ACBAR

Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief and Development



Humanitarian Twinning Program

 

 

Capacity Building and Twinning Programs

 Background to ACBAR’s Capacity Building Programs

Supporting the capacity building of humanitarian and development organizations, especially local actors, national NGO’s (NNGO’s) and other stakeholders, is a core strategic objective of ACBAR, with the stated objective of “strengthening institutional & service delivery capacities of ACBAR members & civil society actors”.
Under our Capacity Building and Organization Development strategic pillar, ACBAR seeks to support its members, national NGOs/CSOs, and other stakeholder to develop their capacity to effectively deliver various aid programs.  Among the goals of these capacity building efforts include:

  • Developing the capacity of member organizations and personnel to build partnerships, develop programs, and access new sources of funding for humanitarian and development programs.
  • Supporting national NGO’s and CSO’s to more effectively implement aid programs at the highest of standards.
  • Improve NGO’s overall capacity to participate and lead within humanitarian coordination mechanisms.
  • Engage local authorities to enhance their understanding of humanitarian and development programs.
  • Support members to address operational challenges in the delivery of aid programs, specifically related to human resources, finance, etc.

Since 2015, ACBAR has implemented programs aimed at building the capacity of staff and organization development of National NGOs/CSOs to enhance the delivery of quality humanitarian assistance, with funding from Japan Partners (AAR Japan, JVC and Peace Winds Japan), United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

ACBAR has previously partnered with three other NGOs coordination networks (SWABAC, ANCB, and ACSFO) to support capacity development of nearly 250 NNGO and INGOs through the funding from Japan Partners (AAR Japan, JVC and Peace Winds Japan).
ACBAR Twinning Program

The Twinning Programme is a flagship programme of ACBAR’s Capacity Building and Organization Strengthening Strategic Pillar. Starting in 2015 with funding from the UK Government (FCDO), the Twinning Programme operationalizes ACBAR’s capacity building strategy, aiming to improve national NGOs capacity to access new programs and funding sources, and to directly contribute to the humanitarian response as envisioned as part of a greater localisation approach. The Twinning Programme has employed a strategy that pairs national NGO partners with experienced NGO’s acting as Advisors to provide mentoring and guidance on institutional management, humanitarian practices, fundraising, and strategic planning.   Since the first twinning programme was launched, ACBAR has supported more than 90 NNGO’s to successfully complete the capacity building program and hold significant roles as leaders and partners in the humanitarian response and longer-term development plans for Afghanistan’s future.

Currently, ACBAR is implementing the “Strengthening Humanitarian Assistance and Protection Response Twinning Programme Plus” (SHAPE TPP), a 30 months project funded by FCDO.  Like the Twinning programs before it, this current program builds on NNGO capacity, while also furthering development of a more substantive approach to localisation and community support, with strategic investments in the Localisation Technical Working Group (LTWG) and Accountability to Affected Persons (AAP).  The program also provides robust support to women-led organizations who form a key part of the overall humanitarian response efforts in Afghanistan, ensuring that women and girls continue to have access to life-saving aid packages and are actively involved in the future development of their communities. 

Targeted Technical, Managerial and Strategic Trainings

Specialized training is one key to capacity building and organization development employed by ACBAR. ACBAR recognizes the critical importance of training in the overall capacity development of national Non-Governmental Organizations (NNGOs) and staff members of INGO members, enhancing their effectiveness and sustainability in delivering quality humanitarian assistance.  This is accomplished through routine training support to our members, targeted ad-hoc training workshops to various technical groups within our ACBAR membership, and longer-term training programs (18-24 months) that support smaller organizations to access more program and fudding opportunities to contribute to the success of Afghanistan’s future growth and development.

Mentoring

We also recognize that trainings alone do not meet the overall capacity development needs of an organization.  Mentoring is another key approach by which ACBAR supports member and non-member NGO’s apply practical lessons to support their overall growth.   Mentoring programs help organizations be operationally prepared to take on new programs by supporting the development of sound policies, procedures and controls that ensure they can successful manage new programs.  Mentorship also supports members to develop more technical capacity in specific humanitarian sectors, preparing them to successfully manage implementation of programs at the field level.  ACBAR supports two methods of mentoring that for NNGO partners:

  • Mentoring Specialists employed by ACBAR help NNGO’s assess their current organizational and management capacity, assist them to establish capacity development work plans to address areas of growth, and guide them on a monthly basis to make progress toward meeting their organizational goals toward further growth, particularly
  • NGO Advisors, comprised of experienced organizations with backgrounds of documented success implementing aid programs in Afghanistan, support smaller NNGO’s through tailored coaching.  This includes support to learn how to successfully manage and implement programs, manage donor expectations, and address and overcome real world challenges. This support includes field-based advising to ensure the advisor and their partner can work together in a practical setting to learn lessons in real time.

News and Success Stories from ACBAR’s Capacity Building Programs

Since 2015, the ACBAR Twinning program/SHAPE has played a tremendous role in strengthening the capacity of national NGOs/CSOs in Afghanistan. Through consistent mentorship, trainings, specific capacity-building initiatives, and strong collaboration with Advisors (INGOs & NNGOs), several NNGOs have been able to move forward from being participants to becoming Advisors for other NNGOs.

The below mention examples highlight how this program empowered NNGOs, to grow, sustain, and expand their impacts:

  • The NNGOs SAF and AHDAA joined Twinning Program 1 in 2015 as participants, completing the program in the subsequent years. Since then, both organizations build their capacity to extent they were promoted to advisory positions in the program in 2020, supporting new program participants. They served as advisors for NNGO partners till July 2025. They have also successfully secured many new funding opportunities as result of the program, including grants with AHF-UNOCHA and other donors.  
  • The Organization for Coordination of Humanitarian Relief (OCHR) NNGO joined the Twinning Program in 2020. The NNGO was supported by the capacity building by ACBAR Twinning Program II and SHAPE TPP, graduating from the program in July 2025.
    OCHR has successfully taken on new programs (e.g. AHF) through the support of ACBAR and their advisor NGO, CAID. They have become a trusted partner for programs through the UN and institutional donors.  

LINKS TO OTHER SUCCESS STORIES AND NEWS: 

From Hope to Leadership: A Five-Year Journey of Growth

https://www.acbar.org/site-highlight/from-hope-to-leadership-a-five-year-journey-of-growth