Completed Projects

This WFP Field Level Agreement (FLA) implemented an integrated asset creation program in Azar District, Logar Province. The program combined labor-intensive infrastructure works with food-for-work wages, providing both immediate food security assistance and lasting community assets. Key achievements included: construction of a 300-meter flood protection wall, a 22-meter super passage, and 10 cut-off walls to protect agricultural land from seasonal flooding; cleaning and rehabilitation of 52 kilometers of irrigation canals, restoring water flow to hundreds of hectares of farmland; and distribution of WFP food rations as wages to participating community laborers, directly improving household food security. The program employed hundreds of community workers, injecting cash and food into the local economy while building infrastructure that will benefit the community for decades.

This PWJ/JPF-funded emergency humanitarian assistance program responded to the devastating drought conditions affecting communities in Enjeel and Ghoryan Districts of Herat Province. The drought had eliminated crop production for multiple consecutive seasons, depleted livestock herds, and pushed thousands of farming families into acute food insecurity. The program delivered comprehensive emergency assistance including emergency food packages, non-food item (NFI) kits containing blankets, kitchen sets, and hygiene supplies, and unconditional cash transfers to the most vulnerable households including widows, female-headed households, persons with disabilities, and families with severely malnourished children. Post-distribution monitoring confirmed that assistance reached intended beneficiaries and met Sphere standards. The program reached thousands of households across both districts, providing a critical safety net during the most acute phase of the drought emergency.

The Vocational Training for Afghan Women Project (VTAWP) is ACRU's flagship achievement and one of the largest single women's economic empowerment investments in Afghanistan during its implementation period. With a total project value of $1,014,183 — over $1 million — VTAWP delivered comprehensive vocational training across four districts of Kabul City targeting low-income and displaced women. Training courses offered included: House Wiring (electrical installation) — teaching domestic electrical systems, circuit design, and safety standards; Mobile Phone Repair — comprehensive smartphone and feature phone diagnosis and repair; Plumbing and Sanitation — water system installation, drainage, and sanitation facility construction; Computer Literacy and IT — MS Office, internet, email, and basic accounting; Business Management — planning, financial management, marketing, and customer service. All courses included theoretical instruction, hands-on practical training using real equipment and materials, and a final certification assessment. Job placement services were provided to all graduates, with ACRU maintaining active employer relationships to facilitate employment. Women who completed VTAWP reported significant increases in household income, improved confidence and social status, and greater ability to support their children's education and healthcare needs. The program has been recognized by international partners as a model for women's economic empowerment programming in Afghanistan.

This PWJ/JPF-funded program targeted returning Afghan refugee families arriving in Logar Province from Pakistan and Iran, as well as internally displaced families in Mohammad Agha, Pule Alam, and Khoshi Districts. Returnees arrived with few resources — many had been forcibly deported and arrived without assets, social networks, or housing. The program delivered emergency food assistance to cover household nutritional needs during the critical initial resettlement period; comprehensive NFI packages including winter blankets (particularly critical given the timing), kitchen sets, hygiene kits, and plastic sheeting for shelter reinforcement; and cash assistance to enable families to address their most urgent immediate needs — whether rent, medicine, or supplementary food. Beneficiary selection prioritized the most vulnerable: families with children under five, pregnant or lactating women, persons with disabilities, and households with no adult male income-earner. All distributions were conducted with post-distribution monitoring to verify delivery and assess beneficiary satisfaction.

A WFP-funded food-for-work program combining critical infrastructure construction with direct food assistance. Community laborers were engaged to clean irrigation canals and construct flood protection infrastructure, receiving WFP food rations as wages. Infrastructure deliverables included construction of a 300-meter flood protection wall in Mohammad Agha District (protecting farmland from Logar River flooding), a 22-meter super passage canal structure, 10 cut-off walls to control and redirect floodwater, and cleaning of 52 kilometers of irrigation canals restoring water flow to hundreds of hectares of agricultural land. 566.55 metric tons of WFP food commodities were distributed as wages to 24,000 household working days. The program delivered dual impact: immediate food security through food wages, and lasting agricultural productivity improvement through infrastructure that will benefit communities for decades.

Second WFP FLA program in Mohammad Agha District continuing canal cleaning and protection wall construction works, with 373.05 metric tons of WFP food distributed as wages to community laborers. This program targeted additional canal sections not covered in the preceding program, extending clean water flow to more farming families. The sequential nature of this and the preceding program demonstrates the sustained, multi-year investment that effective agricultural infrastructure rehabilitation requires.

FATTA (Food Assistance to Targeted Areas) program in Waza Khowa District, Paktika Province — one of Afghanistan's most remote and food-insecure districts. Paktika Province borders Pakistan and has experienced some of the most severe food security crises in Afghanistan, compounded by conflict, isolation, and extreme poverty. The program delivered 350 metric tons of WFP food commodities (fortified blended food, wheat flour, oil, pulses) to registered food-insecure households, reaching thousands of families during the acute crisis period. All beneficiary registration, distribution, and post-distribution monitoring was conducted by ACRU field teams operating in a challenging security environment.

UNHCR engaged ACRU to conduct independent distribution monitoring and verification of UNHCR-funded humanitarian distributions in Paktika Province. ACRU field monitors conducted post-distribution surveys with statistically representative samples of registered beneficiaries, verifying: that distributed items were received in full quantity; that item quality met agreed standards; that distribution processes were conducted with dignity and without discrimination; that no unauthorized deductions or fees were charged; and that female-headed households and other priority groups received their entitlements. ACRU produced detailed PDM reports with findings and recommendations submitted to UNHCR. This type of independent monitoring is critical for donor accountability and for identifying and correcting problems in humanitarian delivery systems.

Second UNHCR distribution monitoring program in Paktika Province, continuing the verification and accountability work from the first program. PDM findings from the first program were incorporated into improved distribution procedures for the second program, demonstrating the iterative quality improvement value of systematic monitoring. ACRU monitors covered multiple distribution sites across Paktika's remote districts, travelling under challenging conditions to ensure monitoring reached all distribution points.

Design, construction, and commissioning of a gravity-fed pipe water supply system in Ishaq Khil area of Aband District, Ghazni Province. The system collects protected spring water at elevation and distributes it via buried pipes to household-level taps and community collection points, providing safe drinking water without any pumping electricity requirement. Prior to this intervention, community members — primarily women and children — walked long distances to collect water from unprotected surface sources, exposing themselves to waterborne disease and consuming hours of productive time daily. Water quality testing before commissioning confirmed the supply meets WHO standards for drinking water quality. A community water management committee was trained in system operation and maintenance. Post-project follow-up confirmed the system is functioning as designed and maintaining water quality.

Second gravity-fed pipe water supply scheme in Ghazni Province, constructed in Mamoosh area of Zana Khan District under UNHCR/CARE funding. Similar design and construction methodology to the Ishaq Khil scheme, adapted to the specific topography and community layout of Zana Khan. The two water supply schemes together brought clean piped water to thousands of households across two districts of Ghazni Province — transforming daily life for families who had previously depended on contaminated surface water or costly water transport. Both systems included comprehensive community training on hygiene practices to maximize the health impact of improved water access.

WFP Field Level Agreement program in Baraki Barak District, Logar Province, delivering food assistance and community asset creation works. ACRU organized community labor groups to undertake labor-intensive infrastructure works — canal cleaning, road repair, and protective wall construction — with WFP food rations distributed as wages. The program addressed dual needs: immediate food insecurity through food wages, and medium-term agricultural productivity through infrastructure improvements. Baraki Barak is among Logar Province's more remote districts, and ACRU's presence there through this program extended humanitarian reach to communities not served by most organizations.