Who we are
Voluntary Association for Rehabilitation of Afghanistan (VARA) a humanitarian, non-profitable, non-political, non-sectarian and non-governmental organization was founded in August 1990 to participate in the process of relief, rehabilitation and developmental of the war-torn Afghanistan. The main aim of the organization is to encourage the return of afghan refugees to their homeland by providing them with every possible assistance and income generating opportunities in the field of their choice/expertise through training and capacity building as well as provision of tools / incentives.
VARA registered with (SAM) for the US Federal Government and obtained the below codes:
DUNS: 850537214
NCAGE: SZM24
NAICS Primary Code: 813410
VARA is providing assistance throughout the country with a special focus on the Southwestern Afghanistan that has suffered the most. VARA currently operates in Farah, Hilmand, Kandahar, Nimroz, Urozgan, Kabul and Zabul. The main activities are in development, skill trainings/capacity building, reconstruction and agriculture and employ approximately 600 staff mostly comprising of local and national staff with headquarters based in Kabul and Regional offices in Kandahar, Jalalabad and Herat and sub offices in Lashkargah – Helmand, Farah City – Farah, Zaranj – Nimroz, Kabul, Qalat – Zabul, Assadabad-Kunar with a site office in Tarin Kot – Urozgan. The headquarters consists of the following sub-departments: Agriculture / Veterinary, Engineering, Vocational / Skill Training; Special Department for Women Affairs and five support sections Logistics; Transportation; communication; Admin/Finance and Programme Section that all activities are implemented and supervised. The field operations are decentralized and managed through regional sub offices by regional heads which are an integral part of the management team. Regional offices also supervise a number of site offices and provide technical and administrative support.
In 1991 registered with UNOCA in October 10th, in 1992 VARA became the member of SWABAC, in 1995 VARA registered with the Department of Economy Kandahar province and in 1999 VARA re-registered with Ministry of Economy of Afghanistan in 2005 with the new registration number of (107) and with NSDP/MOSLAMD with Number of 33 in 2014 as well as with MORR with number of 27
VARA has completed almost 600 projects in the last 25 years of its operation in Afghanistan. These are in the sectors of agricultural, construction, skill training/education, veterinary and other development activities. Most of these are funded by the UN agencies such as FAO, UNDP, WFP, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNAMA, UNICEF, UNODC and UNOPS along with other International Donor organizations such as Canada Fund, Cordaid/Caritas, CAFOD/Defid, Oxfam, Mercy Corps, NRC and Chemonecs/ADPs, ALPs, Ramp, USAID/DAI/LGCD, USAID/DAI/ASMED, USAID/ARD-ADPSW, IOM, NSDP (government) and Japan embassy. The annual projects cost stands at an outstanding five million US Dollars. Currently VARA is the biggest non-governmental organization working in the Southern Region in regard to the scale of its past, present and future activities. This unique vantage point allows VARA to ensure the Donor, Public and Government satisfaction and support to the rehabilitation process of the country.
VARA has also been recognized as one of the top-ranking non-governmental humanitarian organization in Afghanistan in a recent survey (2007) conducted by the World Food Programme (WFP) of the United Nations at national level and VARA is the member of Humanitarian Regional Team (HRT) with UNAMA. This shows the respect and trust that VARA enjoys among people of Afghanistan through its sincere humanitarian aid and developmental activities.
Our Donors
UNFAO, UNDP, WFP, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNAMA, UNICEF, UNODC, UNOCHA, UNOPS, IOM, along with other International Donor organizations such as CANADA FUND, CORDAID/CARITAS, CAFOD/DFID, OXFAM GB, MERCY CORPS, ISLAMIC RELIEF, NRC, CHEMONICS/ADPs, ALPs, RAMP UP, USAID/DAI/LGCD, USAID/DAI/ASMED, USAID/ARD-ADPSW, USAID/Counterpart International, USAID/IRD, NSDP (government), JAPAN EMBASSY, CIDA, EC, JICA, COOPI International, EURONAID and Czech Government