What impact has the NSP made?
The transformation brought about by the National Solidarity Programme (NSP) has made it possible, for the first time in Afghanistan for decision-making power and control over certain resources to be managed by the local population. This has changed the way in which the Government of Afghanistan conducts itself, and perhaps even more importantly, the way people are now shaping the decision-making process. A World Bank evaluation in June 2006 concluded that returns on NSP investments in the communities have been high and immediate. Based upon their findings, the Government, World Bank and other joint donors were willing to fund an upscaling of NSP for the next three to four years to ” lay the foundations for strengthening of community level governance, and to support community- managed subprojects comprising reconstruction and development that improve access of rural communities to social and productive infrastructure and services”.
