Expanding sustainable education, healthcare and inclusion through circular partnerships since 2018
TYPE: Circular Development Programme – Education • Healthcare • Disability Inclusion • Sustainable Development
PROGRAMME PERIOD: 2018 – Present
GEOGRAPHICAL FOCUS: Badghis Province, Afghanistan
DONORS:
Reuse for the South (2018–2023)
GLOBUS Fund / CISU (2024–Present)
IMPLEMENTED BY: Rebuild Aid Forening (Denmark)
LOCAL IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATION: Saifrood Unity and Aid Organization (SUAO)
DANISH PARTNERS: Educational institutions, hospitals, nursing homes, municipalities, volunteer collectors, schools and private donors across Denmark.
TARGET GROUP: Schools, hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centres, teachers, healthcare workers, children, persons with disabilities and vulnerable communities throughout Badghis Province.
Programme Overview
The Health and Education Support Programme in Badghis Province builds on more than a decade of experience gained through Rebuild Aid and Saifrood Unity and Aid Organization’s work in Afghanistan. Since 2018, the programme has expanded the successful circular development model to Badghis Province, improving access to quality education, healthcare services and rehabilitation support for some of the province’s most underserved communities.
The programme transforms surplus but high-quality educational and medical equipment from Denmark into valuable development resources for Afghanistan. Instead of becoming waste, school furniture, hospital equipment, rehabilitation devices and educational materials are carefully collected, refurbished, shipped and distributed where they can create the greatest long-term impact.
Through this approach, the programme combines environmental sustainability with practical development assistance, demonstrating how responsible reuse can improve lives while reducing waste and promoting international solidarity.
Today, the programme has become an important part of SUAO’s long-term commitment to strengthening public institutions and expanding access to quality services in Badghis Province.
Why Badghis?
Badghis is one of Afghanistan’s most climate-vulnerable and economically disadvantaged provinces. Many communities face recurring droughts, floods, limited infrastructure and restricted access to essential public services.
Schools often struggle with shortages of classroom furniture, educational materials and learning resources, while healthcare facilities frequently lack the equipment necessary to provide safe and effective medical care.
These challenges are particularly severe in remote districts where limited financial resources make it difficult for institutions to replace damaged or outdated equipment.
The programme was introduced to help bridge these gaps by providing durable, high-quality resources that strengthen both educational and healthcare services over the long term.
A Circular Development Approach
The programme follows the principles of the circular economy, ensuring that valuable equipment continues serving communities instead of becoming waste.
The process includes:
- Collection of surplus equipment in Denmark
- Inspection and quality assessment
- Repair and refurbishment where needed
- Sorting and preparation for shipment
- International transportation to Afghanistan
- Customs clearance and logistics
- Distribution to beneficiary institutions
- Installation and handover
- Monitoring and follow-up
Every shipment extends the useful life of equipment while creating measurable development outcomes for schools, hospitals and rehabilitation centres across Badghis Province.
Strengthening Education
Improving access to quality education has been one of the programme’s primary objectives.
Schools have received a wide range of educational resources, including:
- Classroom desks
- Student chairs
- Teacher furniture
- Bookshelves
- Whiteboards
- Teaching materials
- School supplies
- Educational equipment
- Computer equipment
- Learning aids
These resources have transformed learning environments by replacing inadequate classrooms with safer, more organised and more motivating educational spaces.
Teachers have benefited from improved teaching conditions, while students have gained access to learning environments that encourage attendance, participation and academic achievement.
The programme has also contributed to improving educational opportunities for girls and children with disabilities by making schools more inclusive and better equipped.
Supporting Healthcare Services
Healthcare institutions across Badghis have also benefited from the programme.
Medical facilities have received equipment such as:
- Hospital beds
- Examination tables
- Delivery beds
- Diagnostic equipment
- Medical furniture
- Patient care equipment
- Hygiene equipment
- Rehabilitation devices
These resources have strengthened the ability of hospitals and clinics to provide safer, more effective and more dignified healthcare services.
Improved equipment has enhanced working conditions for healthcare professionals while increasing the quality of care available to patients.
Promoting Disability Inclusion
Supporting persons with disabilities has remained a core component of the programme.
Equipment delivered includes:
- Wheelchairs
- Walking frames
- Crutches
- Mobility aids
- Rehabilitation equipment
- Assistive devices
Access to these resources has enabled many individuals to regain mobility, improve their independence and participate more actively in education, community life and everyday activities.
The programme also contributes to reducing stigma by promoting greater inclusion and accessibility within local communities.
Community Ownership and Local Partnership
SUAO works closely with provincial authorities, education departments, health institutions, community leaders and local stakeholders to identify priorities and ensure that equipment reaches the institutions where it can generate the greatest benefit.
Needs assessments, consultations and field visits help guide the selection process, while continuous dialogue with beneficiary institutions strengthens local ownership and accountability.
This collaborative approach ensures that assistance responds to locally identified priorities and supports sustainable institutional development.
Danish Engagement and Global Citizenship
The programme also creates meaningful learning opportunities in Denmark.
Students, schools, hospitals, volunteers and partner institutions actively participate in collecting and preparing equipment while learning about global development, environmental sustainability and international cooperation.
By connecting Danish communities with local partners in Afghanistan, the programme demonstrates how circular economy principles can contribute directly to achieving sustainable development while strengthening global solidarity.
Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL)
Monitoring and learning are integrated throughout the programme to ensure quality, accountability and continuous improvement.
SUAO conducts:
- Institutional needs assessments
- Distribution verification
- Site monitoring visits
- Equipment utilisation assessments
- Beneficiary interviews
- Follow-up with schools and healthcare facilities
- Photo documentation
- Progress reporting
- Lessons learned workshops
- Impact monitoring
The MEAL system helps assess not only whether equipment has been delivered, but also how it improves educational quality, healthcare services and institutional capacity over time.
Lessons learned are incorporated into future shipments and programme planning to maximise long-term impact.
Accountability and Transparency
The programme maintains strong accountability through:
- Transparent beneficiary selection
- Documented institutional agreements
- Delivery and handover records
- Asset registration
- Community consultations
- Monitoring visits
- Beneficiary feedback mechanisms
- Financial reporting
- Continuous communication with partner institutions
These systems ensure that donated resources are used responsibly and continue benefiting communities for many years.
Programme Results
Since 2018, the programme has contributed to significant improvements across Badghis Province.
Among its key achievements are:
- Schools equipped with classroom furniture and learning resources.
- Improved learning environments for children and teachers.
- Hospitals and clinics strengthened through modern medical equipment.
- Increased access to rehabilitation equipment for persons with disabilities.
- Enhanced institutional capacity within education and healthcare sectors.
- Greater inclusion of vulnerable groups, including children with disabilities.
- Strengthened local logistics and programme management capacity within SUAO.
- Expanded collaboration between Danish institutions and Afghan communities through sustainable partnerships.
Contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
The programme directly supports the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by contributing to several Sustainable Development Goals.
Its strongest contributions include:
- SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-being through strengthened healthcare facilities and improved medical services.
- SDG 4 – Quality Education through better-equipped schools and improved learning environments.
- SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities by increasing inclusion and access for persons with disabilities and underserved communities.
- SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production through the circular reuse of high-quality equipment.
- SDG 13 – Climate Action by reducing waste and extending the lifespan of valuable resources.
- SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals through long-term collaboration between Danish institutions, local communities and civil society organisations.
Long-Term Impact
The Health and Education Support Programme has created lasting improvements that continue long after each shipment has been delivered.
Schools continue using classroom furniture that supports better teaching and learning. Hospitals and clinics continue providing improved medical care using donated equipment. Persons with disabilities continue benefiting from mobility aids that enhance independence, dignity and participation in everyday life.
At the same time, the programme has strengthened SUAO’s institutional capacity in logistics, asset management, monitoring, partnership coordination and sustainable development programming.
By combining circular economy principles with locally led development, the programme demonstrates that long-term partnerships can strengthen public institutions, improve essential services and create measurable, sustainable change for communities across Badghis Province.