What Paiwand does

Paiwand (legally Afghan Association Paiwand Ltd) is a London-based registered charity founded in 2002 that delivers a portfolio of free services to refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants, with a particular focus on the Afghan community. Its service portfolio spans immigration advice (visa applications, asylum claims, appeals), community advocacy (housing, welfare, employment), multilingual mental health counseling delivered in Dari, Farsi, Pashto, and English, supplementary education for children aged 5-11 through the Stag Lane Saturday School (Quality Mark Award 2025), supported semi-independent accommodation for 18-21 year-olds, and youth clubs and mentoring programs. The organization is regulated as a charity (Charity Number 1139972), is registered with the Immigration Advice Authority (F202500017), and holds membership in the Immigration Law Practitioners' Association (ILPA).

The organization operates from a single headquarters at 11 High Street, Edgware, London, with additional service touchpoints at bridging hotels and partner schools. Its business model is primarily donation- and grant-funded, with nominal revenue contributions from a £5 service registration fee and £10-per-item educational workbook sales through a WooCommerce storefront (Stripe and PayPal processing). There is no proprietary technology underlying the core services; the digital footprint is limited to the shop and standard social channels (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, newsletter). Distribution is delivered face-to-face through the Edgware office, on-site at bridging hotels housing Afghan refugees, and at partner schools including Stag Lane Primary School, with referrals flowing from local schools, councils, and partner charities.

The charity was founded by six Afghan friends who began running a Saturday school at a local Edgware school and has expanded materially since the 2021 fall of Afghanistan to absorb increased Afghan refugee inflows. The current CEO is Fahima Zaheen, with Ms. Palwasha Latif serving as Senior Community Advocate and Ramzia Akbari as Senior Mental Health Counsellor and Afghan Project Manager. Strategic partnerships include London Metropolitan University's Global Diversities and Inequalities Research Centre (2019 research on Afghan migrants in London), King's College London's QUAHRC, BACP, the Association of Afghan Healthcare Professionals-UK, and Afghan Academy International — partners with whom Paiwand co-developed a 2022 mental health guide for professionals working with Afghan sanctuary seekers.

Name

Paiwand

Legal name

Afghan Association Paiwand Ltd

Website

https://paiwand.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Paiwand is a London-based registered charity founded in 2002 that delivers free immigration advice, community advocacy, multilingual mental health counseling, supplementary education, and supported housing to refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants in London, primarily from the Afghan community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Refugee and Migrant Support Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Community Housing Services (62422), Educational Support Services (611710), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO), Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB), Migrant & Refugee Legal Aid and Documentation Services (BPADAHAE), Newcomer & Refugee Student Support Programs (EDAJAGAH), Homeless, Foster Care & Highly Mobile Youth Education Services (EDAJAEAG)

Keywords

• Refugee support services
• Immigration advice
• Community advocacy
• Mental health counseling
• Refugee education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Edgware

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Voluntary donations from individuals, corporations, and supporters to fund housing, advice, and education services for refugees and migrants.
2. Shop Sales: Sale of educational materials including workbooks, language books (Dari, Pashto), and life skills books for children at £10 per item. Also includes handmade items such as embroidered goods and jewellery.
3. Service Registration Fee: Small £5 registration fee to access services, with provisions for those who may face financial difficulties.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Paiwand is a London-based community charity that delivers free, multilingual support services to refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants. Its core offerings include immigration advice (visa applications, asylum claims, appeals), community advocacy (housing, welfare, employment support), mental health counseling in Dari, Farsi, Pashto, and English, semi-independent supported housing for young people aged 18-21, and supplementary education including the Stag Lane Saturday School for children aged 5-11. The charity also operates a small online shop selling educational workbooks and handmade items.

Product overview

Afghan Association Paiwand is a London-based community charity offering a portfolio of services to refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants. The core offerings include Community Advocacy (housing, welfare, employment advice), Immigration Advice (visa applications, asylum claims, appeals), Mental Health & Wellbeing support (multilingual counseling in Dari, Farsi, Pashto, English), Semi-Independent Accommodation for young people aged 18-21, Education Projects (including the Stag Lane Saturday School for children aged 5-11 with Quality Mark Award 2025), and Youth Club & Activities. The charity also operates an Online Shop selling printed books and handmade items. Paiwand's services are delivered through trained advisors, counselors, and volunteers, with a focus on culturally sensitive and trauma-informed care.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Stag Lane Saturday School: Supplementary education program for children aged 5-11, providing English, Maths, Dari and Pashto language classes, and cultural studies.

Products and services

• Community Advocacy Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 89% of students showed measurable progress in English and Maths at Stag Lane Saturday School
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Association of Afghan Healthcare Professionals-UKcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2022Contributed to the publication of 'Working with Afghan Sanctuary Seekers: A guide for mental health professionals' alongside other expert organisations working with Afghans.
• Afghan Academy InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2022Expert contributor to the mental health guide for professionals working with Afghan sanctuary seekers, providing insights into culturally sensitive care.
• British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2022Supported the development and publication of the mental health guide for professionals working with Afghan sanctuary seekers.
• Qualitative Applied Health Research Centre (QUAHRC) at King's College LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2022Academic partner that supported the research and publication of the mental health guide for professionals working with Afghan sanctuary seekers.
• London Metropolitan University - Global Diversities and Inequalities Research CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2019Partnered with Professor Louise Ryan and Dr María López from London Metropolitan University's Global Diversities and Inequalities Research Centre on the research project 'Afghan Migrants in London: Accessing Support in Hostile Times.' Paiwand helped reach participants through community connections and provided interpreters and peer researchers for interviews.
• Afghan Association of LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2019Sister organisation that partnered with Paiwand to support the research project on Afghan migrants in London. Both organisations helped connect researchers with participants from the Afghan community.
• Immigration Law Practitioners' Association (ILPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPaiwand is a proud member of ILPA, a professional association for immigration law practitioners that supports and represents organisations providing immigration advice.
• Local Schools and CouncilscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCollaborates with local organisations, schools, and councils across London to create real and lasting change. Partnerships include Harrow College, Park High School, Edgware Primary School, and various refugee support organisations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• City of Sanctuary: UK-wide movement supporting refugees and asylum seekers through a network of local sanctuary groups. Operates in overlapping London geography with shared mission of community-led refugee support.
• Afghan Association of London: Sister London-based charity serving the Afghan community. Both organizations partner on advocacy and research projects; comparable mission, beneficiary base, and service scope in immigration, education, and community support.
• Jesuit Refugee Service UK: Charity accompanying refugees and asylum seekers in the UK through advocacy, destitution support, and community-based programmes. Comparable in service breadth and beneficiary focus.
• Mary Ward Loreto Foundation: Charity supporting refugees and asylum seekers in the UK through accommodation, advocacy, and integration programmes. Similar service model and beneficiary focus.

Regional players

• Hackney Community Law Centre: London-based provider of free legal advice including immigration. Comparable in providing free immigration advice to vulnerable migrant populations in a London geographic footprint.

Broad incumbents

• British Red Cross: Major UK charity delivering refugee support including family reunion, emergency response, and integration services. National-scale peer competing for similar institutional grant funding.
• Migrant Help: National charity providing immigration advice, asylum support, and modern-slavery victim assistance. Directly comparable regulated immigration-advice services to Paiwand's portfolio.
• Refugee Council: The UK's largest refugee support charity, offering advice, advocacy, and integration services. Larger national footprint but operates in overlapping domains including immigration advice and resettlement support.
• Refugee Action: UK charity providing advice, advocacy, and integration programmes for refugees and asylum seekers. Overlapping functional offerings with Paiwand across advice and community integration.
• Hestia Housing and Support: London charity providing housing, domestic abuse, and modern slavery support. Comparable in operating supported housing for young adults transitioning to independence, a service Paiwand delivers through Semi-Independent Accommodation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/paiwandAA
• Xx.com/aa_paiwand

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Paiwand