The ACAA was founded in 2001 by Dr Nooralhaq Nasimi, who came to the UK in 1999 as an Afghan refugee with his young family. Having experienced the challenges of integrating into a totally new and unfamiliar culture, he founded the charity to meet the needs of the growing number of Afghan refugees in the UK.
The ACAA’s main aims are to support the integration of local refugees, and particularly to offer tailored support to the needs of the large number of Afghan and Central Asian refugees. This includes hosting cultural events to bring together marginalised Afghans and Central Asians in the celebration of their shared culture and to foster understanding and connection to Afghanistan among Afghan children and children of Afghan descent.
The ACAA is also involved in human rights and development work in Afghanistan and is committed to raising the profile of issues relating to Afghanistan by hosting events in the UK and working with domestic partners and politicians.
In terms of its integration goals, ACAA runs projects such as ‘ESOL for integration’ classes, women’s empowerment classes, employment support, and homework help for kids. Much of our work also involves providing day-to-day practical advice for Afghans with limited English, or who have limited knowledge of how British society and government works. The ACAA’s work in connecting the diaspora to its culture has involved hosting events at our centre involving music and dance, conducting Farsi classes for young children and generally providing a way for people to interact.
We have previously run citizens advice centres in Afghanistan funded by UKAid and have been funded by the United States and Canadian governments to promote women's empowerment and human rights in the North of the country. We regularly advocate for human rights and humanitarian issues in Afghanistan through our social media pages.
