CharityHelp International (CHI) is using the power of electronic connectivity to promote, create, and support direct long-term relationships between individuals and organizations in emerging nations and supporters. These relationships support viable and sustainable economic development in the non-profit, medical, and entrepreneurial business sectors.
By combining available technologies and services such as mobile data communications, mobile banking, and others with tele-mentoring, CHI uses this connectivity to create a self-reinforcing process that can accelerate sustainable development.
Child Sponsorship Program in Afghanistan According to the Human Rights Watch report “Lessons in Terror” (July 11, 2006), the schools in Afghanistan “have become a frontline in the military conflict…“ The same report states, “Education facilitates many other socially important activities, such as improvements in the economy, development of the rule of law, and public health. Girls not educated today are the missing teachers, administrators, and policy makers of tomorrow. After the Taliban, Afghanistan cannot afford to lose another generation. Such a tragedy would compound the misfortune the already beleaguered nation has faced.”
CHI has partnered with Afghans for Child Education and Care Organization (AFCECO) since 2004, providing communications technology, development and administrative support for the Child Sponsorship Program. The program connects children to sponsors and provides frequent online communications to strengthen and maintain the resulting relationships. The children in our project with AFCECO come from backgrounds defined by decades of war and Taliban rule. The program provides food, clothing, life skills, education, and most importantly a dream and hope for a new life in an environment of gender equality, peace, and safety.
Support and Networking Program (SNP) With the success of the CHI child sponsorship program, we became convinced that by integrating our systems and programs with the available mobile communications/connectivity technologies we could build cultural bridges, empower women, and facilitate a wide variety of non-profit and for-profit initiatives that build peace, understanding and economically viable free societies.
The SNP provides mentorship and support to business and social entrepreneurs in Afghanistan, with special attention to women entrepreneurs. The supported entrepreneurs work in business or nonprofit sectors. The SNP integrates smart-phone technology and connectivity into the entrepreneurs’ professional lives. It combines mentorship with electronic connectivity, to expedite development projects and thus improve social and economic conditions in Afghanistan.
The SNP is also a partnership of CHI and AFCECO. An inspirational force behind the SNP is Andeisha Farid, Executive Director of AFCECO. While participating in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women business training program in Kabul in 2008, Andeisha shared with CHI her observation that many Afghan women are ready to start businesses and non-profits, if only they had the same support and training that she had received. Thus the SNP was begun. Program Coordinators for the SNP are located in: Kabul, Afghanistan; Toronto, Canada; Connecticut, USA.
Program For Afghan Stability (PAS) PAS was developed by a multi-disciplinary team of experts including a well-respected elder from Farah province, connected to the AFCECO founders, who has advanced training in agriculture from the UK. It employs proven development and security components and offers the potential to achieve multiple strategic objectives at comparatively low cost. A pilot project is planned to serve a rural population of about 20,000 people in Farah province; designed to be widely replicated across Afghanistan.
