Union Aid

Background

Union Aid (UA) was established in 1979 by Dr. Toryalai Nassery (an Afghan Physician, Scholar and Humanitarian), in Pakistan. As a non-governmental, non-political, and not-for-profit organization, Union Aid aims to provide humanitarian relief and improve the living conditions of refugees, returnees, IDPs, host communities, vulnerable population, crisis affected and needy people with special focus on marginalized groups.

Since its inception, Union Aid has completed more than 80 projects in both the development and humanitarian sectors across Afghanistan and Pakistan. Our efforts are guided by principles of transparency, accountability, and respect for the cultural diversity of the Afghan people we serve.

History

Union Aid was formed in response to the influx of refugees from Afghanistan in 1979 and was the pioneer organization to help Afghan refugees in Pakistan. Union Aid implemented its activities mainly in refugee camps in Pakistan that later became villages, one of the refugee camp where UA worked was one of the biggest refugee camp in the world.

UA initiated its activities in Afghanistan in the 1981. In 1982, major projects were initiated involving food and non-food distribution as well as health programs, which were later expanded all over Afghanistan, laying the foundation for nationwide humanitarian engagement.

The organization was named Union Aid for Afghan Refugees (UAAR) that later changed to Union Aid (UA). UA started its activities through a mobile-team consisting of two doctors and two para medical staff that would visit the refugee camps on a daily basis.

Over the past four decades, Union Aid has implemented comprehensive programs in:

• Health Care & Nutrition: Establishment and management of hospitals, clinics, maternal and child health services, nutrition programs, provision of artificial limbs, family planning, and full sponsorship and specialized treatment in European countries including Germany, Spain and Italy.
• Education: Literacy initiatives, school management, scholarships for students, and teacher training programs.
• Livelihoods & Vocational Skills: Technical training, handicraft production, and employment generation activities to strengthen self-reliance.
• WASH & Shelter: Provision of clean drinking water, sanitation facilities, hygiene promotion, and emergency shelters.
• Emergency Response: Life-saving interventions including food and non-food distributions, winter relief packages, and rapid health response during crises.
• Agriculture & Environment: Tree plantation and afforestation initiatives to support sustainability and environmental resilience.
• Cash Assistance: Continuous cash assistance to needy families as well as cash assistance for IDPs.
• Construction & Rehabilitation: Construction, rehabilitation, and renovation of community-level infrastructure including schools, clinics, community centers, water schemes, and roads.
• Protection: Women empowerment projects and orphanage centers.

Over the past several decades, the organization has played a significant role in improving the lives of millions of individuals and strengthening thousands of communities throughout Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Vision:

Union Aid envisions a safe, just, inclusive and educated society where every individual has access to basic necessities and opportunities of life and can access those opportunities with dignity. Union Aid visions a thriving society where everyone works together for favourable and sustainable living conditions

Mission:

• Union Aid’s mission is to advance sustainable development and alleviate suffering by delivering essential humanitarian aid and fostering long-term solutions.
• Through collaborative efforts, we aim to build resilient communities, promote healthcare, education and economic empowerment of communities and individuals, especially the most vulnerable including women, children, refugees, returnees, internally displaced persons, and crisis-affected populations.

Goal:

Union Aid aims to develop resilient societies where individuals live in peace, dignity, and stability. Through humanitarian relief, sustainable development, and community empowerment, Union Aid strives to enhance living conditions, foster self-reliance, and ensure access to essential services in Afghanistan.

Objectives:

1. To provide comprehensive, quality, and gender-specific health services by establishing, operating, and administering medical facilities at various levels.
2. To promote food security and nutrition by preventing malnutrition, increasing access to balanced diets, and raising nutritional awareness, especially among children and mothers, through direct and integrated approaches.
3. To enhance livelihoods by providing vocational training, business establishment opportunities, self-help schemes, and support for income-generating activities. These efforts help individuals and families achieve economic independence, with a primary focus on the most marginalized groups, enabling them to contribute to the sustainable development of the country.
4. To provide quality educational programs at the primary, secondary, and higher education levels.
5. To provide scholarships from primary to master's level, including specialized fields of study both inside the country and abroad. To provide adult literacy programs aimed at increasing access to education and reducing illiteracy rates.
6. To build and renovate essential community facilities such as schools, hospitals, access roads, water networks, and community centers to enhance living conditions.
7. To provide temporary and permanent shelter for those in need, with a focus on marginalized groups, while preserving the dignity of affected populations.
8. To strengthen climate resilience through sustainable water resource management and disaster preparedness. Union Aid also aims to protect the environment through reforestation, renewable energy solutions, and community-led climate action.
9. To provide basic necessities and implement WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) initiatives, emergency health services, and winterization projects.
10. To protect vulnerable groups through orphanage centers and women's empowerment initiatives, with a focus on preventing gender-based violence and strengthening social resilience.
11. To implement climate-smart agriculture through drought-resistant crops, improved irrigation systems, and organic farming techniques. To promote horticultural development, sustainable land management, and livelihood support for farmers to ensure long-term food security and economic stability.

Core values:

Union Aid’s core values represent the organization interactions with target groups, responsiveness to stakeholders and promoting accountability. Union Aid realizes that these values are vital for its future successes. Our Core Values include: Compassion, Integrity, Respect for Cultural Diversity, Sustainability, Equity & Inclusion, Collaboration & Partnership, Innovation, Accountability, and Empowerment.