Aschiana Foundation invests in the education and well-being of vulnerable children in Afghanistan to give them hope for a brighter future and to contribute to lasting peace and security for the nation.
The Aschiana Foundation was established in the United States in 2004 by a group of expatriates, diplomats, military spouses, and others who had worked in Afghanistan. They had witnessed firsthand the desperate plight of children working on the streets of Kabul.
Determined to find an organized way to help the children, they became acquainted with Aschiana in Afghanistan – a grass-roots organization begun in 1995 by Engineer Yousef Mohamed. They were impressed by his reputation for integrity and his ability to effectively deliver educational and training to boys and girls too poor to attend school.
The Aschiana Foundation is operated by a volunteer group of Board of Directors experienced in working with international educational and humanitarian programs. With no administrative staff, the U.S. foundation operates at minimal expense (6%). The bulk of its annual budget goes directly to Aschiana in Afghanistan.
After extensive review of its financial and governance practices by independent organizations, the Aschiana Foundation has received high ratings. An independent financial audit in 2010 gave the foundation an unqualified opinion. The Better Business Bureau accredited the Aschiana Foundation as a charity that meets all 20 standards for Charity Accountability.
In 2011, the U.S. Federal Government approved the Aschiana Foundation as a charity worthy of donor support through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). Federal civilian, postal and military personnel may donate financially to the Aschiana Foundation through the CFC, the world’s largest and most successful annual workplace giving program.
The Aschiana Foundation is the U.S. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) that provides financial support to Aschiana in Afghanistan. There are NGOs in Japan, Great Britain and the European Community that also provide support to Aschiana in Afghanistan.
In August 2015, Afghan President, Ashraf Ghani, awarded Aschiana as the Best Humanitarian Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in Afghanistan.