For over 25 years, the Afghanistan and Central Asian Association (ACAA) has been a lifeline for refugees and asylum seekers in the UK and abroad.

Founded by Dr. Nooralhaq Nasimi, who fled Afghanistan in the back of a refrigerated lorry with his young family in 1999, ACAA was born from lived experience. What started as a small volunteer project in a London flat is now the largest Afghan diaspora-led charity in the UK, supporting over 150,000 refugees through education, advice, and empowerment.

 Our Mission

To help refugees and migrants build new lives with dignity, confidence, and opportunity.

We provide:

• English and skills training for work and integration

• Free legal and immigration advice

• Mental health support and counselling

• Women’s empowerment and domestic abuse support

• Children’s education and after-school programmes

• Community food banks, hot meals, and cultural events

We run centres in London, Birmingham, Liverpool, and Harrow, and partner with local councils and national funders to reach the most vulnerable.

 Why We Need Your Help

Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, millions of Afghans, especially women and girls have faced unimaginable suffering.

Here in the UK, thousands of Afghan refugees still struggle to find housing, employment, and hope. Our centres are overwhelmed: every day, newly arrived families walk through our doors seeking help with the basics, English classes, job applications, trauma counselling, or even a hot meal. At the same time, the demand for our free legal advice clinics, covering immigration, housing, and family law, has never been higher. With the continuing influx of refugees and asylum seekers, many are left navigating complex legal systems without access to affordable or culturally sensitive advice. Our clinics, run by qualified advisors and volunteer solicitors, are often the only trusted source of legal support available. Each week, hundreds of people turn to us for urgent help with visa renewals, asylum claims, housing disputes, and family reunification—vital steps on the path to safety, stability, and rebuilding their lives.

Despite limited government funding, we continue to serve everyone who comes to us, . But our resources are stretched thin.

Your support will help us:

• Keep our community centres open and running

• Expand free English, IT, and job-skills classes

• Provide counselling and legal advice for new arrivals

• Deliver food parcels and hot meals to struggling families

• Fund women’s and children’s programmes that rebuild confidence and hope

🌍 Our Work in Afghanistan

Beyond the UK, ACAA runs life-saving programmes inside Afghanistan—including women’s legal advice clinics, nutrition initiatives for children, and tech fellowships empowering Afghan women to work remotely and safely.

Your donation helps sustain both our UK and Afghan programmes, giving hope where it’s needed most.

🏆 Trusted and Recognised

ACAA has received national awards including:

• The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (2018)

• Refugee Support Service of the Year (2019)

• Founder Dr. Nasimi, MBE, was honoured by HRH King Charles and received an Honorary Doctorate from Royal Holloway University in 2024.

We’ve been featured by BBC, Sky News, Al Jazeera, GB News and The Guardian, recognised as a leading voice for refugee integration.

👉 Donate today and stand with refugees rebuilding their futures.