Problem

Afghanistan remains a country in transition. One of the most critical factors impacting the nation’s recovery is limited access to resources, particularly for those living outside the capital city of Kabul. Only a handful of institutions are operating in rural areas where 85% of the population resides. Large numbers of refugees and recently returned displaced people, as well as more settled groups, need capital to reconstruct their destroyed homes and to establish income-generating activities.

The Gift

CHF’s development finance institution in Afghanistan, established in March 2004, has made more than 3,200 loans to low-income men and women in the rural provinces, helping them establish or expand small businesses, such as tailoring, food services, and manufacturing. Your gift of $75 can help one woman buy a sewing machine, which will help her increase her household income by 70%. In addition, each loan CHF makes, which is paid back in full nearly 100% of the time, can be reissued to another borrower, helping an exponentially larger pool of people each year.