SOLIDARITÉS has operated for 25 years in this country, which is one of the poorest in the world and was stricken by war for over 23 years prior to the current difficult normalisation process.

In the capital Kabul, this long conflict period, the return of many refugees, and intensive urbanisation (the city's population increased from 1.7 million in 2000 to 4 million today) have generated a severe deterioration of drinking water access and sanitation facilities. According to a UNDP report published in 2003, around 39% of Kabul's population has no access to drinking water, and only 30% have access to a supply network. Furthermore, the widespread presence of stagnant water, the lack of latrines, and scarcity of information in terms of good hygiene practices tend to increase sanitary risks. In Kabul, waterborne diseases amount to 38% of all medical consultations, with a high percentage of bloody diarrhoeas, and outbreaks of cholera epidemics.

Following an evaluation performed in December 2004, SOLIDARITÉS decided to take action, relying on its past experience in the Afghan capital (as a reminder: from 1994 to 1998, before it was expelled from Kabul, SOLIDARITÉS drilled 1,000 deep wells, rehabilitated 27 water supply networks and 2 purification stations, built 50 septic tanks and drained one channel, thereby providing 700,000 people with have access to drinking water and to basic hygiene conditions.)

Two programmes were initiated to provide a sustainable response to the urgent needs of the population:

Programme for access to drinking water and sanitation implemented in partnership with the Swiss Developpement Cooperation (SDC). Period from April 1, 2005 to July 31, 2005, with a budget of 102,000 Euros.

This programme was implemented in the vulnerable districts of Kabul (District 13, Dasht-e-Barshi) for the benefit of 1,350 families. The communities living in the concerned neighbourhoods were consulted and involved, from the programme drafting stage (the sites were chosen according to their wishes) to its finalisation (the relay was handed over to water committees).

Thanks to this programme, 27 wells equipped with hand-pumps were built, private latrines were rehabilitated/constructed, and 9 water committees in charge of managing and maintaining the wells, were created.

Access to water and hygiene promotion programme implemented jointly with the DAH (Humanitarian Action Delegation) of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Period from June 1, 2005 to February 28, 2006, with a budget of 181,062 Euros.

This programme, implemented in the vulnerable districts of Waseal Abad et Dogh Abad, was aimed at rehabilitating drinking water networks and at promoting hygiene for the benefit of 8,840 families, i.e., more than 61,800 persons.
It involved rehabilitating and improving two water networks (construction of a 45 m3 tank, installing valves, repairing leaks), setting up a water management committee and a communitarian fund-collecting system to support network maintenance, and hygiene sensitisation sessions.

A new follow-up programme is currently implemented in Kabul. SOLIDARITÉS executes other water access and hygiene programmes, as well as agriculture rehabilitation actions, in many domains and in several districts of the central province of Hazaradjat.

Today, SOLIDARITÉS' team in Afghanistan comprises 6 expatriate volunteers and around 160 Afghanis.