Afghanistan is on the  brink of its biggest crisis of the 21st century - mass starvation, unemployment, and poverty.

Branding a country is not all too different from branding a business. The same principles are utilized in both, albeit within a highly different context with very different impacts. Afghanistan is a country near and dear to many of the team members at the We Group. Some of our members have personally served in the country and have made a serious impact within the fields of sports and recreation.

Recent political turmoil made direct service a very difficult and precarious operation, but nonetheless one fact stood beyond debate and controversy. TheAfghans need our assistance, and we have moral responsibility to respond.

The economy of Afghanistan stands on the brink of collapse and the near total absence of any foreign investment into the country makes matters much worse. Of course, the absence of economic activity from the private sector is caused by a lack of familiarity with the structures of the existing society, and whether funds could be effectively funneled into the desired sectors that most need them.

This entire picture did little to help arrive at a solution that could alleviate the debilitating poverty and instability crippling Afghans for years. The We group decided that any organizational success in Afghanistan would have to leverage two strategic indicators that’ll contribute to projects success.

First, organize assists around an initiative that solves for the most important deficiency. Second, identify pathways for capital circulation amongst other sectors and supply chains in the public space. With respect to the first issue, there is no problem more important than food supply. The issue is universal and dire, and can be used as the rallying point to help coordinate resources and matriculate capital into the country.

Secondly, an organizational strategy must try and seek access routes within the populace itself that may bypass fears of institutional instability. This means, for instance, developing financial relations with local supply chain networks who can operate as distribution channels, or independent voices within the private sector who have the infrastructure and experience to manage capital despite the wider problem of social instability.

What matters is finding a strategy that can help those who need our assistance the most. There will always be fears and uncertainties when developing economic relations with a country with many unknown variables. But this does not mean we don’t try. Organizations can still make an impact. They simply need to develop creative and dynamic strategies of incorporation and involvement.

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