ACBAR

ACBAR hosted a ceremony in August to recognize national NGO’s who have successfully completed all requirements of the SHAPE TPP Twinning Program, funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO), honoring their commitment to continued progress and development and celebrating their achievements as trusted humanitarian and development leaders.

When the current Twinning programs were launched in November 2019many of these national NGO participants entered it with both hope and hesitation. They knew that the path to capacity building was not a short and easy one. But no one could have predicted how this five-year journey would transform the face of their organizations.

Trainings and mentoring sessions for policy development, program and financial management, staff capacity development, and the establishment of accountability mechanisms were all part of this journey. Some part of this process presented a significant challenge: there were moments of high workload, lack of resources, and occasional disappointments. But after facing and overcoming each obstacle, a new step towards progress was taken.

Finally, in March 2025, these participating NGOs managed to complete this difficult path and graduate from this program with pride. The result of all this effort and hard work was the emergence of NGOs that today stand with greater confidence, ability and independence in the Afghan civil scene.

“Although we had established our NGO before starting this program, after joining this program, the capacity building and policy development that was carried out here, allowed us to qualify for many donors and receive numerous funds from them,” said Dr. Niazi, Director of Today’s Afghanistan Conciliation Trust (TACT).

With the graduation ceremony marking a turning point in their organization’s develop, each organization knows that it now has a heavier responsibility; the responsibility of leadership, transparency and better service to the people of Afghanistan.

“One of the positive aspects of this program was the establishment of a strong coordination between ACBAR and JACK, which supported us in all cases. It also created coordination and networking among the NGOs themselves, which resulted in sharing information and experiences,” said Samir Habibi, M&E HMIS Manager of Just for Afghan Capacity and Knowledge (JACK).

This celebration to honor these organizations was not just an event; it was a demonstration of commitment to the capacity of Afghanistan’s national NGOs, and a story that shows that when education, cooperation, and commitment come together, they can create a brighter future.