capacity building activities.
A beneficiary demonstrates his newly acquired welding skills provided through DACAAR’s rural development capacity building activities.
DACAAR promotes community empowerment by working directly with village councils in the implementation of all projects.
DACAAR promotes community empowerment by working directly with village councils in the implementation of all projects.
A tanker provides desperately needed water to families in a returnee settlement in Nangarhar province as part of DACAAR’s emergency response efforts.
A tanker provides desperately needed water to families in a returnee settlement in Nangarhar province as part of DACAAR’s emergency response efforts.
Women make candles to sell in the local market as part of DACAAR's vocational training activities to facilitate economic empowerment of women.
Women make candles to sell in the local market as part of DACAAR's vocational training activities to facilitate economic empowerment of women.