The Afghan Australian Development Organisation (AADO) provides education and training in Afghanistan for those with minimal opportunities, particularly women and girls, to foster sustainable livelihoods and develop professional skills.

AADO has a proven track record of high outcome, low cost programs that are delivered by local project staff with deep community networks and trusted relationships.

Background

AADO is a diaspora-led organisation that has been working closely with impoverished communities in Afghanistan since 2002, founded through the initiative of prominent Afghan-Australian, Dr Nouria Salehi, OAM, following many years privately assisting Afghans to settle in Australia while raising funds to help families in Afghanistan.

AADO programs provide education and training opportunities for thousands of Afghans across 10 different provinces.  AADO’s strategic focus is the delivery of sustainable, community-development programs including the creation and delivery of formal and non-formal education and training opportunities for disadvantaged Afghans, particularly women and girls.

AADO’s work guided by the principle that education is a key cornerstone in ensuring poverty reduction and sustainable development. Since 2007, AADO has trained 1393 in-service secondary science and mathematics teachers across four provinces; 1,107 in-service tertiary science and mathematics master trainers across five provinces; 1200 women have graduated from AADO’s 12-month Life Skills Program; and 45 young men have attained trade level skills in carpentry, with ongoing employment, through our carpentry program.

In addition, AADO has established remote community centres, installed deep well water pumps and delivered numerous community based education programs on an as needs basis, for example: rural accelerated learning programs addressing interrupted schooling; a step to tertiary education bridging program for disadvantaged rural students; basic health programs for rural women; vocational training for rural women and office administration training.

AADO is committed to supporting sustainable development through a ‘community development’ model that does not support welfare service-delivery, evangelical or political activities. AADO delivers its programs in collaboration with in-country partners via closely-knit community networks. All AADO’s programs are identified and developed through consultation and participation with local communities and endorsed by Afghan regional and provincial leaders and village elders, and relevant government ministries.    Read more about these programs at Our Work

What makes AADO stand apart from other NGOs?

• We are one of the only Australian NGO’s completely devoted to one country – Afghanistan.
• Our Founder and Executive Director is eminent Afghan-Australian, Dr Nouria Salehi who was awarded an OAM in 1997 and Senior Victorian of the Year in 2012.
• Our team on the ground in Afghanistan are all locals with deep community networks.
• Our programs are locally led, run on schedule and within budget.
• Our administration costs are the lowest in the sector.
• We pay no bribes.
• We form productive partnerships with Government and local Provincial leaders.