Caption: Labourers in the Citizens Organization for Advocacy and Resilience (COAR) cash-for-work programme in Baghlan province, Afghanistan. Credit: COAR
“We know that the people are in need:” Stopping at nothing to serve flood survivors in Afghanistan
When flash floods hit Afghanistan’s Baghlan province in 2024, damaging homes and washing out roads and farms, Citizens Organization for Advocacy and Resilience (COAR) was ready to support the thousands of people affected. These communities were already enduring food shortages, an economic crisis and a lack of public services—needs were high.
As a vetted NEAR member, COAR applied for a Change Fund grant to launch a response. COAR’s application was approved, and the first installment of funding was received within 14 days.
Drawing on experience as a national NGO in Afghanistan since 1989, COAR started its emergency response with a cash-for-work programme to repair roads, canals and other critical infrastructure that the floods had destroyed.
But as the organisation waited for the second installment of the Change Fund grant, international sanctions tested COAR. Restrictions caused by the sanctions affect NGOs across Afghanistan, making flexible donor support and trust even more essential.
Sameera Noori is COAR’s Executive Director. She reflects on the challenge of receiving the second fund transfer from the Change Fund in her own words:
“There was a major delay for the Baghlan province flood response. This was because of the sanctions on Afghanistan. Many of the interconnected banks were also having issues transferring from one bank to another and then to Afghanistan.
It was really difficult for us to convince the labourers, convince the community, especially the provincial authorities. We discussed it with the community, and we convinced them that we are working here for the long term. We have an office. We are not an organisation that was newly established.
For the local communities and local authorities, they said because you have already implemented a number of other projects, we are trusting you. But still, you have to bring a permission letter from the Ministry side, from the HQ level from Kabul.
So we went there to the Ministry of Economy. We discussed with them as well. And after one month, again, we didn't receive the installment.
Twice or thrice in a week, our management committee was present in the Ministry of Economy. We regularly engaged with them to clarify the situation and demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the project. We know that the people are in need. But it's not about our donor. It's not about our trust. It's all about the sanctions. So this process took at least three months.
We had the support of NEAR, and we are thankful for all the support, for all their struggle, and also what we did at the community level. At each level, we tried our best.
It was challenging to reassure the community and the local authorities because most of the people working in the government are not familiar with the technical aspects of humanitarian response.
The last time we had a meeting with the Ministry of Economy, they informed us that without a resolution soon, our operations could be impacted. They encouraged us to resolve the matter promptly.
Then we had to figure out a temporary financing arrangement to avoid halting activities. We had to take a loan from a money dealer because as a national NGO, we don't have any core funds. So we restarted our operation, and we just took a loan. Fortunately, by the end of that week, we started our operation again, and then we also received the installment after lots of struggle.”
Amid disaster and conflict, local and national organisations are serving their communities every day. They understand their communities’ needs and are accountable to them — no matter what.
But with rigid rules, risk aversion, donors’ lack of trust and bureaucracy, the traditional humanitarian aid system falls short. It doesn’t meet the most committed and effective organisations where they are.
The Change Fund was created to support local leaders. To value their expertise, trust their work, and invest in their solutions. Since the Fund was launched in 2022, COAR and other Change Fund grantees continuously prove that they are deserving of the system’s trust — and its flexible and direct funding.
The Change Fund is continually exploring, learning and evolving to get funds to local and national organisations across the Global South faster and more effectively.
The broader aid system needs to do the same. We must support local and national organisations by operating from a position of trust, removing funding restrictions, and taking locally led approaches tailored to the resilient organisations that would do anything to deliver for their communities.