29 October 2025
In September and the first half of October, we carried out the education project activities in coordination with the Ministry of Economy. We opened a bank account for our new NGO, which is one of the new regulations under the Taliban government requiring NGOs to have a separate bank account for each project. After opening the bank account, we had to create an account in the name of our new NGO (OFAI) on the website of the Ministry of Finance so that we could manage our tax related affairs online. These processes took us some time, but they were completed without any major issues, and before the middle of October, we were able to obtain an introduction letter from the Ministry of Economy to the Ministry of Education for our project. After receiving the letter, we proceeded to work with the Ministry of Education. However, the process there moves a bit more slowly and with difficulty, as this is the ministry that, within its Surrounding, does not allow foreign NGOs to operate. As a result, our colleagues were forced to obtain a license for a local NGO. They had many questions regarding our project, to which we provided reasonable answers. Now, their only criticism is that this is a newly established NGO, so it should not implement such a large project for the first time. This condition is not mentioned in any official law, as all regulations related to NGOs are approved by the Ministry of Economy. That ministry had no issue with our local NGO and introduced us to the Ministry of Education for the project protocol. The Ministry of Education has established a committee that reviews every project before the protocol is signed. They either approve or reject it based on specific reasons. The idea that a newly established NGO should not implement a large project in its first attempt comes from this committee. They claim to have set a standard that NGOs with no prior project experience should not undertake a project with a volume exceeding $100,000 as their first. The Ministry of Education is required to finalize the protocol with us within fifteen working days or provide a formal rejection. However, they have done neither so far. Our colleagues visit the Ministry of Education daily, but each time they are directed to a new official to speak with. It is evident that they are trying to appear cooperative and seem to be looking for a way to avoid rejecting our project outright. But the positive point is that they have a fixed deadline of fifteen working days to give us a clear response. Our colleagues are already preparing for the possibility of receiving a rejection. They say that if the Ministry of Education refuses to sign the protocol with us, we will divide our project into several smaller ones. This can be done in two ways: either by shortening the duration of the current project and signing multiple sequential contracts, or by dividing it into several contracts simultaneously and processing separate protocols for each. We hope that the Ministry of Education will proceed with signing the protocol with us based on the current progress. Here, various reasons often cause delays in the process for example, the director may be on a trip for a week, and during that time, no one else is authorized to carry out the necessary procedures.
In Khost, our ten classes implemented through our partner organization ODIA were officially launched on October 10, 2025. So far, our colleagues have conducted a seminar with their teachers and granted them permission to begin class activities. In the first days of November, the professional team from the OFARIN organization will travel to Khost to control and evaluate the classes.
| Figure 1: One of the ten classes implementing by ODIA Financed by OFARIN |
The remaining items from the previous two-year education project, which were supposed to be handed over to the relevant departments of the Ministry of Education, were officially submitted. The process was not without challenges, as the ministry officials had high expectations that we would deliver modern equipment. However, when they saw that we had used only basic materials for our classrooms, they showed little interest and delayed taking action. We were forced to collect the items from the field ourselves to prevent any mismanagement and ensure that everything could be handed over with a proper inventory. This task took considerable time and effort, as the officials were not very cooperative. One of them even mentioned, we thought this was an international organization and expected to receive good things like desks, chairs, and computers at the end of the project but they failed to understand that we do not spend on items that do not play a direct role in improving teaching quality. Thankfully, the process was eventually completed, and everything was successfully handed over.
In Khost, we are implementing two forest restoration projects, each with a duration of three years. During this period, we conduct monthly public awareness workshops in two villages within the district where each project is located. These workshops aim to educate local communities about the benefits of having forests and the negative impacts of their absence. We also discuss practical methods and strategies that can contribute to increasing forest cover and encourage community participation in forest preservation and restoration efforts.
| Figure 2: Bandakhel tribal leaders gathered at a public awareness workshop organized by OFARIN. |
In Tani district, the Banda Khel tribe making up about one-fourth of the district’s population and occupying roughly a quarter of its land and mountainous area. Took a significant step after observing our project. They saw how our ban on livestock grazing had allowed naturally newly born trees to thrive and were inspired by the awareness workshops we held. Last spring, the tribe independently quarantined half of its mountains. Through a local tribal agreement, they decided to prohibit livestock grazing in the quarantined areas. According to their agreement, anyone caught grazing animals in those areas would be fined 5,000 Afghanis per day. So far, fines have already been collected from three families, demonstrating the community’s commitment to forest restoration. The Banda Khel tribe jointly pays a salary to one individual to manage the protection of the mountain. They assign nine tribal guards to him each day, who rotate on a schedule. The salaried person is responsible for organizing the guard shifts. If someone fails to show up for their assigned shift, another person is hired in their place for a wage, and the wage is then collected from the person who was absent. We asked the local people about the estimated area of the mountains that have been quarantined. They said it is approximately between 20,000 to 25,000 hectares. In some small parts of these mountains, there are existing pine nut trees, which have not been cut down because they produce fruit. What pleased us the most was seeing that new pine nut trees have also started to grow in those mountains. This has further encouraged the community to stay committed to their promise and keep the mountains quarantined for the next fifteen years. This is not a difficult task because they have left half of their mountains as grazing land for their livestock. The plan is that after fifteen years, when the newly grown trees in the quarantined mountains have matured enough that livestock can no longer harm them, those mountains will then be designated as grazing areas. In turn, the areas currently being used for grazing will be quarantined. Since the number of pine nut trees in those mountains is very low and many parts are completely bare, the people of the Banda Khel tribe have expressed hope that pine nut seeds could be planted there. This would allow the mountains to be filled with valuable fruit-bearing trees in a relatively short time.
| Figure 3 OFARIN staff member Hewad in conversation with a tribal guard from Banda Khel, with a newly sprouted pine nut tree between them. |
According to a previous survey, the number of households sharing the quarantined mountains is about 10,000. Currently, our local partners those who conduct public awareness workshops are trying to encourage these people to plant pine nut seeds in the quarantined mountains. The goal is to accelerate the spread of pine nut trees across large areas of the mountains so that they grow well during the quarantine period. They explain to the community that this quarantine period is a valuable opportunity. If they simply wait for natural regeneration, most of the trees that will grow might not be fruit-bearing. However, if they plant pine nut seeds now, the trees will grow larger during the quarantine period, and instead of non-fruit-bearing trees, much of the mountain area will be covered with valuable fruit-bearing pine trees. Unfortunately, encouraging the community to take this step is somewhat challenging because their economic situation is very weak. They hope that a charitable organization or the government will support them by providing seeds. The market price of one kilogram of pine nuts is around 1,000 Afghanis, which is approximately 15 USD.
As a result of the August 31 earthquakes in Kunar province, more than 2,200 people lost their lives and over 3,600 others were injured. Approximately 6,500 residential houses were damaged some completely destroyed and others partially. It is worth noting that there are still urgent needs for food, clean water, medical services, and shelter in the affected areas. These needs remain largely unmet, and the situation continues to worsen as winter approaches. Pakistan conducted airstrikes in Kabul, claiming to have targeted the leader of the TTP. In response, the Taliban also launched attacks on Pakistani posts located along the Durand Line. Later, Pakistan carried out further airstrikes in Paktika, Kandahar, Kunar, and Kabul, many of which targeted civilian areas and caused casualties. During this period of tension, the Afghan people’s resentment toward Pakistan became clearly evident even those Afghans who openly oppose the Taliban expressed readiness to support them during this time. Although on October 16, following several days of tensions and at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey, a ceasefire was established. After the ceasefire, both sides began negotiations in Turkey with the mediation of Qatar and Turkey. During the negotiations, senior Pakistani military officials issued threats, stating that if the talks failed, they would begin a direct war with the Taliban. However, although the negotiations ended without any results yesterday meaning neither side was able to reach an agreement so far, no military action has been taken by either party. Since October 9, all the routes connecting Pakistan with Afghanistan have been completely closed by Pakistan. As a result, traders on both sides have suffered significant financial losses. Another thing we recently discovered is that, in the past, when foreign tourists came to Afghanistan, they had to obtain a permit from the Tourism Department under the Ministry of Information and Culture. This process used to be simple and quick. However, now these responsibilities have been handed over to a semi-governmental company called Afghan Tour. Individuals can no longer directly apply to Afghan Tour for a tourism permit unless they go through a commercial travel agency. As a result, obtaining a tourism permit has now become a complicated process for visitors.
Hewad Khan