Amid ongoing challenges in Afghanistan, the Afghanistan Resilience Trust Fund (ARTF) has been instrumental in providing essential services to the people of Afghanistan. According to the ARTF, projects funded by the organization are delivering crucial support to the Afghan population, including food, livelihoods, health, water, and education services.
These projects are being carried out independently of the interim Taliban administration's control, with implementation overseen by United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations. The coordination of activities with various funding sources further enhances the impact of these initiatives.
One of the key projects, the Afghanistan Emergency Food Security Project implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), focuses on improving food production for smallholder farmers to address food security concerns. The project also supports the nutritional needs of vulnerable groups and aims to enhance climate resilience in agricultural practices.
Another significant endeavor, the Afghanistan Community Resilience and Livelihoods Project led by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), aims to provide livelihood opportunities for a large number of households across rural communities in Afghanistan. The project also targets the provision of basic utilities and services to benefit millions of Afghans, with a special focus on women and vulnerable groups.
In the healthcare sector, the Afghanistan Health Emergency Response Project, implemented by UNICEF and WHO, is focused on ensuring continued access to basic health services for women and children nationwide. The project aims to improve health and nutrition services in thousands of health facilities and enhance immunization coverage for children and maternal health services.
The education sector is not left behind, with the Education Emergency Response in Afghanistan (EERA) Project, implemented by UNICEF, working towards increasing access to education for girls and boys across the country. The project also prioritizes providing essential facilities like water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure in schools to support girls' education.
Additionally, initiatives such as the Afghanistan Water Emergency Relief Project and the Empowering Microfinance and Enterprises for Resilience and Growth (EMERGe) Project are addressing critical needs related to water access and financial support for small enterprises, respectively.
Recognizing the vital role of non-governmental and civil society organizations, the NGO/CSO Capacity Support Project, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), aims to enhance the capabilities of select organizations to deliver essential services effectively.
In a response to the earthquakes in Herat in 2023, the World Bank and ARTF swiftly mobilized resources through existing projects to provide support to the affected communities. The projects under Approach 2.0 were able to address immediate needs and deliver vital services in the aftermath of the natural disaster.
Through these concerted efforts and projects, various organizations and agencies are working tirelessly to support the people of Afghanistan during these challenging times.