DACAAR history

In July 1986, DACAAR took over implementation of water supply projects in Afghan refugee camps from UNICEF.

By 1988, DACAAR worked for Afghan refugees in camps throughout the Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa Province.

In 1989 the Soviet withdrew its troops from Afghanistan and DACAAR returned to Afghanistan to start up programmes in the rural areas.

In late 2001 the Taliban regime was overthrown by allied forces and a new government was formed in Kabul.

In 2007, further deterioration of the security situation in Afghanistan forced DACAAR to scale down and withdraw in some areas.

In 2008, DACAAR continued to provide emergency assistance, such as water tankering to returnee and IDP camps, in addition to its ongoing projects in water supply and rural development.

In 2009, solar-powered pipe schemes were introduced to enable water access in areas where hand pumps are unable to reach deep-seated aquifers.

Despite a continually worsening security situation, DACAAR reached more than 2 million beneficiaries in 2010 with emphasis on vulnerable populations in rural areas.

Ongoing conflict and instability in 2011 continued to narrow the humanitarian space and hamper DACAAR's ability to deliver assistance to Afghanistan's most vulnerable and remote communities.

In 2013 DACAAR was elected by ACBAR members to be on the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT). Additionally, DACAAR was elected as Co-lead for the Afghan WASH Cluster.