The International Assistance Mission (IAM) is the longest continually serving non-profit organisation in Afghanistan.
They are a well-respected NGO working to improve lives and build local capacity in health, development and education.
IAM's first projects include founding the National Organisation for Ophthalmic Rehabilitation (NOOR), the Medical Assistance Program (MAP), a school for the visually impaired (BINA), and a literacy programme.
NOOR also provides logistical support to the government eye hospitals in Kabul and Herat (which were originally founded by IAM).
[citation needed] Development IAM are passionate about using best practices for tackling the poverty and injustice that prevents communities and individuals from thriving.
They aim to facilitate that through four key objectives: Transformation of society: increased quality of life at an emotional, academic, physical, and social level; Replication of skills: increasing capacity to continue using and developing tools and skills; Innovation and integration: continuous learning, both focusing on research, and trialling creative solutions to root issues; Implementation: continuing to build their internal capacity to implement and grow our development programmes.
The Mental Health Training Centre (MHTC) was established in 1996 in response to the high suicide rate among women.
It provides a unique role in the country, treating patients and training nurses and doctors who specialise in mental health provision for people who live in Western Afghanistan.
Using folkbildning methods, ALEF offered learning circles in tailoring, mobile phone repair, computer skills, literacy, English language, maternal and infant health, and vocational counseling.
Its aim is to contribute to the socio-economic development of families and communities by enabling them to run simple home-based businesses.
IAM fully commits to the standard that aid is given regardless of the race, creed or nationality of the recipients and without adverse distinction of any kind.
In 2019, IAM employed around 350 paid Afghan staff, and 20+ professional volunteers from Europe, North America, Asia and Oceania.
Foreign staff members are required to learn a local language and the average length of assignment is 3 years.
Attacks and casualties Main article: 2010 Badakhshan massacre Twelve expat volunteers and two Afghan staff have been killed while working with IAM in Afghanistan.
The second-most recent incident occurred in August 2010, when suspected Taliban militants ambushed and killed a team of 10 doctors and optometrists who were returning from a medical care trip to remote mountain villages in northeastern Afghanistan.
The following simple business skills books were written by IAM's BDS project to help low-income uneducated Afghan women into self-employment.