ReliefWeb

This week the central management office of the Swedish Committee (SCA) is relocating from University town, Peshawar - to a new compound off Chicken Street, in the very heart of Kabul. On Monday 3 March a convoy of 14 heavily loaded trucks left Peshawar and set out on the bumpy road through the Khyber pass. The following day, approximately 90 members of SCA's Afghan staff crowded into busses and pickups bound for the capital of a country most of them fled many years ago.
- This is a historic move. We have been waiting for this moment for 21 years. We almost moved in during the early 90s, but that time we were stopped by the escalating civil war. Now we strongly believe things have changed, there is a legitimate government and security in the capital is good, says Peter Bulling, acting Country Director of SCA. The vast majority of SCA's Afghan staff previously based in Pakistan will move with the office. Although most are happy to be returning to their home country, there are concerns about high rents in Kabul and poor schooling opportunities and many are therefore leaving their families behind. - We know this is difficult for many of our Afghan colleagues.

But everyone realises that SCA, being one of the oldest and most established NGOs in the fields of education and health, needs to be based in Kabul to in order to cooperate closely with the new ministries and other organisations at this crucial point in time, says Peter Bulling. Only a small liaison office headed by Pakistani staff will remain on Chinar Road, dealing with procurement of supplies, logistics and finance.

The new office address: SCA Zarghona Maidan Street, opposite Jamhoriat Hospital Kabul, Afghanistan.
Phone: ++93 (0)702 94144 All SCA Brain.net email addresses will remain the same.

A liaison office will remain in Peshawar on: 27 A Chinar Road, University Town, Peshawar Email: adminpw@brain.net.pk Fax ++92 91 840519 Phone ++92 91 844380