Tajammul Gurmani
Manchester
Mark Ward, a seasoned humanitarian leader, addressed an online training session with head office staff of Al Mustafa Welfare Trust (AMWT). He joined via video link from San Francisco, USA, while staff were present in the UK. Mark has over two decades of experience in aid, disaster relief, and international diplomacy. He is a former US Foreign Service career minister, chairman of PARSA, a charitable trust working in Afghanistan, and Global Advisor for the Zakat Foundation USA. Mark resigned from foreign service when Donald Trump became President in his last term, and later devoted his life to humanitarian work. He chose Afghanistan as his main focus because most of his staff are from Afghanistan, while he is the only foreigner.
The topic of the session was “Future directions in aid and humanitarian response.” He said PARSA is working in education, humanitarian aid, and emergency response in Afghanistan. Highlighting the importance of humanitarian work, he said that aid is more important today as people face increasing disasters, conflicts, and climate challenges worldwide. He added that beneficiaries in Africa, Afghanistan, and other regions need urgent help, but funding has reduced as the USA has stopped support. He appreciated the work of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for increasing funding in the current situation, and stressed the importance of private donations from families and communities. He urged the USA and UK to restore their aid support.
Talking about Afghanistan, he said gender education remains a taboo in a male-dominated society and is a sensitive issue that can only be handled by local staff. He added that their teams have built strong relationships with local authorities, including the Taliban, allowing their offices to remain operational. He said that after the Taliban takeover, PARSA started work in education and peacebuilding, aiming to rebuild systems damaged by 40 years of war. Signing contracts with NGOs and donors remains a key priority. He stressed that Afghanistan needs donations and long-term commitment.
He also answered questions from Rizwana Latif, Sadaf Javed, Shahid Kharal, Ahmed Nawaz, and other participants. He said he plans to visit Afghanistan next month, where he will tour schools. He noted that flights are operating from Dubai and encouraged others to visit. He advised participants not to focus only on funding, but to work on the ground in Kabul and start meaningful humanitarian efforts. Responding to a question on strategy, he emphasised the need for sustainable, long-term projects rather than seasonal initiatives like Ramadan meals. He concluded that educating people in Afghanistan is more beneficial than short-term feeding programmes.
43
