named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Afghanistan Humanitarian Programs
Delivers aid to inaccessible and marginalized populations in Afghanistan through direct service and community-building initiatives
Birth Defects in Fallujah
Research initiative studying the impact of lead and depleted uranium from past conflicts on birth outcomes in Fallujah, Iraq
Center for Missing Persons
Functions as a repository and clearinghouse in Manbij, Syria, where families can register cases of loved ones forcibly disappeared by conflict actors; trains locals in documentation and investigative techniques
Redress Partnership
Pilots a representation model for civilian victims of U.S. air wars, combining U.S.-based advocacy with field support for over thirty families; now formalized as the Marla Ruzicka Project for Amends & Redress with CIVIC
Refugees in Tech
Teaches coding and web development to Afghan refugees; includes a free immersive bootcamp and job placement support in tech fields
activities · 8 groups
What they do
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Tech Skills Training for Underserved Groups 2 activities
- Support for Afghan refugeesImplements programs to support Afghan refugees, including co-developing a talent pool of software developers and graphic designers, providing immersive coding bootcamps with full scholarships, and supporting employment in tech sectors.
- Tech skills training for displaced populationsTeaches coding and web development to Afghan refugees through free immersive bootcamps and scholarship programs, aiming to build digital livelihoods and connect trained individuals with employment opportunities.
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Human Rights Advocacy and Public Education 1 activity
- Advocacy for Afghan women leaders and survivors of conflictPublishes reflections and analyses amplifying voices of Afghan women following key political events, including the murder of parliamentarian Mursal Nabizada and the one-year anniversary of the Taliban takeover. Maintains engagement with Afghan women leaders through private communication channels.
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Financial and Emotional Support for Bereaved Families 1 activity
- Assistance for civilian victims of U.S. airstrikesSupports victims of U.S. airstrikes in obtaining condolence payments from the U.S. government and pilots a representation model (2022–2025) that provides dedicated advocacy and field support for over thirty families affected by U.S. air wars.
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Community Capacity Building & Leadership Networks 1 activity
- Capacity building for local governance and documentationSupports communities in non-state spaces by collaborating with local groups to develop sustainable and autonomous governance systems, and trains local organizations in documenting forced disappearances and other human rights violations.
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Disaster Relief and Recovery Services 1 activity
- Humanitarian aid delivery in conflict zonesProvides emergency humanitarian assistance to victims of war, including those affected by U.S. military operations and natural disasters such as earthquakes. Activities include delivering medicine, blankets, excavation equipment, and facilitating the return of human remains for burial in northwest Syria.
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Direct Clinical Care Delivery 1 activity
- Public health programs in conflict-affected areasImplements public health initiatives in regions with limited healthcare access, including disease surveillance across 150 villages in northeast Syria, polio vaccination campaigns, Leishmaniasis vector control, and response to the COVID-19 pandemic through hospital triage protocols, mask production, ventilator supply, and vaccination task forces.
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Conflict and Geopolitical Research Analysis 1 activity
- Research on conflict dynamics and insurgent governanceConducts in-depth field research on armed conflicts and non-state governance, including studies on the Syrian civil war, Taliban leadership under Mullah Omar, Al-Shabaab’s governance in Somalia, and political shifts in Iraq. Research is based on interviews with insurgents, officials, and local actors, and includes analysis of urban-rural divides, social networks, and elite formation in conflict zones.
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Uncategorized 2 activities
- Center for Missing Persons in SyriaOperates a Center for Missing Persons in Manbij, Syria, which serves as a repository for families to register forcibly disappeared loved ones, trains locals in documentation and investigative techniques, and has determined the fates of nearly 40 individuals to provide closure to their families.
- Environmental health research in conflict-affected populationsConducts research on the impact of environmental toxins such as lead and depleted uranium on birth outcomes in Fallujah, Iraq, contributing to understanding long-term public health consequences of warfare.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$348K
Contributions & grants$348K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$451K
Program expenses77%
Admin / overhead23%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$104K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$176K
Cash$174K
Investments$0
Liabilities$365K
Net assets$-190K
Liquid reserves4.6 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +2.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 3
- Carolyn Forbes — Director
- Daniel Rothenberg — Treasurer
- Nick McDonell — President
relationships · 17
Who they work with
- Anand Gopal Partner — Collaborated on research regarding the rise of the Sunni elite in Fallujah, Iraq.
- Arizona State University’s Center on the Future of War Funder — Supported Zomia's work.
- Bette Dam Partner — Lead researcher and journalist who conducted field investigations and interviews for Zomia Center's report on Mullah Omar.
- Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) Partner — Partnership to formalize the Marla Ruzicka Project for Amends & Redress, building on Zomia's Redress Program pilot for civilian victims of U.S. air wars.
- Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue Partner — Partnered with Zomia to establish a disease surveillance network in northeast Syria.
- Code To Inspire Partner — Collaborated to develop a talent pool of Afghan software developers and designers and deliver tech services.
- Drexel University Funder — Supported Zomia's work.
- Ford Foundation Funder — Supported Zomia's work.
- Hussein Nasser Partner — Co-author of a report on the political dynamics of Mare'a during the Syrian civil war.
- International Committee of the Red Cross Funder — Supported Zomia's work.
- Jeremy Hodge Partner — Co-author of a report on the political dynamics of Mare'a during the Syrian civil war.
- Mursal Nabizada Partner — Engaged in direct dialogue and relationship-building with former Afghan parliamentarian Mursal Nabizada during a visit to Kabul.
- New America Funder — Supported Zomia's work.
- New America Partner — Collaborated on the publication of a report about social networks, class, and the Syrian proxy war.
- The Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue Funder — Supported Zomia's work.
- World Health Organization Partner — Receives disease surveillance data from Zomia's network in northeast Syria through a central clearinghouse.
- local community groups Partner — Collaborates with local community groups to support autonomous local governance initiatives.
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Amplification of Local Voices in Advocacymethodology: local-voice-amplificationBy centering local voices—particularly women—from conflict-affected regions in research and advocacy, Zomia improves the authenticity and impact of public understanding, because external narratives often distort or erase lived experiences.
- Community-Led Governance Supportmethodology: community-led governanceBy collaborating with local community groups, Zomia supports self-determined and sustainable governance in non-state spaces, because externally imposed systems often fail to align with local power structures and needs.
- Local Network-Based Aid and Public Health Deliverymethodology: network_based_aid_deliveryBy leveraging local networks and non-state actors, Zomia delivers aid and public health services to marginalized populations in inaccessible regions, because traditional assistance channels often exclude these communities due to insecurity or structural bias.
- Research-Integrated Humanitarian Programmingmethodology: research-integrated_humanitarian_workBy integrating granular, on-the-ground research into humanitarian and advocacy work, Zomia ensures programming is contextually accurate and effective in non-state or conflict-affected areas, because standard models often misrepresent complex local dynamics.
- Structural Analysis of Conflict and Inequalitymethodology: structural-analysis-of-conflictBy focusing on underreported structural factors like inequality and rural-urban divides, Zomia explains political outcomes in conflict zones more accurately, because event-driven analyses often overlook root causes.