RSDO is a non- political, non- profit and non- governmental local organization established in 2001 by a group of educated Afghan people, who rallied together to address the lack of facilities for Afghan refugees coming from outside of Afghanistan, orphans especially those who lost one of their parents during the war years, women, girls and children who are vulnerable groups in the Afghanistan, and for poor people who didn’t have access to education.  Besides providing basic education support (training, awareness rising, and literacy program), RSDO initially established a secondary school in Herat Afghanistan to enable school-aged Afghan orphan boys and girls living in the area to pursue a school education.  RSOD has also been active in collaborating with other agencies, women and community councils in establishing networks and groups of women and vulnerable groups to lean profession and have their own income as well as paving education way for children. One of the most important principles of its work is impartiality and independence. RSDO painstakingly observes its aim not to become an instrument for political, economic or military interests. Particularly in conflict areas it attaches great value to asserting its independence from all parties involved. RSDO is registered with the Ministry of Economy of Afghanistan in 2006 with registration number 1154.

RSDO currently works in four provinces of Afghanistan including Herat, Ghor and Badghis provinces of west zone of Afghanistan. RSDO is one of the NGOs in Afghanistan which has extensive experience in the area of:

• women empowerment including in advocacy and leadership; it has established community centers, women and youth ‘shuras’, and has built their capacity through training on advocacy, leadership, women’s rights, child rights, peace building, conflict resolution, women economic empowerment, saffron economy for women, enabling women to start business, and elimination of violence against women.  
• literacy training, community mobilization on social and disability protection, running campaign and awareness raising on legal rights, livelihood development through skills development and saffron cultivation, providing relief services for drought and flood and winter disaster affected households.
• Contribution for building the capacity of community development councils, CSOs, community networks and linking civil society activists for advocacy and community mobilization.

RSDO worked toward an inclusive society in which women have equal social, political, and economic rights with men, and to promote awareness and support for the democratic processes.

Since its inception, RSDO has worked to support some of the most vulnerable women and children including street working children, disabled women, and impoverished women.  We do so through initiating programs/projects that aim to improve the lives of women and promote the right of children to a better life.  

RSDO has undertaken activities including awareness-raising for women and child rights, training workshops on different topics, vocational training for women, professional capacity building for women, psycho-social wellness training, health education, literacy, and peace education.  One of RSDO core activities is to support women through mobilizing the community, for eliminating violence against women.  RSDO strives toward this aim at the levels of policy based and issue based advocacy, through awareness raising and capacity development at community and institution levels. RSDO establishes women’s ‘shuras’ that work closely with the community, to improve women’s status in their family and communities.

RSDO conducted community development through agriculture activities projects in Herat province such as: farmers capacity building, wheat improved seeds extension, green houses installation, establishment of the cotton farms, cultivation of saffron, demonstration farm to the ladies and gardening growth. RSDO aimed increasing productivity, raising farmer’s capacity and creating jobs opportunities for poor women through the agricultural activities.

RSDO constructed schools in the remote and rural areas of the western provinces of Afghanistan to enable boys and girls in the rural and remote areas to have access to education. RSDO construction initiatives are enabling women to build their capacity and have their own abilities for improvement.