Over the course of successive decades marked by foreign invasion and civil war, as well as a minor investment from the international community, the people of Afghanistan have contended with some of the most severe levels of poverty and underdevelopment in the world. The years of armed conflict have left more than 2 million children without parental guardians, including over 500,000 youths who lack housing. Approximately 35% of the population has no gainful employment, and basic education remains problematic, with a roughly 28% overall literacy rate.
Given these difficult circumstances, the Kabul-based nongovernmental organization (NGO) PARSA works in direct partnership with vulnerable populations in 14 Afghan provinces to help them create their own means to generate social change, foster healthy communities, and build a just society for all. Originally named Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan, PARSA was founded in 1996 to provide physiotherapy services and to aid individuals with disabilities, orphans, and widows. PARSA has expanded its scope over time and has implemented an extensive range of flexible social programs that are integrated and adapted to the distinct needs of each community that the organization serves. Largely backed by a broad base of small grassroots donors, PARSA has developed creative programs that are not bound by the restrictive parameters that often accompany institutional and governmental funding. This degree of independence has allowed PARSA to undertake initiatives that include lobbying officials for improved conditions at government-operated orphanages.
PARSA organizes its programs into distinct branches that include Building Healthy Families and Building Youth Leadership. When PARSA initially engages a community, it initiates programs concentrated within one of these divisions. However, in order to achieve the goal of empowering local residents with ownership of the means to build a healthy community, PARSA often incorporates components from multiple branches into a single locale. This adaptive, community-based approach allows PARSA to develop complex, beneficiary-led programming that is suited to the unique needs of a diverse range of populations.
Training Providers of Social and Psychological Care
Through the Building Healthy Families branch, PARSA operates a group of programs concentrated on training Afghans who perform psychosocial care for orphaned children, internally displaced persons (IDP), and other individuals who have suffered traumatic experiences. Trainees participate in workshops led by PARSA instructors and apply the concepts they have learned through supervised practicums in which they work directly with the specific patient populations they serve.
In conjunction with training professional social workers, PARSA staff has worked with local NGOs to institute mental health programs in IDP camps that are facilitated by volunteers from within the community. These Village Psychosocial Counselors have helped to meet a high demand for support services among refugees by providing one-to-one counseling for fellow camp residents who are coping with psychological distress.
Other initiatives within the Building Healthy Families branch include animal therapy sessions for orphans, which are conducted at the PARSA Farm. PARSA also operates Healthy Afghan Child centers, where children who are struggling in school receive culturally sensitive assessments and placement in an appropriate program designed to help them succeed in both the family and educational setting.
Preparing a New Generation of Afghan Leaders
Seeking to equip the country’s future leaders with the necessary tools to enact change, PARSA provides a variety of youth leadership initiatives that focus on outreach and community involvement. Committed to guiding young Afghans toward an active role in directing the nation’s future, PARSA has reestablished the Afghan Scouts organization, which began in the 1930’s but had dissolved in the years following the Soviet invasion. The centerpiece of PARSA’s Building Youth Leadership branch, the Afghan Scouts program is comprised of 55 volunteer scout masters and more than 1,800 registered scouts in 14 provinces. Scouts attend weekly meetings and earn merit badges through the completion of 11 different activities. By participating in the Peace through Rule of Law program, scout members carry out community service projects in collaboration with local police departments. PARSA staff members facilitate the Afghan Scout movement by recruiting sponsors, acquiring donations to purchase uniforms, and overseeing all activities for adherence to accepted Afghan Scout principles.
In order to highlight the talents of young Afghans and promote the growth of the Afghan Scout movement, PARSA has also established the Voice of Afghan Youth. Through this project, Afghan scout members produce radio and television programs broadcast across the nation. The shows profile individual scouts, showcase their positive contributions to the community, and provide a forum for young people to express their perspectives on issues that impact their lives.
Over the course of the next several years, Afghan Scout leaders and PARSA hope to enable youth in all provinces of Afghanistan to become Scouts. Moreover, PARSA aims to continue making the Scouts program accessible to Afghan youth in need.