Development Works - Social Enterprise in Afghanistan

‘Humanitarian Aid’ save lives, alleviates suffering and promotes human dignity. Activities are short term and urgent, often in response to war or natural emergencies.

‘Aid’ or ‘Development’ Aid is short term humanitarian relief. Development primarily seeks to reduce poverty by improving economic and social structures.

‘Sustainable Development’ delivers social and economic activities that satisfies todays needs without making things worse for future generations.

‘Social Enterprise’ is often described as business for a community purpose. Beyond profit, success can be measured by community and environmental benefit.

 'Social Enterprise'

Markets

Local markets re-invest in the village.

Markets are crucial in the rural economy. When functioning well, they provide a venue for farmers to sell all their produce at good prices and offer the community access to quality food at an affordable price. A good local market keeps money local, creating jobs and re-investing into the community economy and well being.

When local markets are inefficient or non-existent, crops often remain unsold and spoil. Villagers, lacking access to inexpensive, high quality food, often go without as it is too expensive to travel to towns to shop. Farmers, lacking sales, grow less food. Funds are not exchanged, and opportunities are left untouched. The poor get poorer.

From two stall bazaars on the the side of a road, to the large scale complexes that benefit a region, Development Works has long engaged in market development. Activities range from the physical construction of markets, to access to credit and training for shopkeepers, to development of farmer to market linkages. And while we build markets as as catalyst of the economy, we view the construction, development or operation of each market separately, and with a business-first approach.

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