The Afghan Community Rehabilitation Unit — a trusted humanitarian NGO serving Afghanistan's most vulnerable communities since 1991 with integrity, accountability, and compassion.
The Afghan Community Rehabilitation Unit (ACRU) was established in 1991 during one of the most turbulent periods in Afghanistan's history — the collapse of the Soviet-backed government and the beginning of a prolonged civil war. From its founding, ACRU was committed to one principle above all others: that Afghan communities deserve assistance, dignity, and the tools to rebuild their own lives, regardless of who holds political power.
Over more than three decades, ACRU has operated continuously in Afghanistan through the civil war of the 1990s, the Taliban's first period of governance from 1996–2001, the post-2001 reconstruction period, and the dramatically changed political landscape that has emerged since 2021. Through each transition, ACRU has maintained its core commitment to non-political, humanitarian principles — serving communities based on need, not politics.
ACRU is formally registered with Afghanistan's Ministry of Economy under Registration Number 233, granted on December 14, 2005. We are additionally registered with the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation (MoRR) under Registration Number 158, granted September 4, 2018. Our DUNS number is 851741797, verifying our standing with the U.S. Federal Government and international financial institutions. We are members of the Afghanistan NGO Coordination Bureau (ANCB), the Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR), CIVICUS International, IVETA-ECO, and hold registration with the U.S. FDA.
ACRU implements programs through a combination of directly managed projects and community partnership arrangements. We employ 32 staff — 12 technical professionals, 12 administrative staff, and 8 support staff — across our Kabul headquarters and five regional offices. Our field staff include engineers, program coordinators, monitoring and evaluation officers, advocacy managers, and community liaison staff.
We work in close coordination with international donors and UN agencies while maintaining strict independence from political parties, armed groups, and factional interests. All ACRU programs are guided by humanitarian principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence. We select beneficiaries based solely on need and vulnerability, using systematic community-based targeting processes verified through our Monitoring and Evaluation system.
Unlike organizations that parachute in during crises and leave, ACRU has been continuously present in Afghanistan for 33 years. Our staff are Afghans who live in the communities they serve. Our institutional knowledge of Afghanistan's political geography, cultural norms, tribal structures, and community dynamics is unmatched. We build trust over years and decades — trust that allows us to reach communities that international organizations cannot access.
ACRU serves communities across 11 Afghan provinces: Kabul, Logar, Herat, Kapisa, Ghazni, Khost, Paktia, Paktika, Bamyan, Ghor, and Badakhshan. This geographic footprint spans Afghanistan's diverse regions — from the Pashtun heartlands of the south and east to the Hazara and Tajik communities of the central highlands and north, and the Persian-speaking communities of the west. This diversity of engagement reflects our commitment to serving all Afghans regardless of ethnicity, language, or sect.
| Founded | 1991 |
| Type | Non-governmental, non-profit |
| HQ | H26, St5 Silo, D3, Kabul |
| Phone | +93 76 468 4032 |
| info@acru.ngo | |
| Staff | 32 (12 Tech, 12 Admin, 8 Support) |
| Provinces | 11 |
| Offices | 6 (incl. 5 regional) |
| MoE Reg. | #233 (Dec 14, 2005) |
ACRU aims to contribute to creating a peaceful and developed civil society in Afghanistan, characterized by ample opportunities for human development and economic growth, within a conducive environment where every Afghan citizen can live with dignity, exercise their rights, and fulfill their potential.
To provide assistance and empowerment to economically disadvantaged communities in Afghanistan with a focus on sustainable development, implementing integrated approaches through publicly utilized projects aimed at empowering impoverished communities in targeted areas — with particular attention to women, children, displaced persons, and other vulnerable groups.
ACRU's integrated approach recognizes that poverty, hunger, poor health, lack of education, and social exclusion are not separate problems — they are interconnected dimensions of the same crisis.
ACRU holds all required registrations with Afghan government authorities and international bodies, confirming our legal standing to operate humanitarian programs in Afghanistan.
Registration #233
December 14, 2005
Registration #158
September 4, 2018
851741797
US Federal Verified
Afghanistan NGO
Coordination Bureau
Agency Coordinating Body
for Afghan Relief
Global Civil Society
Network Member
International Vocational
Education & Training
United States Food &
Drug Administration
Zambaq Square, Kabul
Swift: AZBAAFKA
ACRU is governed by a five-member Board of Directors drawn from Afghanistan's civil society, with deep expertise in humanitarian operations, community development, and organizational management.
Afghanistan NGO Coordination Bureau — national coordination body for Afghan NGOs, facilitating information sharing, advocacy, and donor relations.
Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief — coordination body for international and national NGOs operating in Afghanistan.
International civil society network connecting organizations worldwide committed to strengthening citizen action.
International Vocational Education and Training Association — ECO regional network supporting vocational training development.
ACRU welcomes partnerships with donors, UN agencies, international NGOs, government ministries, and community organizations committed to humanitarian principles.