ACRU delivers life-saving emergency food, non-food items, and cash transfers to the most vulnerable Afghan households affected by conflict, drought, and economic crisis — working as a trusted implementing partner of WFP, UNHCR, and international humanitarian organizations.
Afghanistan faces one of the world's most severe and protracted humanitarian crises. Decades of conflict, recurring drought, mass displacement, and economic collapse have created a situation where millions of Afghans require emergency humanitarian assistance simply to survive. ACRU's Emergency Humanitarian Response Program is the organization's most critical and time-sensitive program — delivering life-saving food, non-food items (NFIs), and cash transfers to the most vulnerable Afghan households with speed, dignity, and verified accountability.
Working as an implementing partner of the World Food Programme (WFP), ACRU distributes food assistance to households facing acute food insecurity. Food packages typically include WFP Fortified Blended Food (FBF), wheat flour, vegetable oil, and pulses — providing a minimum caloric intake for families over a defined distribution period. ACRU conducts systematic beneficiary registration, household vulnerability assessments, and post-distribution monitoring to verify that assistance reaches its intended recipients and that quantities distributed are correct.
ACRU has implemented WFP food assistance programs in Logar Province (Mohammad Agha, Pule Alam, Baraki Barak, and Khoshi districts), Herat Province, and Paktika Province. Our Logar Province FLA (Field Level Agreement) programs have included food distribution alongside labor-intensive works — canal cleaning and protection wall construction — that provide communities with both immediate cash income and lasting infrastructure assets.
During acute crises — sudden displacement, winter emergencies, natural disasters — families require not just food but essential household items to survive with dignity. ACRU distributes pre-packaged NFI kits assembled in accordance with UNHCR and Sphere standards. A standard ACRU emergency NFI package typically includes: winter blankets (2–4 per family), plastic sheeting for shelter, cooking sets (pots, plates, utensils), hygiene kits (soap, detergent, feminine hygiene items), and jerrycans for water storage.
NFI distributions are coordinated with UNHCR, CARE International, and the Afghan government's Department of Refugees and Repatriation (DoRR) to ensure geographic and beneficiary coordination and avoid duplication. ACRU has implemented NFI programs for returnee populations in Logar Province and for drought and flood-affected communities in Herat and Paktika provinces.
Where local markets are functioning, cash transfers to vulnerable households are often more efficient and dignified than in-kind distributions. Cash allows families to purchase what they most need — whether food, medicine, school supplies, or household items — while supporting local market systems. ACRU implements unconditional cash transfers and food voucher programs in areas where market assessments confirm adequate food availability and price stability.
The quality of humanitarian assistance depends critically on targeting — ensuring that assistance reaches those who genuinely need it most, rather than those with the most social connections or political influence. ACRU uses a rigorous community-based targeting process: community shuras nominate households; ACRU staff conduct independent household verification visits; a vulnerability scoring system assesses household food security, income, displacement status, disability, female headship, and number of dependents; and final beneficiary lists are verified by ACRU management and shared transparently with community leaders.
ACRU conducts post-distribution monitoring (PDM) surveys after every major distribution to verify: that assistance was received in full; that assistance met quality standards; that distribution processes were conducted with dignity and without discrimination; and to identify any problems or complaints for immediate follow-up. PDM data is shared with donors in regular program reports and informs ongoing program design improvements.
ACRU has delivered emergency humanitarian response programs in: Logar Province (Mohammad Agha, Pule Alam, Baraki Barak, Khoshi districts), Herat Province (Enjeel, Ghoryan, Injeel districts), Paktika Province (Waza Khowa district), Nangarhar Province, Khost Province, and Kabul Province. Our network of 6 offices — Kabul, Herat, Paktia/Gardez, Nangarhar/Jalalabad, Khost, and Logar — enables rapid deployment to any of these areas within 24–48 hours.
The scale of humanitarian need in Afghanistan is almost incomprehensible. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), approximately 23.7 million Afghans — more than half the population — need humanitarian assistance in 2024. The WFP estimates that 28.8 million Afghans face acute food insecurity. Six million are on the brink of famine. Three and a half million are internally displaced. These are not abstract statistics — they represent real families, real children, real human beings facing starvation and preventable death.
In this context, ACRU's emergency response programs are literally life-saving. Every food distribution that reaches a hungry family prevents a child from dying of malnutrition. Every NFI package that reaches a displaced family prevents hypothermia in an Afghan winter. Every cash transfer that reaches a female-headed household prevents a desperate family from resorting to harmful coping mechanisms — child marriage, child labor, or selling household assets that can never be recovered.
ACRU maintains zero tolerance for fraud, diversion, or corruption in humanitarian assistance. We implement robust financial controls, independent verification, and complaint and feedback mechanisms to ensure that every item distributed reaches its intended beneficiary. Our track record with WFP, UNHCR, CARE, and PWJ/JPF reflects years of clean audits and successful program implementation.
ACRU has implemented emergency humanitarian response programs funded by: World Food Programme (WFP) — multiple Field Level Agreements for food assistance and labor-intensive works in Logar Province, totaling over $430,000; Peace Winds Japan / Japan Platform (PWJ/JPF) — emergency humanitarian assistance in Herat Province ($377,716) and Logar Province ($163,734); ECHO/CARE/WFP — food assistance (FATTA) in Paktika Province ($92,062 plus 350MT food); UNHCR — distribution monitoring and verification in Paktika Province ($58,150 across two programs); and Canada Fund/CARE — various emergency assistance programs.
Key completed emergency humanitarian projects include: WFP Field Level Agreement (FLA) Asset Creation in Azar District, Logar ($202,505); PWJ/JPF Emergency Humanitarian Assistance for drought-affected communities in Enjeel and Ghoryan Districts, Herat ($377,716); PWJ/JPF Emergency Humanitarian Assistance for returnees in M.Agha, Pule Alam, and Khoshi Districts, Logar ($163,734); WFP FLA Protection Wall and Canal Cleaning, M.Agha and Azar Districts, Logar ($107,850 plus 566.55MT food); WFP FLA Protection Wall and Canal Cleaning, M.Agha District, Logar ($64,616 plus 373.05MT food); ECHO/CARE/WFP FATTA Food Assistance, Waza Khowa District, Paktika ($92,062 plus 350MT food); WFP FLA Baraki Barak, Logar ($57,687).
Food, NFI, and cash transfers to crisis-affected communities.
Skills training and literacy for economic empowerment.
Clean water, sanitation, and hygiene education.
Irrigation, farming support, and food security.