International Orphan Care (IOC) was founded in 1992 with the goal of providing vocational education to eldest son of an Afghan family with a deceased father.

IOC is a non-profit, non-sectarian, non-political, humanitarian organization registered in Afghanistan as a Non-Governmental Organization, incorporated in the State of California and qualified as a charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the US Internal Revenue Code.

The first IOC school was established January 1993 in a rented building in Jalalabad as a vocational school providing work skills to the eldest son of a family whose father was deceased. The goal was to provide the boy with skills that would enable him to contribute financially to the support of the family and allow the younger siblings to attend school.

In 2004 the family of Mir Mohammad Youssof donated funds from his estate to construct a vocational school on governmental land. The agreement with the government allows IOC to occupy the site rent free on the condition that the school is operated to provide free vocational education to youth that meet criteria of the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs.

Schools were subsequently supported in Kabul and Herat, and in cooperation with Afghanische Kinderhilfe Deutschland and other organizations medical clinic were supported to provide healthcare to Afghan families

When COVID -19 came to Afghanistan in April 2020 schools and other institutions and businesses were closed. The result was that Afghans that depended on their labor became unemployed and were not able to pay for food and other essentials. While schools were closed, IOC joined with other organizations to form a coalition named Afghan COVID-19 Relief to raise funds, purchase food and distribute food to families in most need.

The leaders of the Afghan COVID-19 Relief campaign decided to incorporate an organization named Afghanistan Relief Alliance ARA. The goal was to have an organization that would call on the resources of many organizations operating independently in Afghanistan to respond to natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and droughts. Funds were raised and humanitarian aid was distributed to victims of floods and extreme cold winter storms. IOC was chosen to be the fiscal sponsor of Afghanistan Relief Alliance.

In May 2021 there was an attack on a high school for Hazara girls in Dasht-e Barchi in West Kabul. 100 were killed and 200 injured. IOC and ARA raised funds and provided financial aid to the families of the deceased victims and medical care for the survivors.

On November 2, 2021, three gunmen attacked Kabul University killing 32 and wounding 50. IOC collaborated with Afghan Student Associations at California universities and colleges to distribute funds the students raised to provide financial aid to the families of the deceased and medical care for the survivors.

In April 2022 just before schools were scheduled to open following Naw Roz the beginning of the New Year in Afghanistan, President Biden announced the withdrawal of all US troops from Afghanistan. Members of NATO and other nations announced they would also depart Afghanistan.

Because of the economic collapse in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of funding from the US government and other international donors, unemployment increased and hunger became pervasive. ARA started a fundraising campaign to provide food relief to families that are most in need.

ARA and IOC have distributed food to families in over 24 Provinces of Afghanistan. ARA anticipates completing food distributions in all 34 Provinces.

Distribution of food and responding to attacks on school children is not our core mission. We prefer to provide education that will enable youth to be productive and support their family and not be dependent on the generosity of others.

IOC responded to these man-made disasters because schools cannot operate when children and their families are hungry or when they are injured.

Ramadan

By International Orphan Care

Ramadan

Support families in Afghanistan during Ramadan