Services for Afghan Refugees and Host communities

​Since 2009, CHEF International (CHEF-I) has been dedicated to serving the Afghan population in refugee camps, host communities, and Afghanistan itself. Registered as a non- profit in Afghanistan, CHEF-I focuses on providing comprehensive healthcare, eye care, maternal care, rehabilitation, and distributing food and non-food items. The organization actively engages in human resource development programs for young Afghan students. Notably, CHEF-I initiated medical camps in Jalozai in 2009, benefiting approximately 2000 patients. In 2010, hospitals were established in Afghan host communities, offering affordable and free services to refugees. This commitment, including free physical rehabilitation services, continued during the 2019 COVID pandemic, with medical camps, strengthened Basic Health Units, and prioritized healthcare services for Afghan refugees in collaboration with UNOCHA and WHO.

Furthermore, the Pakistan Institute of Rehabilitation Sciences (PIRS), a CHEF-I initiative also trained Afghan students in the Allied Health course. In 2023, CHEF-I partnered with WHO to provide technical support in improving access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene services through district hospitals across Pakistan in Afghan refugee and host communities. During the same year, the CHEF-I PIRS team played a pivotal role in facilitating the return of Afghan refugees, supported by local partners, by providing maternal child services, food items, and ambulance services. Additionally, in 2023, students from the Pakistan Institute of Rehabilitation Sciences visited Afghan refugee camps to screen both host communities and Afghan school-going children, with further details on the services provided.