Advancing resilience through access to secure, modern payment systems

CRLP launched a pilot for digital payment of laborers at 5 work sites and social grant beneficiaries in 1 location. In partnership with the Afghanistan International Bank (AIB), CRLP is bringing banking services to the doorsteps of communities and introducing banking and digital payments to communities who would otherwise not access these services. Beneficiaries receive information from AIB about the functionalities and capabilities of the card. While the number of payments is limited, due to the short-term nature of the livelihoods activities, the registered beneficiaries can be considered ‘financially included’, with access to free banking tools and secure storage of their earnings.

Penetration of banking services and adoption of digital payment systems, particularly in the rural communities, is low in Afghanistan. As part of its broader objective to strengthen community resilience and livelihoods across 29 provinces, the Afghanistan Community Resilience and Livelihoods Project (CRLP) is helping bridge this gap by introducing digital payments for laborers and social grant beneficiaries—an important step toward long-term financial inclusion.

"The world is evolving and CRLP cannot be left behind," explained the project Financial Advisor, Chikondi Ngwiri. "Introduction of digital payments improves accuracy of payments to laborers, expedites payment processes and eliminates the need for storage of physical documents."

Normally AIB onboards customers with information from an individual's National Identity Card (Tazkira). CRLP has enabled marginalized persons like returnees and women without tazkira to open accounts based on the project's beneficiary registration forms. AIB travels to each community to conduct biometric registration, issue cards and offer cash withdrawal from the beneficiaries' bank cards. In a process that takes just under 3 minutes, beneficiaries are issued with bank cards credited with their wages. Banking and card fees are borne by CRLP. Beneficiaries can elect to withdraw all their money at once, or do so at a later stage at any of AIBs branches and agents across the country.

Dad Mohammad is one of the beneficiaries who participated in the digital pilot program. Dad Mahommad was deported from Iran four months ago. Having lived in Iran all his life, he became destitute when he returned to Afghanistan. CRLP has provided him with not just a job, but an entry point back into the local economy. Dad Mohammad was able to open an account with AIB and get a bank card which will be functional for five years- a milestone in his efforts to reintegrate into society.

Nasir Ahmad, a young father from District 7 of Kabul, is another beneficiary who participated in the digital pilot program. Nasir has always believed in the value of education and hard work. With a diploma in Finance from Nima Institute, he hoped to build a stable career and give his children the kind of future he dreamed of. But like many educated Afghans, he found himself facing the harsh reality of limited job opportunities. CRLP provided much needed relief by engaging him in meaningful work. ”I was struggling to make ends meet for my family and I ended up borrowing a large sum of money,” Nasir explained. “Now that I have a job, I can repay that debt.” Nasir is one of the few laborers who did not withdraw their money. Instead, he plans to leave it in his account until his work contract ends. Then he will withdraw the lump sum and pay back the money he owes.

Dad Ebrahami also did not withdraw his wages when they were credited into his bank card. He has ambitions to study for a degree at a university. Dad Ebrahami wants to save his money and withdraw it at the end of his contract. He wants to use the money to pay his entrance exam fee for university. “Things will change in this country,’’ Ebrahami says with hope, “and one must be ready for opportunities”.

The women who participated in this pilot are equally excited to have a bank card. In areas like Kabul, they can independently go to the bank and withdraw their money. In more restrictive communities, the AIB agents explain to them that they can introduce another person- such as their father or brother-as a secondary cardholder. After biometric registration by AIB, access is granted to the secondary cardholder as well. Once money is credited onto the card, both the primary and secondary cardholders can withdraw the money.

Nearly 500 laborers and social grant beneficiaries have participated in the digital payment pilot. The early results demonstrate strong potential for scaling digital payments across CRLP’s national footprint, which currently spans 29 provinces and more than 15 million people benefiting from improved access to basic services. As CRLP prepares for its next phase of implementation, digital payments are expected to become an integral part of project delivery—supporting transparency, improving efficiency, strengthening safeguards, and ensuring that vulnerable households receive the full value of their entitlements safely and on time.