About Us
Our story, our mission, and the people behind the work.
Sadath Foundation
Sadath Foundation is an Australian-registered charity delivering effective, locally-led medical care to some of Afghanistan's most underserved communities. We're a small, determined team — brought together by a shared belief that targeted, high-impact humanitarian work in Afghanistan is both possible and necessary.
Where Need Is Greatest
Large parts of Afghanistan have little or no access to basic medical care — hitting millions of women, children, and remote communities the hardest.
But Afghanistan also has capable people, institutions, and communities with the will and the capacity to address their own needs.
What's missing is the connection between resources and need. That's the gap Sadath Foundation exists to fill.
Locally Led, Professionally Delivered.
Sadath Foundation is building humanitarian healthcare in Afghanistan differently — local teams, professional standards, built to last.
We are establishing work in Afghanistan's most underserved communities — training health workers, delivering care, responding to disasters.
We exist to be the organisation Australians trust to turn generosity into real impact in Afghanistan — doing what larger organisations can't
On the Ground, Where It Counts
Our medical teams come from the communities they serve — they know the culture, speak the language, and are already trusted.
What makes Sadath different is hard to replicate: local leadership paired with Australian governance, medical expertise paired with cultural fluency, a lean team with years of earned trust on the ground.
Exclusive Access All Areas
At the heart of our model is something that cannot be manufactured: the personal networks of our founder, Ishaq Sadath.
Decades of relationships across Afghanistan's government, health, and business sectors mean we have the access, the credibility, and the trust to operate where other organisations simply cannot.
The Gaps We're Closing
We are building towards four interconnected areas of impact, each chosen because the need is urgent and the opportunity is real.
Primary Medical Care
Basic medical care remains out of reach for millions of Afghans — particularly in rural and displaced communities. We aim to deliver professional primary healthcare through local teams trusted by the communities they serve.
Mental Health
The psychological toll of decades of conflict, displacement and loss is profound and largely unaddressed. We plan to develop community-based mental health support, including the training of local volunteers in Psychological First Aid.
Disaster Response
Afghanistan is acutely vulnerable to earthquakes, floods, and displacement. We are building the capacity to deploy rapidly when crisis strikes — with medical teams, local relationships, and processes that allow us to move within days.
Healthcare Training
Sustainable healthcare in Afghanistan depends on Afghans. We are committed to building local capacity — training community health workers and medical staff so that expertise stays in the communities that need it most.
The Values That Guide Us
The six principles that shape everything we do.
Staffed By Locals
Our medical teams are local men and women from the communities they serve. They move faster, cost less, and are trusted in ways outside teams rarely are.
Built to Move Fast
No layers of process between a decision and its implementation. When the earthquake struck, we were on the ground within days.
Deep Community Connections
We operate in places that are difficult to reach and harder to navigate — and we have the relationships with local authorities and community leaders to make it possible.
Rigorous Governance
An Australian-registered charity, governed and accountable here at home. Donors can give with confidence knowing their contributions are held to Australian standards.
Transparent Professionalism
Medical work overseen by a qualified Australian GP with direct experience of Afghanistan's health landscape. We report transparently — because donors deserve to know exactly what their support achieves.
Cost-Effective
During the 2025 earthquake response, care cost just $8.26 per patient. That efficiency isn't a one-time achievement — it's the result of local staffing, lean operations, and deep understanding of the context.
The Team
Ishaq Sadath
Founding Director
Ishaq Sadath came to Australia as a refugee from Afghanistan and built a successful life here before returning to serve the country of his birth.
He served as Head of Water and Sanitation for the World Health Organization in the Eastern Provinces, founded the Sadath Business Group, and now leads Sadath Foundation as its Afghan voice and most senior representative.
He is the bridge between our Australian operations and our work on the ground. It is his connections, his cultural fluency, and his deep knowledge of the country that give Sadath Foundation the access and trust that most organisations spend years trying to build.
Dr Kelvin Chang
Executive Director
Dr Kelvin Chang is an Australian-trained specialist in General Practice and has spent the last three years living and working in Tajikistan and Afghanistan.
He directs the foundation's operations, partnerships, and program delivery, serves as our medical lead, and is the primary point of contact for funders, partners, and external stakeholders.
Hannah Abraham
Director, Women & Mental Health
Hannah Abraham leads the development and delivery of our mental health programs, with a particular focus on women and trauma recovery.
Her cross-cultural expertise and experience working locally means she can support the women she serves in ways that few others can.
She holds a certificate in Psychological First Aid, and is completing a Graduate Certificate in trauma counselling.
Dr Tim Harrold
Co-Founder and Treasurer
Dr Tim Harrold is responsible for the foundation's financial stewardship, budgeting, and the integrity of its accounts, and he holds the long-term vision for our future water work in Kabul.
He holds a PhD in engineering and brings twenty-five years of experience in the Australian water sector, including extended work with the Sadath Business Group across Afghanistan and Asia.