Afghan Red Crescent Society

What Afghan Red Crescent Society does

The Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) is Afghanistan's national humanitarian organization and the 83rd member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, officially recognized by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in 1934. Headquartered in Kabul at Afshar-Sillo, Fifth District, ARCS delivers a portfolio of humanitarian services including disaster preparedness and response, primary healthcare through 47 Ministry of Public Health-registered fixed clinics and mobile health units, a 70-bed central hospital in Kabul, a drug addiction treatment facility in Parwan, and five Marastoons (social welfare centers) in Kabul, Kandahar, Nangarhar, Herat, and Balkh that provide shelter, vocational training, and mental health support to orphaned and vulnerable families. Specialized programs include the CBHFA initiative training 2,500 community health volunteers across all 34 provinces, congenital heart defect treatment (USD 2,500-3,000 per patient), HIV/AIDS prevention, blood donation drives, and tracing services for missing persons and prisoners.

ARCS operates through a 34-branch provincial network and a 2,500-volunteer community health workforce that reaches remote and insecure areas where other humanitarian actors struggle to operate, with active presence at border crossings (Islam Qala, Silk Road) for repatriated refugees. The organization is funded through a combination of international humanitarian grants (ICRC, IFRC, Chinese Red Cross, Japanese Red Cross, Iranian Red Crescent, Turkish Red Crescent, German Peace Village, Indian Embassy), domestic charitable contributions from benevolent citizens and pilgrims, modest membership fees (AFN 10 monthly / AFN 20 enrollment), and government-designated national property revenues. Sheikh Shahabuddin Delawar serves as Acting President, with Hafiz Azizur Rahman as Vice President. Services are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries under the seven Fundamental Principles of the Movement: Humanity, Impartiality, Neutrality, Independence, Voluntary Service, Unity, and Universality.

Name

Afghan Red Crescent Society

Legal name

Afghan Red Crescent Society

Website

https://arcs.af

Company type

Private

Founded year

1934

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) is Afghanistan's national humanitarian organization and 83rd member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, delivering free disaster response, primary healthcare, hospital care, and social welfare services across all 34 provinces through 47 clinics, 5 welfare centers, and 2,500 community volunteers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Services

NAICS

Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Community Food Services (624210), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Humanitarian Health & Emergency Medical Relief NGOs (HLAJAKAE), Faith-Based Humanitarian Aid & Relief Ministries (BPAGAJAF), Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Safeguarding) (BPADAHAF)

Keywords

• Humanitarian services
• Disaster response
• Healthcare services
• Social welfare
• Volunteer network

Headquarters

HQ city

Kabul

HQ country

Afghanistan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. International Humanitarian Funding: ARCS receives funding and support from international humanitarian organizations including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and national Red Cross societies (Chinese Red Cross, Japanese Red Cross) for disaster response, health services, and humanitarian programs.
2. Domestic Charitable Contributions: Funding from benevolent citizens, merchants, and domestic pilgrims (حجاج محترم) of Afghanistan. The organization also receives support from the Afghan people through various charitable giving programs.
3. Membership Fees: Members pay a monthly membership fee of 10 Afghanis as membership rights and 20 Afghanis as enrollment fees, contributing to the organization's operational funding.
4. Government and Public Property: Support from national property revenues designated for the national society's humanitarian activities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Afghan Red Crescent Society delivers free humanitarian services across Afghanistan, including primary healthcare through 47 fixed clinics, mobile health units, a 70-bed hospital in Kabul, and an addiction treatment facility in Parwan. It provides disaster preparedness and emergency response, social welfare through 5 Marastoons for orphans and vulnerable families, blood donation drives, HIV/AIDS prevention, congenital heart defect treatment, family tracing services, and volunteer training programs. Services are funded by international humanitarian organizations (ICRC, IFRC, sister National Societies), domestic donations, and membership fees.

Product overview

Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) operates as a humanitarian organization providing a portfolio of interconnected services rather than a single unified product. The core offerings include Health Services (delivered through 47 fixed clinics, mobile health clinics, a 70-bed hospital in Kabul, and a drug addiction treatment facility in Parwan), Disaster Management (preparedness, emergency response, and recovery), and Youth & Volunteers Programs (first aid training, blood donation, membership systems). Supporting services include Marastoons (Social Welfare Centers) in five provinces providing shelter and vocational training, a Provincial Assemblies System for democratic governance across 34 branches, and a Legal Affairs & Humanitarian Diplomacy Department. Specialized healthcare programs cover congenital heart defect treatment, HIV/AIDS prevention, and the CBHFA program with 2,500 trained volunteers. Additional services include blood donation drives and tracing services for missing persons and prisoners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Health Services (Clinical Services) Comprehensive healthcare services delivered through 47 fixed health clinics registered with the Ministry of Public Health, mobile health clinics for emergencies, and a 70-bed hospital in Kabul equipped with modern medical facilities, plus a drug addiction treatment hospital in Parwan province. Provided free of charge to vulnerable populations in Afghanistan.
• Disaster Management Disaster response and management services including disaster preparedness training, capacity building for staff and volunteers, public awareness campaigns, and coordination with communities to provide effective services during natural and man-made disasters.
• Youth & Volunteers Program Volunteer recruitment, training, and management program including first aid training, sports committees, educational clubs for underprivileged students, membership systems, blood donation drives, and human values education across Afghanistan.
• Marastoons (Social Welfare Centers) Social welfare centers providing care and shelter for orphaned, vulnerable, and underprivileged families and individuals in five provinces (Kabul, Kandahar, Nangarhar, Herat, and Balkh), including mental health services and vocational training programs.
• CBHFA (Community-Based Health and First Aid) Program First aid volunteer program training 2,500 community-based health volunteers across 34 provinces to provide community-level first aid services and health education in Afghanistan.
• Mobile Health Clinics Mobile health clinics providing emergency medical services in remote and underserved areas affected by natural or man-made disasters in Afghanistan.
• Blood Donation Program Voluntary blood donation drives coordinated with the Ministry of Public Health, with blood donations provided to deserving patients in Afghanistan.
• HIV/AIDS Prevention Program Preventive healthcare program focused on HIV/AIDS awareness, immunity development through community education, disease prevention, and treatment referrals in Afghanistan.
• Congenital Heart Defect Treatment Program Treatment program for children with congenital heart defects (ventricular septal defects), covering costs of USD 2,500–3,000 per patient funded by benevolent citizens, pilgrims, Chinese Red Cross, and the Indian Embassy, with treatment provided in domestic and foreign hospitals.
• Tracing Services Services to strengthen family connections for missing persons, prisoners, and internally displaced persons (IDPs), including operation at border crossings such as Islam Qala and Silk Road.

Quantifiable outcome

• 47 fixed health clinics providing free healthcare to thousands of patients
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

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, major and minor.

• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026ICRC is a key strategic partner supporting ARCS disaster response, healthcare programs, and humanitarian operations. They provide funding, technical guidance, and coordination for humanitarian cooperation discussions between ARCS and IFRC.
• International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026IFRC works with ARCS as part of the global Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, providing international humanitarian coordination, funding support, and capacity building programs.
• Chinese Red CrossmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChinese Red Cross contributed USD 200,000 for Kunar earthquake relief efforts, providing emergency humanitarian assistance to earthquake-affected populations.
• Japanese Red CrossmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJapanese Red Cross provided emergency humanitarian aid for Kunar earthquake victims through ARCS distribution channels.
• Iranian Red CrescentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivered 68 tons of humanitarian aid to ARCS for Kunar earthquake victims at Herat border, demonstrating regional humanitarian cooperation.
• Turkish Red CrescentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTurkish Red Crescent supported reconstruction projects including building renovation and solar power system installation at Kabul Marastoon center.
• German Peace Village (Friedensdorf)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman Peace Village funded food assistance distribution to 200 internally displaced families in Paktia province through ARCS.
• Indian EmbassyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributed funding for treatment of children with congenital heart defects (ventricular septal defects), supporting surgical operations at domestic hospitals.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): Core strategic partner of ARCS and the founding body of the Movement. Operates conflict-related humanitarian assistance globally, including within Afghanistan; directly comparable mandate and provides ARCS's funding and technical backbone.
• UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency): UN agency mandated to lead refugee protection and IDP assistance globally; cooperates with ARCS on tracing services and repatriation support at Afghan border crossings (Islam Qala, Silk Road). Operates in same beneficiary populations and geography with overlapping refugee/IDP assistance mandate.
• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF): Major international humanitarian medical organization operating in Afghanistan with parallel conflict-zone health services. Comparable in delivering free healthcare to vulnerable populations in insecure areas, though structured as an independent NGO rather than a Movement member.
• International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC): Global umbrella body of which ARCS is the 83rd member; coordinates funding and capacity building across 191 National Societies. Functions as ARCS's parent/strategic apex and a directly comparable humanitarian organization at a larger scale.

Direct peers

• Pakistan Red Crescent Society: Sister National Society of the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement with a parallel mandate for humanitarian assistance, healthcare delivery, and disaster response in Pakistan. Operates a comparable provincial branch network, blood banks, and ambulance/health services; directly comparable as a movement peer.
• Iranian Red Crescent Society: Movement peer that already cooperates operationally with ARCS (delivered 68 tons of aid for Kunar earthquake). Operates a similar mandate of disaster response, health services, and humanitarian relief in a sanctioned/fragile-state environment — highly comparable governance and operational model.
• Bangladesh Red Crescent Society: Sister National Society in a climate-vulnerable, high-disaster-frequency country with parallel programs in blood donation, community health, disaster preparedness, and welfare centers. Comparable scale and service mix as a developing-country Red Crescent.

Emerging players

• International Medical Corps: International humanitarian NGO focused on emergency health services, primary healthcare, and disaster response in fragile states. Operates in Afghanistan and provides overlapping health, mental health, and community outreach services comparable to ARCS's clinical and welfare offerings.
• AfghanAid: Long-established Afghan-focused humanitarian and development NGO providing healthcare, education, and livelihoods in rural Afghanistan. Comparable peer in serving vulnerable Afghan populations with humanitarian and community-development programming in insecure areas.

Regional players

• CARE International (Afghanistan): Major international NGO with active operations in Afghanistan delivering humanitarian assistance, food security, and women's empowerment programs. Comparable as a peer in serving IDPs, refugees, and disaster-affected populations in the same geography, though with a different funding/governance structure.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ARCSAfghanistan
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCkUtdhq2lKaJHVs2myF27Xw
• Facebookfacebook.com/ARCSAfghanistan
• Instagraminstagram.com/afghanredcrescent
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/arcsaf

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Afghan Red Crescent Society