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| 'Those involved in humanitarian work should not get involved in politics' | 'Those involved in humanitarian work should not get involved in politics' |
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| Tell us about Hand in Hand Afghanistan and your particular approach? | Tell us about Hand in Hand Afghanistan and your particular approach? |
| Hand in Hand Afghanistan was created in 2007, as part of this international network of independent Hand in Hand organisations. We are based in Kabul and now operate in seven of the country's provinces. We work with partners such as the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and the Johnson and Johnson Corporate Citizenship Trust. | Hand in Hand Afghanistan was created in 2007, as part of this international network of independent Hand in Hand organisations. We are based in Kabul and now operate in seven of the country's provinces. We work with partners such as the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and the Johnson and Johnson Corporate Citizenship Trust. |
| The aim of the Hand in Hand network is to reduce poverty through creating jobs and raising incomes. Central to achieving our aim of creating sustainable jobs is our business creation model, originally developed by Hand in Hand India. The model has four main elements: social mobilisation (which involves the creation of self-help groups), business training such as book-keeping and business development, access to credit, and value addition and market linkages, where we help increase the productivity and competitiveness of enterprises. | The aim of the Hand in Hand network is to reduce poverty through creating jobs and raising incomes. Central to achieving our aim of creating sustainable jobs is our business creation model, originally developed by Hand in Hand India. The model has four main elements: social mobilisation (which involves the creation of self-help groups), business training such as book-keeping and business development, access to credit, and value addition and market linkages, where we help increase the productivity and competitiveness of enterprises. |
| How have you adapted the Hand in Hand India model to respond to the needs of Afghanistan? | How have you adapted the Hand in Hand India model to respond to the needs of Afghanistan? |
| In India the main target of their approach is women. In Afghanistan we have decided instead to focus on rural communities and create both male and female self-help groups. This is because the demands of Afghanistan are quite different from those in India. The Indian population is very condensed, they have more access to the market and life is cheaper. In Afghanistan the rural poor are an underserved population and we face high levels of financial exclusion, lack of facilities and high illiteracy rates. Decades of war have had an impacted severely on access to education. This, coupled with conservative attitudes towards women, have led us to take a wider approach that involves all of the community and focuses on communicating our message to those in rural rather than urban areas. | In India the main target of their approach is women. In Afghanistan we have decided instead to focus on rural communities and create both male and female self-help groups. This is because the demands of Afghanistan are quite different from those in India. The Indian population is very condensed, they have more access to the market and life is cheaper. In Afghanistan the rural poor are an underserved population and we face high levels of financial exclusion, lack of facilities and high illiteracy rates. Decades of war have had an impacted severely on access to education. This, coupled with conservative attitudes towards women, have led us to take a wider approach that involves all of the community and focuses on communicating our message to those in rural rather than urban areas. |
| What strategies have you used to engage these communities? | What strategies have you used to engage these communities? |
| First of all we aim to secure the confidence of the community. We have found a successful way of doing this is to hire staff from the specific rural area; this helps to earn the trust of the people. | First of all we aim to secure the confidence of the community. We have found a successful way of doing this is to hire staff from the specific rural area; this helps to earn the trust of the people. |
| Secondly, we aim to achieve social mobilisation by communicating clearly what it is we want to achieve and why, as well as how people can be involved. | Secondly, we aim to achieve social mobilisation by communicating clearly what it is we want to achieve and why, as well as how people can be involved. |
| Thirdly, we have recognised that we need to adapt to the cultural context: we are sensitive to religious and cultural behaviours and practices. We have seen success from this approach as more and more communities are allowing women to be empowered and save and use their money independently. | Thirdly, we have recognised that we need to adapt to the cultural context: we are sensitive to religious and cultural behaviours and practices. We have seen success from this approach as more and more communities are allowing women to be empowered and save and use their money independently. |
| How have you approached the challenge of working in a conflict zone? | How have you approached the challenge of working in a conflict zone? |
| Security has been a big challenge for us as it makes travelling to and between rural areas costly and risky. However, conflict needn't prevent development work. My advice for professionals working in this environment would be to stay impartial. Those involved in humanitarian work should not get involved in politics – all poor communities deserve to be helped. My experience has shown me that before, during and after conflict the NGOs always keep working. | Security has been a big challenge for us as it makes travelling to and between rural areas costly and risky. However, conflict needn't prevent development work. My advice for professionals working in this environment would be to stay impartial. Those involved in humanitarian work should not get involved in politics – all poor communities deserve to be helped. My experience has shown me that before, during and after conflict the NGOs always keep working. |
| However, NGOs have suffered because a lot of the security forces are also getting involved in humanitarian work. This makes it difficult to differentiate between NGOs and other targets and so sometimes they are targeted. The key thing is to maintain a good relationship with the community – if this is there then NGOs can work in very unstable conditions. Unemployment is also a key reason for people fighting, so we see our job creation as having a positive impact on security. | However, NGOs have suffered because a lot of the security forces are also getting involved in humanitarian work. This makes it difficult to differentiate between NGOs and other targets and so sometimes they are targeted. The key thing is to maintain a good relationship with the community – if this is there then NGOs can work in very unstable conditions. Unemployment is also a key reason for people fighting, so we see our job creation as having a positive impact on security. |
| What is your vision for your organisation? | What is your vision for your organisation? |
| My long-term vision is to reduce poverty by creating jobs. So far we have mobilised 13,000 people and created 700 self-help groups. However, by 2015 we aim to have provided assistance to 30,000 people and have created 35,000 jobs. | My long-term vision is to reduce poverty by creating jobs. So far we have mobilised 13,000 people and created 700 self-help groups. However, by 2015 we aim to have provided assistance to 30,000 people and have created 35,000 jobs. |
| Creating sustainable jobs cannot be done by Hand in Hand alone. The government, private sector, NGOs and foundations should all work together towards the MDGs. We all need to empower communities and mentor them into the market. Savings and credit will be central to this: we want not only to create jobs for people but to get them to the stage of being job creators themselves. | Creating sustainable jobs cannot be done by Hand in Hand alone. The government, private sector, NGOs and foundations should all work together towards the MDGs. We all need to empower communities and mentor them into the market. Savings and credit will be central to this: we want not only to create jobs for people but to get them to the stage of being job creators themselves. |
| Hand in Hand recognises that Afghanistan will fail to meet any of its MDG targets. Do you feel hopeful about the future of development in Afghanistan? | Hand in Hand recognises that Afghanistan will fail to meet any of its MDG targets. Do you feel hopeful about the future of development in Afghanistan? |
| The future of development in Afghanistan will depend a great deal on conflict and the disruption it will cause to funding. However, despite these problems there has been a great deal of progress in certain areas of development in Afghanistan over the last 10 years. We are, for example, seeing many more people in education. As a result of rising incomes we are also seeing the emergence of private markets in education and healthcare. | The future of development in Afghanistan will depend a great deal on conflict and the disruption it will cause to funding. However, despite these problems there has been a great deal of progress in certain areas of development in Afghanistan over the last 10 years. We are, for example, seeing many more people in education. As a result of rising incomes we are also seeing the emergence of private markets in education and healthcare. |
| You've worked for 20 years in the development sector. What would you say makes a good leader? | You've worked for 20 years in the development sector. What would you say makes a good leader? |
| Firstly, you must be with the poor not just for the poor. A good leader should really be able to relate to – and live with – the community they serve. I migrated to Pakistan in 1981 and experienced the types of difficulties refugees and the poor face. I was lucky, and managed to work with the NGOs helping these communities, but I still empathise with the pain of the victims of war and poverty. | Firstly, you must be with the poor not just for the poor. A good leader should really be able to relate to – and live with – the community they serve. I migrated to Pakistan in 1981 and experienced the types of difficulties refugees and the poor face. I was lucky, and managed to work with the NGOs helping these communities, but I still empathise with the pain of the victims of war and poverty. |
| Secondly, a good leader educates their community. Needs and demands must come from the community, not be imposed upon them. You must explain your approach and aims clearly and allow them to make decisions themselves. A good leader empowers their community. | Secondly, a good leader educates their community. Needs and demands must come from the community, not be imposed upon them. You must explain your approach and aims clearly and allow them to make decisions themselves. A good leader empowers their community. |
| Thirdly, while a leader should have their own vision, they should not be afraid to learn from others. It is important to identify and replicate the good practices of others. Sometimes it is not wise to reinvent the wheel: instead we should adapt ingenuity to respond to our own context. | Thirdly, while a leader should have their own vision, they should not be afraid to learn from others. It is important to identify and replicate the good practices of others. Sometimes it is not wise to reinvent the wheel: instead we should adapt ingenuity to respond to our own context. |
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