FRONTLINES www.USAID.gov December 2010/January 2011

In the Aftermath of Pakistan’s Floods

Civilians, Armed Forces, and Afghans Unite for Country’s Future

Special Afghanistan-Pakistan Edition INSIGHTS From Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah

create a trust fund, perhaps we work organizations from working with us. with Congress to devise a new mecha- We must also fight hard against a nism, but it is something we are giv- Western long-term view that interprets ing thought to. every visible need as a driver of con- But more importantly, we need to flict. It’s very easy for a commander adjust our tactics to the input reality. or USAID staff member to arrive in We need to be honest about the po- Afghanistan, spot a dilapidated school, The following are excerpts from the litical nature of conflict and how that and demand it be retrofitted and rebuilt. Administrator’s address to the National dictates our fiscal trajectory. And we But what if there are no teachers War College in Washington, D.C., need to work to make ourselves more to staff it? What if the Taliban are Dec. 3, 2010. relevant and helpful to that reality. threatening the parents of those chil- First, we must emphasize a long- dren who attend? What if you paid a ERHAPS THE BIGGEST term development perspective into the local tribal chief for the work and he Pchallenge we face in areas of con- short-term stabilization and project- in turn used the money to weaken the flict or instability like Afghanistan and finance work that must occur. status of rivals? Your good intentions Pakistan is how we adjust the devel- In our short-term activities and pro- would have now weakened the state opment endeavor—one that occurs grammatic planning, we must adopt a and heightened tensions. on a generational timeline—to the “do no harm” mentality, ensuring the Therefore, we must strive to uncover political reality and military impera- work we do builds an enabling envi- the true drivers of instability in a tive that demand quick time horizons. ronment for long-term development, region, based, again, on local perspec- The type of funding situation pre- rather than leading to dependency, tives. We must respond to the real sented by zones of conflict forces us market distortion, or corruption. needs of those we serve, not the needs into some pretty difficult circum- We must use those funds to in- we imagine. stances—situations in which we have creasingly build local capacity, empow- What we’ve found is that it is gen- to spend large amounts of money in ering Afghans or Pakistanis or erally not the case that a lack of a very short amount of time, because whomever else to take responsibility schools or roads drives conflict. Often we know the dollars simply won’t be for governance and social services. the situation is far subtler, having to there tomorrow. To do this, USAID is rewriting and do with local power dynamics or But spending this amount of money streamlining its contracting rules, long-held grudges. in a conflict zone is akin to carpet- changing the status quo of writing big With this idea in mind, USAID bombing—it may hit its target but not checks to big contractors and calling worked closely with the Pentagon without significant collateral damage. it development. to create the District Stabilization Massive upfront investments can We will increasingly fund smaller, Framework, a decision-making tool distort markets, incentivize power local agents of change, who have the designed to get at the real sources of brokers or warlords to rise, and beget cultural context and in-country exper- conflict in a given area. corruption; all of which can ultimately tise to ensure our assistance leads And, we must remember that how diminish the legitimacy of the state to sustainable growth. projects are chosen and executed are in a counterinsurgency environment. And, in a realm dominated by red ultimately as important as what is So we are looking into budget tape, we’re making the application produced—again, how we do things mechanisms that allow us to distribute for these grants far simpler, breaking is as important as what we do. these funds out over time. Perhaps we down the barriers that stop smaller continued on p. 36 ii www.USAID.gov “I realize that there are among us those who are weary of sustaining this continual effort INSIDE THIS ISSUE to help other nations. But I would ask them to look at a map and recognize that many of those whom we help live on the ‘ front lines’ of the long twilight struggle for freedom—that others are new nations posed between order and chaos—and the rest are older nations now undergoing a turbulent transition of new expectations. 2 Our efforts to help them help themselves, to Afghanistan’s Future demonstrate and to strengthen the vitality 22 of free institutions, are small in cost How schools, farmers, and compared to our military outlays for midwives are overcoming Pakistan’s Thorny Issues the defense of freedom.” war-zone challenges Relief from summer flooding is —John F. Kennedy, Special Message to the 5 Art of the Deal just one of several aid priorities Congress on Foreign Aid, March 13, 1962 FrontLines is published by the Bureau 6 Afghan Mothers Delivered 25 For Pakistan Teen, a Chance for Legislative and Public Affairs into Good Hands to Finish Childhood U.S. Agency for International Development 8 Fashioning Female 26 A Long-term Investment Moira Whelan, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Public Affairs Entrepreneurs in Safer Schools 10 Show Takes Afghans 28 Mater nal and Child Health FRONTLINES STAFF: “On the Road” to Programs Deliver for Pakistan Kelly Ramundo, Managing Editor See Progress 30 Your Voice: Finding Hope Claire McIntyre, Production Editor Angela Rucker, Writer 12 Reading and Writing a Amid Flood’s Devastation Patricia Adams, Photo Librarian Better Future Mary Jane Cotter, Human Resources 32 Pakistan 2010 —The Year Coordinator and Employee Liaison 14 Afghanistan 2010 — in Review CORRESPONDENTS: The Year in Review 34 V oices from the Field (Pakistan) AFGE – Willy Hardin; AFR – Susan Quinn, 16 Voices from the Field 37 Photo Collage Ranta Russell; AFSA – Francisco Zamora; (Afghanistan) ASIA – Jan Cartwright; CFBCI – Heather MacLean; DCHA – Rebecca Gustafson, 18 Interview with Af-Pak Chief Sven Lindholm; EGAT – Jane Stanley, Alex Thier Ashley Allen; E&E – Michael Hathaway; OCRD – Gloria Blackwell; GC – Harmony Wade; ODP – Todd Kirkbride; GH – Sandra Cover: Jordan, Chris Thomas, Jessica DiRocco; A farmer from Shamangan province, IG – Debra Scott; LAC – Maxine Hillary; LPA – Barbara Bennett; M – Lauren Gabler; Afghanistan, holds soil that is ready to ME – Hope Bryer, Jan Cartwright; be used for planting. The USAID-funded SEC – Dwayne Moore, Lorraine Meehan Accelerating Sustainable Agriculture Submit notices, story ideas, feedback to Program works with farmers throughout FrontLines articles and requests to be added to Afghanistan to introduce new strains of the mailing list to [email protected]. alfalfa with higher protein content to Go to www.usaid.gov/frontlines help livestock survive cold winters. Nicholas Robbins Photo by

FRONTLINES • December 2010/January 2011 In Midst Of War Zone, Civilians And Armed Forces Converge For Photo by Robert Sauers, USAID

U.S. Ambassador Karl Eikenberry, left, poses with workers at the Tarakhil Power Plant in Kabul in a ceremony to transfer control of the facility to the Afghanistan government.

2 www.USAID.gov Afghanistan’s Future

By Jim Carey

N DEC. 1, 2009, PRESIDENT history of the United States—comes a credible, legitimate government OBarack Obama spoke before a with challenges. Development takes presence.” packed auditorium at West Point, the time and requires stable conditions to Thier said that many USAID country’s premier military academy. take root. Implementing projects and programs, under an accelerated mili- “Our overarching goal remains the programs also frequently depends on tary schedule, are beginning to take same,” he told the military men and the military providing security. stabilization to its next phase—to women in attendance, “…to disrupt, For the most part, the U.S. strategy transition programs so that Afghans dismantle, and defeat Al-Qaeda in calls for the military to secure key lead and take responsibility. Afghanistan and Pakistan, and to areas, while USAID and its counter- The AVIPA (Agricultural Vouchers prevent its capacity to threaten parts promptly follow up with the for Increased Production in America and our allies in the future. “build” phase, helping Afghans con- Afghanistan) project is a case in “We must deny Al-Qaeda a safe struct or reconstruct the kinds of point. The project is intended to offer haven. We must reverse the Taliban’s institutions and infrastructure that Afghans alternatives to extremism momentum and deny it the ability help diminish the threat posed by and opium cultivation. Its focus is to overthrow the government. And extremism. four-fold: help Afghan farmers receive we must strengthen the capacity of This past year also marked a con- subsidized vouchers that can be ex- Afghanistan’s security forces and siderable shift as USAID redirected changed for vegetable seed or tools to government so that they can take lead some of its efforts from Kabul to the encourage self-sustenance; inject responsibility for Afghanistan’s future.” regional, provincial, and district levels much needed money and jobs in areas That speech initiated deployment of to reach communities in nearly all that have not seen economic activity an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to of the 34 provinces in Afghanistan. for years through a cash-for-work the country, and also signaled that the The shift responded to a need for component; execute material grants to United States’ non-military response increased cooperation with military farmer cooperatives; and provide would also be needed. USAID, the counterparts at the provincial or dis- training in new farming techniques. State Department, and 14 other fed- trict levels to more effectively address The AVIPA project is scaling back eral agencies had earlier undertaken a the myriad root sources of instability in 2011 as USAID’s agriculture pro- massive recruitment effort to deploy in a country whose development gram transitions to more long-lasting approximately 1,000 civilian special- needs across regions are often as di- agricultural development by making ists to Afghanistan. verse as its geography. substantial investments in more so- USAID returned to the country in “Much of what we do in Afghanistan phisticated techniques and equip- 2002, but the scale of resources and focuses on stabilization,” said Alex ment. An estimated 85 percent of personnel devoted to Afghanistan Thier, director of USAID’s Office Afghans rely on agriculture for their today—eight years later—is un- of Afghanistan and Pakistan Affairs. livelihoods. matched. The $4.1 billion 2010 allo- “In areas where extremism has taken “The only way to create an cation for Afghanistan was the largest root, we approach development by Afghanistan that will stand on its in Agency history. focusing on the root-cause issues, such own is to begin to help Afghans Development in a war zone— as poverty and political alienation transition—even in this crisis stage especially the longest war in the —directing attention to creating —by giving them the tools and the

FRONTLINES • December 2010/January 2011 3 AFGHANISTAN

In health, USAID continued sup- port to polio eradication efforts through the World Health Organization, with polio vaccination coverage now at 91 percent nationally, and is changing the way Afghan women view pre- and post-natal care by training thousands of midwives—nearly 55 percent of all practicing midwives in the country. Since January 2009, the U.S. gov- ernment has increased the number of U.S. civilians in country from 200 to more than 1,100. The goal for 2011 has been increased to 1,400 civilians. USAID currently has an estimated 300 men and women on the ground. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, speaking in Kabul in December, said USAID personnel and other civilians in Afghanistan Photo by Philip Abbey, USAID have “stepped forward in our nation’s The USAID-sponsored Panjshir Highway passes through the Lion’s Gate, Shutol and … [Afghanistan’s] hour of need” District, Panjshir province. and called civilians the “linchpin” of the president’s strategy. confidence they will need to be able The Agency helped increase enroll- For Thier, as well as USAID to stand up for themselves in the ment in schools to its highest level Administrator Rajiv Shah, these future,” Thier said. with 7.1 million students—nearly civilians are carrying out a strategy The obstacles are not insurmount- 38 percent girls—and trained 2,800 that will require focus, careful and able, but they are formidable. journalists and 800 judges to attain targeted use of resources, a steep Long under the control of the higher working levels of objectivity learning curve, and above all, time. Taliban, Afghans have struggled with and jurisprudence, respectively. “We need to seize this moment to one of the highest child mortality The Agency inaugurated the consider not only what needs to be rates (one in six dies before the age 105-megawatt Tarakhil Power done in the short term to bring relief of 5), one of the highest illiteracy Plant, which can provide electricity to the people of Afghanistan and rates (an estimated 90 percent of to more than 600,000 residents in Pakistan, but also to ensure the suc- women and 60 percent of men in Kabul, and incorporated and modern- cess of long-term development that rural areas), a culture of corruption, ized the first public utility to more will make both countries stronger and a history of violent war and efficiently capture revenues. Travel partners with the United States to conflict. became easier for Afghans with the bring about a more secure world,” Despite challenges like these, completion of the 103-kilometer na- Shah said after a trip to Afghanistan USAID has celebrated significant tional highway in Badakhshan last spring. successes in the last year. province.

4 www.USAID.gov AFGHANISTAN Art of the Deal

Kabul Fair Showcases Agricultural showcasing the country’s crown jewels campaign to train more than Bounty and Reaps Millions of agriculture: pomegranates, nuts, 200,000 goat herders on the value cashmere, grapes, dried fruits, and of cashmere. other high-value crops, as well as a In another USAID-funded project, By Robert Sauers range of agricultural services such as laborers in the Arghandab District KABUL, Afghanistan processing and production, textiles, of Kandahar planted 814,000 pome- livestock, renewable energy, transpor- granate, apricot, plum, and grape NE OF AFGHANISTAN’S tation and logistics, packaging and saplings to rehabilitate more than Ogreatest economic strengths lies printing, banking and finance, 6,000 hectares of orchards damaged in its ever-growing agriculture sector. and leather goods. as a result of a drought. Even with an For three days last October, nearly These fairs help participants uncertain security situation, strong 35,000 international and Afghan forge new business relationships in output in agriculture was driven visitors streamed into the Kabul Afghanistan’s growing agricultural by increased donor spending and International AgFair 2010, providing sector and bring together hundreds recovery from the severe drought a strong indication that the world of producers, buyers, packagers, of 2008-2009. As a result of those is ready for Afghanistan’s cashmere, cold storage technology companies, efforts, last year’s harvest led to agri- nuts, and fresh and dried fruit. equipment vendors, international cultural output growth of 36 percent. The event, sponsored by USAID, representatives, and government To ensure that this season’s harvest also attracted heavy hitters like Asif agencies to build stronger business was exceptionally abundant, USAID Rahimi, minister of agriculture, linkages and partnerships. provided farmers with agricultural irrigation, and livestock; and U.S. Sponsoring AgFairs is just a part of knowledge to produce exceptional Ambassador Karl Eikenberry, who USAID’s $1 billion portfolio of agri- crop yields. The Agency’s efforts re- shared opening ceremony duties. culture projects that focus on creating sulted in more than $22 million “You have come at the perfect jobs and increasing both incomes and in increased sales and $11 million in time,” Rahimi told the audience. Afghans’ confidence in their govern- increased exports of Afghan agricul- “Global demand for Afghan products ment. The projects improve produc- tural products. The Agency also is big and grows larger every day.” tivity, regenerate agribusiness, helped to create a network of 300 All told, the AgFair would go on to strengthen key value chains, rehabili- AgDepot farms stores across the generate almost $2 million in business tate key watersheds and irrigation country, which have generated deals and more than $6 million in infrastructure, and strengthen almost $6 million in gross sales. potential deals over three days. More the capacity of the Ministry of This AgFair marked the first time than 40 business representatives Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock that security for all three days was from Argentina, Australia, China, to deliver services effectively. managed and provided by the Afghan Germany, India, the Netherlands, For example, Afghanistan is the National Army, Afghan National Pakistan, Singapore, Tajikistan, world’s third largest cashmere pro- Police, and National Directorate of Turkey, Turkmenistan, Switzerland, ducer and has the potential to dra- Security—a sign that Afghan forces the United Arab Emirates, the United matically increase its production are more ready than they have been Kingdom, and the United States par- of the valuable commodity. Only 30 in the past to provide security for ticipated in the event, all looking to percent of the cashmere that goats large public and commercial events. make deals with Afghans. produce is harvested every year, pri- The event also included seminars The AgFair featured 136 Afghan marily because farmers are not aware where participants could learn about and 40 international vendor booths of the value of the cashmere. In 2010, the latest agricultural technologies USAID launched an awareness continued on p. 21

FRONTLINES • December 2010/January 2011 5 AFGHANISTAN Afghan Mothers Delivered into Good Hands

Increasingly, Midwives Are to Thank for Successful Births

By Abby Sugrue

ARANGIS SULTANI HAD Fher hands full. A woman in labor had just arrived by way of a donkey to the clinic in Badakhshan province where Sultani works as a midwife. Sultani went to work delivering the baby, then learned the woman was pregnant with twins—and the sibling of that first arrival was not in the correct posi- tion to exit the birth canal safely. As she relayed the story to a National Public Radio reporter

in September, Sultani suggested a Photo by Hassan Zakizadeh higher power may have had a hand in the baby turning on its own and A community midwife in Badakhshan uses postpartum family planning flip card being delivered successfully, as she during her counseling session in a basic health center. had to turn her attention to the twins’ mother. The woman was bleeding But a concerted effort to train This year, the country’s infant and in distress. women as midwives is making prog- mortality rate has dropped by an “After injecting some drugs and ress in this war-ravaged country to estimated 22 percent since 2003, medicines, I finally managed to stop extend the lives of some of its most thanks in part to better midwifery. the bleeding,” Sultani told NPR. vulnerable citizens. “We’ve trained over 2,500 mid- “And at the end of the two days, USAID began working to cut the wives since 2002 with support from she was completely healthy and numbers of deaths of mothers and donors like USAID, the Word Bank, she went home.” infants by providing some very basic U.N. agencies, and the European Happy endings like this are not services that Afghans lacked, but that Commission. Mobilizing over 1,600 the norm for Afghanistan, which are key to healthy deliveries: skilled Afghan Midwives Association mem- has some of the highest infant and midwives, well-equipped health cen- bers contributes to a reduction in maternal mortality rates in the world. ters that take the place of at-home infant and maternal mortality,” said Approximately one out of every deliveries, and community health Feroza Mushtari, acting president of 60 women dies giving birth in workers who educate mothers on the Afghan Midwives Association. Afghanistan, and 129 infants out preparing for birth and proper infant Statistics also show that 77 percent of every 1,000 die in their first care. The program also sought and of maternal deaths in Afghanistan can year of life. received buy-in from Afghan women be avoided with proper health care. and men. All of these appear to be However, particularly in the most making an impact. remote parts of the country, access to

6 www.USAID.gov AFGHANISTAN

Afghanistan Fact Box

reliable health services is limited due to USAID also supported establish- • Population: 29,121,286 a lack of infrastructure, education, and ment of the Afghan Midwives (July 2010 est.) professional health providers. Association (AMA) in 2005. The • Percentage of people living below USAID has worked with the coun- organization has more than 1,600 poverty line: 24% (FY05/06 est.) try’s Ministry of Public Health for current members and works to pro- Main development challenges: eight years to support midwifery mote and strengthen the midwifery training for women across Afghanistan. profession. • Despite gains toward building Classes last 24 months and cover a “Since I became a member of AMA, a stable central government, a resurgent Taliban and continuing range of both clinical and practical I have had the opportunity to improve provincial instability—particularly trainings, including in antenatal, my leadership by attendance in inter- in the south and the east—remain natal, and postnatal care. national events, sharing experiences, serious challenges for the Afghan Dr. Nasratullah Ansari is an obste- and participating in leadership and government. trician and the technical director management trainings. Because the • As the world’s largest producer of the nationwide midwife project. AMA is a well reputed association at of opium, Afghanistan’s poppy He sees first-hand the difference this both the national and international cultivation remains at a historically project makes to the women trained, levels, as an AMA representative, I high level. The Taliban and other antigovernment groups the women treated, and beneficiary am benefiting from the respect of my participate in and profit from communities. “They are so proud to management team in Cure Hospital,” the opiate trade, which is a key be a midwife. You are taking care of said Victoria Parsa, an AMA represen- source of revenue for the Taliban the whole village. And the … other tative at Cure International Hospital inside Afghanistan. Widespread thing is they are so proud they can in Kabul. corruption and instability impede receive salary. It’s a sort of empower- For new mothers, proof of the pro- counterdrug efforts. ment of women.” gram’s success is often laying quietly • Afghanistan is extremely poor As a result of multi-donor sup- in their arms. “For the first time in and highly dependent on foreign aid, agriculture, and trade with port—including the European my lifetime, I have seen a woman neighboring countries. Much Commission, the World Bank, and doctor [midwife] that has treated of the population continues to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and me with such tenderness and care,” suffer from shortages of housing, Immunizations—the number of mid- said a 35-year-old mother in Dahana- clean water, electricity, medical wives in Afghanistan has increased e-Sabzak, a remote village in Bamyan care, and jobs. Crime, insecurity, from 467 in 2002 to more than province. weak governance, and the Afghan government’s inability to extend 2,500 in 2010. Though it appears there has been rule of law to all parts of the USAID has helped train more than progress, U.S. and Afghan officials country pose challenges to future half that number, and developed a will get a better understanding of economic growth. midwifery education program that the country’s health gains when the (Source: CIA World Factbook) is used in 34 specialty schools in 32 USAID-supported Afghanistan • Main assistance sectors: provinces. In addition, the Agency Mortality Survey now underway is agriculture, infrastructure, health, helped establish a National Midwifery completed in summer 2011. The sur- education, democracy and Education Accreditation Board to vey report will provide data on the governance, economic growth, and stabilization authorize, supervise, and monitor magnitude of maternal mortality, all midwifery and community mid- the main causes of death, risk factors, • Year USAID began its current program: 2002 wife education programs in the and barriers that affect women’s (Source: USAID) country. access to care.

FRONTLINES • December 2010/January 2011 7 AFGHANISTAN Fashioning Female Entrepreneurs

With business grant from USAID, silk start-up is empowering Afghanistan’s most destitute

By Anthony Reed

OORIA AND NAZEERA Nare two of many Afghan female breadwinners in the Kabul area. Nooria, a widow, is the mother of six children and the main financial support for her family. Nineteen-year- old Nazeera is the oldest of 10 children in her household. (Their last names are withheld for security reasons.) When her father lost his job in a car repair shop, Nazeera became the sole source of income for her large family. Nooria and Nazeera work for Arzoe Zane Afghan (AZANA) or “hope of Afghan women,” a local Kabul company specializing in making silk scarves and shawls that has been sub- sidized by USAID’s ASMED project. Shaima Breshna is the company’s founder and president. Her vision for AZANA is to reinvigorate the silk industry and empower Aghanistan’s most destitute to live a life of dignity and self-sufficiency. “AZANA seeks to help poor women interested in handicraft work, enabling them to work from or near their homes,” said Sakhi Karimi, a supervisor at the company. “In 2006, we started with seven workers, and now we have 19 (16 women) who are trained here to make quality scarves.” Nooria has worked for AZANA for Reed Anthony Photo by four years. For her, the company has Although she has not attended school, 19-year-old Nazeera hopes to become lived up to its founder’s vision. a company designer after working with AZANA.

8 www.USAID.gov AFGHANISTAN

“It’s very good working here, I feel empowered. Economically, I can do much more for my children,” she said. “When my husband died, I depended more on my oldest son to help provide for my family. Now, I take care of my five youngest children without assis- tance from my oldest son, as he now has his own family to provide for. “I am independent, and sometimes able to provide for my oldest child as well.” With previous work as an embroi- derer, coupled with her new trade, Nazeera has developed a keen eye for fashion in the six months she has been with AZANA. “I am happy working here,” said Nazeera. “Now I make more money with greater opportunities to improve my future.” As it began expanding, AZANA took advantage of USAID’s Global Development Alliances (GDA)—a Reed Anthony Photo by way to leverage Agency and private Nooria is one of many Afghan widows whose life dramatically improved sector funding. USAID invested thanks to the USAID ASMED project. $110,000 to help AZANA purchase new equipment, display company to help develop the private sector in Ultimately, GDAs address the products at major international Afghanistan. Partners include domes- problems of poverty, disease, inad- trade shows, and increase hiring. tically owned private businesses and equate education, depletion of natu- USAID’s ASMED project has multinational corporations, NGOs, ral resources, and limited economic awarded 49 GDAs in support of the foundations, business and trade asso- opportunities throughout Afghanistan. small and medium private sector ciations, universities, donor agencies, That means women like Nazeera, enterprises, contributing more than philanthropic leaders, venture capital- whose father never allowed her to go $12 million to projects totaling more ists, and think tanks. to school, now have high hopes for than $95 million. It has also supported GDA partners also gain from alli- their future careers. 378 associations (87 women-owned) ances with Afghan businesses. Not “Eventually I would like to do and created 125 associations (27 only is there access to new markets, some of my own designs,” she said. women-owned). but effective alliances marry common “After I gain more experience, I think GDA partners are expected to interests, mobilize resources for devel- I would be allowed to be creative bring significant new resources, opment assistance programs, and here.” expertise, technology, and networks promote program effectiveness.

FRONTLINES • December 2010/January 2011 9 AFGHANISTAN Show Takes Afghans “On the Road” to See Progress

By Kelly Ramundo and to services. It is at once a window to honorable—and people respect that,” Robert Sauers the country’s varied culture and geog- he said. raphy, and a subtle educational and Because maintaining credibility UJEEB AREZ SEEMS diplomatic tool. with the Afghan public was a crucial Mperpetually amused as he dons During the first season, Arez criss- component to the program’s success, a playful smile, and appears equally crossed Afghanistan, chatting with a branding proved a thorny issue, espe- at ease shooing goats in Badakhshan, pomegranate farmer (the prized fruit cially considering the show was being partaking in a sumo-style wrestling of Arghandab District) in Kandahar produced by Tolo TV, Afghanistan’s showdown in Balkh, making fresh province, witnessing the launch largest private TV station. cheese in Nangarhar, dirt-biking in of a newly repaired turbine at the “There was maybe some trepidation Herat, or picking pomegranates in Kajaki Dam powerhouse in Helmand on the part of the television station of Kandahar. province, and exploring the social, whether to be branded,” said Carew. His comic asides and looks of wide- cultural, and historical aspects of “Partly based on our branding regula- eyed bedevilment as he interacts with Badakhshan province through inter- tions, we said it needs to be branded. denizens of his country make him views with community leaders and So we came up with an agreed-upon instantly likeable. citizens. text at the end—something along the It would seem then that the Through Arez’s interactions with lines of, ‘this show was brought to 23-year-old television actor was the farmers, doctors, workers, youth, and you by the Afghan government in perfect choice for host of On the community leaders, television viewers cooperation with the U.S. govern- Road, Afghanistan’s first travelogue see the changes within their country ment through USAID.’ And we went and one of the country’s most popu- and the impact recent development ahead. We had that for a few seconds lar television programs. Sponsored efforts have had—in the unscripted at the end.” by USAID, the show has just entered words of their countrymen. It was the right decision, Carew its second season. Jeremiah Carew was the deputy said. Halfway through its first season, On the Road is more than just a director of USAID/Afghanistan’s USAID commissioned an indepen- weekly fix of homegrown entertain- infrastructure office and the project dent viewership survey that found ment. Each week, the 23-year-old officer for On the Road during its first that, even though around half of all Arez takes viewers to one of the 34 season, which began airing the first of viewers knew the U.S. government provinces to show off Afghanistan 26 episodes in November 2009. One was behind On the Road, they also and the progress the country has of the challenges of the project, he rated the program’s credibility as made. On site, he interacts with locals said, was to create something Afghans one of its main assets. and partakes in their customs while would want to watch but that also “It didn’t seem to impact the cred- accompanying them to visit success- was able to convey the positive impact ibility of the program. And I, as a ful development projects by the of USAID-sponsored development program manager, felt that was the Afghan government in partnership projects in the war-torn country. right decision. We took some risk with with the international community. “Our objective was to produce it because we didn’t know how people The television series highlights an entertaining TV show and stop were going to react,” said Carew. Afghanistan’s pivotal role in the re- around and see some development The survey, he explained, had gion as a trade route and examines projects—just weave that in very nat- two main objectives. “One was to the historical relevance of roads and urally. I think if you do it right, and see just how many people were watch- development to the country’s eco- it’s coming from the right place, with ing it, regardless of what they came nomic growth, education, and access the right objectives, that’s very away with. The second was to see

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Carew said. “So And it opens your world and it opens visits to a mosque your mind. So this little TV show or visits to what I fits into that overall trend of people call ‘Muhammad being exposed to modern ideas, being tourism’—places exposed to different people and places where Muhammad and concepts. I think it can be a very had been or that influential and benign influence on have relics or arti- people’s lives,” said Carew. facts or local The show’s producer, Tolo TV, is

Photo by USAID Photo by shrines. So that also proud of the result. “The most also reinforces that exciting aspect to emerge from the On the Road host Mujeeb Arez works on location in Paktya province, Afghanistan. this is an Afghan success of On the Road is that, as program. This is a first of its kind for this format of what messages they were hearing on a healthy thing to be watching.” programming in Afghanistan, it has the show.” The survey cited that 97 percent enabled everyday Afghans to get to It turned out that viewership was of viewers wanted to continue know each other better,” said Saad surprisingly high: the probability watching the show and the top Mohseni, chairman of MOBY Group, sample survey estimated that between recommendation was to lengthen the umbrella company for Tolo TV. a third and half of the Afghan popu- each broadcast. Based on Arez’s star reception lation had watched the program at While highlighting development wherever he travels to shoot, there is least once, a number that grew to milestones, the show was also promot- evidence that he has touched a chord nearly 75 percent in urban provinces ing national unity—not an easy with the Afghan public. This is help- like Herat and Kabul. Viewers were feat in a country divided by decades ing unify the country around positive loyal to the program as well; most of civil animosity between ethnic messages of development, optimism viewers—82 percent—watched every groups. for the future, and pride in Afghan week or every other week. The second “Especially in focus groups, people culture and history. objective was also being met, the crew hit upon the fact that this show in- “The show is an attempt to intro- found out from both surveys and forms about other areas of duce Afghans to their culture and focus groups. Afghanistan […] so people definitely country,” said Arez. “People seemed to hear that the understood that that was some- And Carew thinks this chord can show was about improvements thing—we were trying to promote a be amplified beyond Afghanistan. in Afghanistan’s infrastructure, im- culture of tolerance and identification “This format is pretty easy to pro- provements in the lives of women, of Afghanistan as a country,” said duce because you only have one paid educational opportunity for kids. And Carew. actor,” he said. these are the development objectives,” The show may also be expanding “I think that building national Carew said. local horizons. While On the Road unity is something that you could do But of most interest to locals, On took ample precautions to be cultur- in a lot of places. Stopping by USAID the Road provided entertainment that ally sensitive, it did push the envelope, projects along the way could be woven was both of high quality and sensitive if only slightly. in very easily, as we have here. It’s a to local customs. “If you’re an Afghan villager, you’re public diplomacy tool as well.” “There are a lot of scenes that rein- seeing women without a family mem- force traditional Afghan values,” ber on TV. That’s radical to them.

FRONTLINES • December 2010/January 2011 11 AFGHANISTAN Reading and Writing a Better Future

“Education then, beyond all other devices of human origin, is the great equalizer of the conditions of men, the balance-wheel of the social machinery.” —Horace Mann

USAID and Afghan government he called on Afghans to “come to with the international community focus on turning modest their senses” and move towards peace, to fight illiteracy is one of the single or risk seeing the next generation flee most important causes around which education gains into lasting abroad and lose their Afghan identity. all Afghans can unite.” achievements “Only through our efforts can our In additional to literacy, USAID’s homeland be ours,” he said. education program is helping the By Robert Sauers The upshot is that the country’s Afghan government improve educa- officials and education advocates be- tion quality, while also aiming to FGHANISTAN HAS ONE OF lieve literacy, numeracy, and work meet the urgent need for textbooks, Athe highest illiteracy rates in the skills programs—many of them run school buildings, and trained teach- world. Out of a total population of by USAID— ultimately can translate ers. Programs are also expanding almost 24 million, �����������������more than 11 mil- into improved livelihoods for Afghan access to basic and higher education, lion Afghans over age 15 cannot read women and men. literacy, and employment skills or write. And in rural areas where The United States is a major con- training. three-fourths of all Afghans live, tributor to literacy education in “USAID, beginning in 2002, put 90 percent of women and more than Afghanistan, providing technical and substantial resources in the educa- 60 percent of men are illiterate. financial support to the Ministry of tional sector,” said former Mission Eighteen-year-old Muzamil was once Education (MoE) and working closely Director William Frej, who counts armed and recruited by local com- with other international stakeholders an exponential jump in school enroll- manders as a fighter. After enrolling to achieve national education goals. ment since that time as one of the in an accelerated learning class with One of the goals is to ensure that by Agency’s major accomplishments in eight other students, he has traded his 2020, children throughout the coun- the country. gun for a pen and a notebook. try, boys and girls alike, will be able Since 2002, and in conjunction “It is not time for fighting,” said to complete a full course of primary with the MoE, USAID has built or Muzamil, who’s last name is withheld schooling. refurbished more than 680 schools for privacy purposes. “It is time to With USAID assistance, the Afghan throughout Afghanistan. As a result, study and build the country and government has made strides in its nearly 7 million students—37 percent help the people of Afghanistan.” He literacy push during the past five years. of them girls—are now enrolled in thanked USAID for establishing the One example is USAID’s Learning for primary and secondary schools, com- class and paving the way for educa- Community Empowerment Program, pared with fewer than 900,000 boys tion in his village. a five-year joint USAID/MoE project and no girls enrolled in 2001 under Though the statistics are dismal that provides reading and work skills the Taliban. now, literacy is getting attention from training to 250,000 illiterate youth In an interview with FrontLines last the highest levels in the Afghan gov- and adults in rural and urban settings summer, Frej described taking one ernment. In September, President in 20 provinces of Afghanistan. of the last trips of his tenure to visit Hamid Karzai, attending an event to “Bringing the skills to read is one of a small village in Bamyan province, mark progress on increasing literacy the most important gifts we can bring around 10,000 feet up in the Hindu- rates in his country, cried openly as to Afghans,” said Education Minister Kush mountains and nearly a four- Ghulam Farooq Wardak. “Our work hour-long trip in a jeep from the city

12 www.USAID.gov FACT BOX: of Bamyan through an isolated valley. year. Partners recruit volunteers from • Between 2002 and 2010, USAID There he witnessed children of both the community to be teachers. After printed more than 97.1 million sexes hard at work learning to read. receiving six weeks of training and some textbooks in Dari and Pashto It was a scene that would have never textbooks, the volunteer teachers begin covering such subjects as language, been possible during the six years of teaching with coordination and moni- math, biology, and geography for Afghans in grades one through 12. Taliban rule. toring by the MoE. Depending on the “I was struck at this completely location, classes are often held behind isolated village, and there were both mosques, in backyards of large homes USAID’s concerted effort, begin- boys and girls in a classroom that had and buildings, and even under trees. ning in early 2002, to channel “sub- a trained teacher—learning math, The country’s university system is stantial resources” into the learning reading skills, learning working to regain its reputation from country’s education sector through English,” he said, adding that USAID the 1970s as among the strongest in diversity of education programs may and its implementing partner on the the region when there were several just become the U.S. government’s project were the only development universities with an international lasting legacy in Afghanistan, accord- groups who had ever visited that perspective, strong faculty, and good ing to former Mission Director Frej particular village. reputation. USAID is working with and others. To help get students up to speed the education ministry to improve “This has been a remarkable trans- who could not attend school when pre-service secondary teacher educa- formation in this country, which I the Taliban was in power, USAID tion at 18 universities and medical think will have a long-term positive introduced Afghans to an accelerated education at five medical schools, and impact on Afghanistan by engaging learning project, which allowed has helped more than 100 professors women in a process that they had no 170,000 students to complete two obtain master’s degrees in agriculture, opportunities [to engage in] before,” years of study in one year. business administration, engineering, said Frej. USAID also supports the MoE’s and computer science at U.S. universi- USAID’s education director, David in-service teacher education program ties. Afghans are developing their Barth, called USAID’s work getting for more than 50,000 teachers in 11 own master’s degree programs in children, particularly girls, into provinces to improve teacher quality. education, public policy and adminis- school “a virtual miracle,” and an To date, USAID projects have trained tration, and public health. investment that will increase its value nearly 10,500 teachers in an acceler- And vocational education hasn’t over time. “You’re not going to have ated learning program and more than been slighted. Through the Skills viable democracies unless you’ve got 2,600 university professors on mod- Training for Afghan Youth project, people who can read and understand, ern teaching methods. USAID funds the Afghanistan who will know how to distinguish The Agency is also building two Technical Vocational Institute in Kabul, between political parties, who are large secondary schools in Kabul, a coeducational vocational school that then capable of meaningful participa- six education facilities at Afghan provides a two-year post-secondary tion in civil society,” he said. universities to train secondary school program in fields needed to support The message seems to be getting teachers, and three provincial teacher Afghanistan’s economic growth. through to local Afghans. When training colleges around the country. Current enrollment is 2,300 students. 24-year-old Wahida (her last name In remote areas where government Graduates go on to technical jobs in withheld for security reasons), wanted schools are not yet established, the construction trades, information to become a teacher at a nearby high USAID’s community-based education and communication technology, and school for girls, her brother objected project supports 43,800 students each computer programming. continued on p. 21

FRONTLINES • December 2010/January 2011 13 AFGHANISTAN 2010—The Year in Review

JANUARY USAID sponsors Afghan participation in Domotex—the premier international carpet trade show, featuring some of the best internationally produced hand-made carpets and kilims. For three years, USAID’s role in promoting Afghan carpet dealers has generated millions of dollars in exports.

FEBRUARY The U.S. and Afghan governments sign a memorandum of understanding to train Afghan civil servants to improve the delivery of government services. The one-year, $84 million program will train up to 4,000 civil servants in Kabul and 12,000 more over the next two years in all 34 provinces. Training focuses on five core public administration functions: financial and project management, human re- sources, strategic planning, and procurement.

MARCH Salam Watandar, a USAID-funded Internews media service, launches a new Pashtu-language television channel targeting audiences in south and east Afghanistan. The service offers news, current affairs, and cultural programming in two 90-minute peak-hour blocks. In addition, the first 22 Kabul Education University students receive master’s degrees in education.

APRIL USAID hands over the National Women’s Dormitory at Kabul University to the Ministry of Higher Education. The dormitory will provide safe and secure living space for 1,100 women and girls. Around the same time, another 40 midwives graduate from the Hirat Institute of Health Sciences. USAID trained midwives to help the country address what is estimated to be the second highest maternal mortality rate in the world.

MAY After their shops and inventory were destroyed by insurgents earlier in the year, 81 shopkeepers at the Foroshgah-e-Borzorg Shopping Center in Kabul receive USAID grants ranging from $2,000 to $4,000.

JUNE Responsibility for the 105-megawatt Tarakhil Power Plant is officially transferred to the Afghan government. Completed on May 31 by USAID, Tarakhil has the capacity to provide electricity for up to 600,000 residents in Kabul whose houses are connected to the North East Power System.

JULY The Agricultural Development Fund is established through a $100 million USAID grant to the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock to lend to financial and non-financial intermediaries, who in turn will lend the funds to farmers for agricultural inputs to expand production. Kabul University officially opens a herbarium, providing Afghanistan a new research tool for studying the country’s vulnerable botanical heritage.

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AUGUST The USAID-sponsored National Civil Society Conference in Kabul brings together more than 150 government officials, parliamentarians, and representatives from the media and civic and international organizations to discuss civil society progress and challenges. In addition, the Kabul Women’s Farm Service Center opens as one of seven centers in Afghanistan, the only one tailored for women farmers. More than 10,000 Afghan women will benefit, and the center will offer high-quality seed, fertilizer, animal feed, tools, machinery, greenhouse supplies, and other products.

SEPTEMBER On Sept. 18, Afghanistan holds the first Wolesi Jirga (parliamentary) polls since 2005. At stake are 249 seats in parliament in the country’s first Afghan-led parliamentary polls since the fall of the Taliban. According to the Independent Election Commission (IEC), approximately 4.3 million Afghans cast valid votes. These elections, although marked by substantial levels of fraud and operationally limited by high levels of insecurity in certain parts of the country, mark a positive progression for the institutional independence of Afghanistan’s electoral bodies, the IEC, and the Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC). The IEC is Afghanistan’s body mandated to conduct free and fair elections and referendums; the ECC is the country’s ad hoc independent body (made up of three Afghan and two international commissioners, one from South Africa and the other from Iraq) charged with adjudicat- ing election-related complaints. USAID supports both institutions, and additionally funds over 400 observers (295 Afghans, 142 internationals). The observers cover 32 out of 34 provinces on election day. In total, over 6,000 Afghan observers are mobilized to monitor all provinces.

OCTOBER The 2010 national wheat seed distribution begins for the first of 260,000 farmers in 31 provinces, funded through USAID’s Afghanistan Vouchers for Increased Production in Agriculture project. Local farmers receive vouchers entitling them to significant discounts on and access to certified wheat seed and fertilizer in an effort to improve the quality and production of Afghanistan’s wheat. USAID also helps organize an agricultural fair at the Badam Bagh Farm in Kabul to build awareness of Afghanistan’s agricultural sector, to link buyers and sellers, and to boost sales of Afghan products nationally and internationally.

NOVEMBER On Nov. 24, the IEC announces parliamentary election results for 34 out of 35 constituencies (33 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces plus the Kuchi constituency). Certification for one constituency (Ghazni) is deferred by the IEC. USAID continues its support to both the IEC and the ECC throughout the process.

DECEMBER On Dec. 1, the IEC certifies the Ghazni province results, concluding the certification of the 2010 Wolesi Jirga elections results. Also in December, the Obama administration publishes an annual review of its military strategies in Afghanistan and Pakistan. In Afghanistan, the administration references an “urgent need for political and economic progress” to match what is described as significant military success in offensives to clear Taliban strongholds in the southern part of the country.

FRONTLINES • December 2010/January 2011 15 AFGHANISTAN Voices from the Field

Kim Kim Yee is the team leader for USAID/Afghanistan’s southern pro- grams in the Office of Agriculture. Yee joined the mission in July 2006, and will complete her tour in January 2011. Prior to Afghanistan, she worked for USAID’s Global Development Alliance Secretariat for two years.

Kim Kim Yee

FRONTLINES What is the one thing you wish someone had told you, and that you can now share with gratifying to see. I am also excited to be a part of newbies, before moving to the country in history, and I hope that my small part has helped which you currently serve? shape things in a positive way. I am constantly YEE I’ve seen a lot of change since I got here several amazed at the level of dedication and hard work years ago. During this time, there are three out there, despite the challenging environment. pieces of advice that I find have helped me— Not only are you yourself working hard, but temper expectations, be open-minded, and ex- pretty much everyone else around you is also pect the unexpected. Yes, they are clichés but working just as hard! they’ve helped me weather a lot of uncertainty FL How do you deal with the hazards posed and understand that there’s a lot beyond my working in a critical priority country? That is, control so I just have to do the best I can. what helps you to work in an environment FL What is the most rewarding aspect of amid high threats and high security? your job? KKY I think it’s really important to put things into KKY Afghanistan is a tough place to work—lots of perspective. Yes, it’s insecure, but the dangers are pressure, varying levels of insecurity, and an largely known, so you’re better prepared both intense interagency and international environ- mentally and physically (through equipment, ment. But USAID’s activities have enormous etc.). I make informed decisions, and if some- impact on the average Afghan citizen and that is thing doesn’t feel right, I trust my gut. I also

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make sure to have people I can always bounce FL What is your favorite thing to do in your ideas and frustrations off of to see if I am on residence country on your days off? track. Fundamentally, I have always told myself KKY Hours are long and we work virtually every day that the moment I feel too scared to be here, it’s so it seems there are not too many days off! But time to leave. That threshold is different for dif- the little time I do have is precious. I’m a fairly ferent people and no one has to prove anything private person so living in “hoochville”—many to anyone here. of us live in containers that are about the size of FL What has been the most difficult experience a dorm room with a tiny shower, toilet, and very at your job? limited closet space—where nearly every single activity is done with a few hundred of your clos- KKY The biggest challenge of work here is the constant est USG colleagues is a little tough. So on my turnover of personnel, not just at the mission, but Fridays off I like to spend time connecting with also in the military and at the other international my friends and family at home by catching up on agencies/organizations here. With every new e-mails, and doing very unglamorous things like group comes new energy and new ideas. That’s my laundry and cleaning my hooch! I also spend generally a good thing—to keep things invigo- time reading magazines and books to help me rated and fresh—but tough to see things through take my mind off of work. Over time I’ve realized beyond one rotation and the constant justifica- it’s very important for me to have some time by tion of decisions that were already justified with myself after being with people throughout the the previous group. It’s also tough to say goodbye entire week. so many times—I have met really wonderful people and it’s hard not knowing when you’ll FL What is the one thing you took for granted in cross paths again. the United States that you no longer would? FL How has your work with USAID changed the KKY Basic services—electricity, running water, pot- way you view the world? Has your view of the holes in the road seemingly fixed magically—that United States and its relationship to other are provided by functioning government services. countries changed? FL What would you say is your “grain of sand;” KKY These are tough questions because I think that what you will leave behind as your most im- USAID/Afghanistan is unlike any other mission. portant accomplishment in the country I think our experience here will be telling as to you served? how the Agency will evolve because of our rela- tionships with other agencies and departments in KKY I’m not sure what I will have left behind as the Afghanistan. It seems the U.S. is expected to take work will continue and evolve as new people the lead on virtually every topic; I recognize how come. In six months, no one will remember me, much weight our country carries. Yet I see that but that’s OK—we are supporting a system, and there is a consistent message of engaging our it shouldn’t be contingent on a single person. I’ll friends and allies because we are more powerful just say that I poured many hours of hard work that way and can share resources. into Afghanistan and I hope that it made a difference somewhere, no matter how small.

FRONTLINES • December 2010/January 2011 17 AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN Interview with Alex Thier

governments to provide for their people, consistently, for political reasons and laying the groundwork for long-term and others, to meet its economic and stability and human progress. development potential. Thier recently sat down with FrontLines If you compare Pakistan, for in- Managing Editor Kelly Ramundo to stance, with India—created on the talk about USAID’s efforts in the two same day from the same material— countries. Excerpts follow from their and you look at their development discussion. stories, they’re dramatically different. It’s not just political, but the politics Theories of Change is very important. In this new era of Afghanistan and Pakistan, respec- democracy in Pakistan, we are trying tively, are our two largest assistance to partner with the government and missions in the world, by an order society to create a much more solid Photo by Patricia Adams, USAID of magnitude. This year we have frame for Pakistan’s economic and nearly $4 billion for Afghanistan, political development. Alex Thier is Assistant to the $1.5 billion for Pakistan. These are The ways that we do that are really Administrator and Director, investments that we are making in twofold. We are gravely concerned Office of Afghanistan and these countries that are really, at the about Pakistan because of the threat Pakistan Affairs moment, unparalleled anywhere of extremism that threatens to else in the world. tear the entire state down, to turn And so the first question you have They are neighbors, divided by some of Pakistan into a failed state. That’s to ask is, why are we making that the world’s most majestic mountains and very dangerous for homeland security investment? Part of the response is a complicated history of shared borders reasons, for regional security reasons, that these are national security priori- and ethnicities. At USAID, Afghanistan for the fact that there are 170 million ties. But just because something is and Pakistan share an office, and occupy people in Pakistan—it’s a huge a national security priority doesn’t all of one man’s time. Alex Thier, assis- state—and failure would have mean that you invest civilian assis- tant to the administrator and director of catastrophic consequences. tance dollars unless you think you the Office of Afghanistan and Pakistan So part of what we do is we focus can actually achieve some sort of Affairs, joined the Agency in 2010 with a on stabilization. In the areas where bigger impact or effect by investing background spanning field postings with extremism is taking hold, we’re trying that money. the United Nations and NGOs, and the to focus on root-cause issues: focusing I think that we have two somewhat Washington policy community. His work on poverty, focusing on political slightly different theories of change has focused on the two countries for alienation, focusing on the absence for Afghanistan and Pakistan that many of the last 18 years. In fiscal year of a credible, legitimate government we hope to be able to accomplish by 2010, he oversaw a staff of nearly 500 presence. This aspect of our program- investing these resources. Americans, a significant number of foreign ming is dedicated to try and work nationals, and a $5 billion budget. Many with the Pakistani government to Pakistan U.S. foreign policy goals in Afghanistan improve that situation in those areas; In Pakistan, you have a country that, and Pakistan share familiar undercur- to diminish the existential threat that over history, has swung between cor- rents: building sustainable institutions, Pakistan faces. rupt civilian rule and corrupt military supporting and empowering civilian The broader portion of our assis- dictatorship. As a result, it has failed tance is trying to boost economic and

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political stability in Pakistan as a the government of Pakistan. Nearly conditions, and it hasn’t happened— whole. We do that by investing in half of our resources actually go in part due to investments that we things that will both support the through Pakistani institutions, made well before the flood in early Pakistani people and also support supporting the development of the disease detection. The relatively mini- economic growth, like agriculture government of Pakistan’s capacity mal loss of life from these floods and and irrigation and energy. and accountability. their aftermath and the rapid delivery By doing these things, we’re also of assistance are a huge success story. helping to reinforce the fact that after Pakistan, Interrupted But we were only covering a por- another pendulum swing following The floods in Pakistan this year were tion of the suffering. We’ve had to eight years of military dictatorship, among the great natural disasters of look at our assistance plans, which we don’t just want to support a partic- the last century. Twenty million peo- were carefully crafted and negotiated ular government; we want to shore up ple were displaced. Billions of dollars over a long period of time, and say, the notion that civilian government is and economic productivity were lost, okay, we’re going to have to put some actually the best way forward for but particularly crops of poor farmers. of that on hold so that we can respond Pakistan. Millions of poor farmers were af- to the recovery and reconstruction Thus we invest not only in the fected in a country that was already needs for the Pakistani people. government itself, for example, sup- facing food security challenges; an porting financial management in internally displaced persons crisis; and Afghanistan the Ministry of Finance and the de- a severe economic downturn. Pakistan In Afghanistan, the violence, the velopment and strengthening of was already struggling to get an IMF insurgency, the impact of 30 years the parliament, but we also aim to [International Monetary Fund] pro- of conflict make it much more of a strengthen governance more broadly, gram back on track. The floods dealt crisis with a lot more of our resources in the energy sector and the water a real blow to our and the Pakistanis’ aligned with our military mission. sector. We do this so that government hopes for a strong year for Pakistan. Many aspects of our efforts are fo- is actually more responsive and more That said, the good news story is cused on stabilization and counterin- effective, and supported by the popu- that the United States responded surgency. We are working hand- lation—so that democratic, civilian enormously to this crisis on the civil- in-hand with the military in areas governance becomes more resilient. ian and on the military side. Our where they are working to clear out The Enhanced Partnership with OFDA [Office of U.S. Foreign the insurgency. And we’re working to Pakistan Act (aka the Kerry-Lugar- Disaster Assistance] colleagues were strengthen governance and develop- Berman Bill)—which authorizes but amazing, and working closely with ment in those areas so that the popu- does not yet appropriate $1.5 billion a our military, the government of lation sees a better future with the year over five years, so $7.5 billion in Pakistan, and the U.N. and other Afghan government supported by the total—is a key part of our strategy to partners reached literally millions of international community than they get Pakistan to believe that we are in Pakistanis who were without food, do with the insurgency. a long-term strategic partnership with shelter, health care, delivering mil- That’s a key emphasis of our effort them, and that we are working to lions of pounds of assistance and there. At the same time, the only way overcome the trust deficit that exists over $500 million in U.S. assistance. to create an Afghanistan that will between the United States and Some of our investments paid off stand on its own is to focus now, even Pakistan. enormously. Everybody was expecting in the crisis stage, on institutional We are using these resources to a public health catastrophe, with development, capacity building, and align ourselves with the objectives of standing water and poor sanitary the things that the Afghans will need

FRONTLINES • December 2010/January 2011 19 AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN

to be able to stand up for themselves We have undertaken an intensive focus, so that all aspects of our in the future. examination of what’s working and assistance mission are focused on On the military side, they do that what isn’t working and we’ve learned achieving these goals. And we have a by building up the national security some important lessons that we will couple of goals like that. That’s been forces: the police and the army. On carry into the next year. a very important outcome of this the civilian side, we’re doing that by process for us. seeding community-level governance Clear, Strong Goals and development efforts; by training One of our really critical lessons in Local Context thousands of Afghan civil servants Pakistan has been that where we In Afghanistan, I think that we have and expanding their ability to deliver have focused intensively on critical two pretty fundamental conclusions services; by standing up an education objectives, like resourcing our efforts that are going to shape efforts in the system that has gone from a few hun- in FATA (Federally Administered coming year. The first is learning. We dred thousand to 7 million Afghan Tribal Areas), we have seen success. have undertaken an unprecedented children in schools; by investing in a We need to do more to focus our civilian uplift in Afghanistan, literally health-care system that’s gone from efforts, so that at the end of this tripling the size of our staff. And it’s virtually nonexistent to serving five-year KLB [Kerry-Lugar-Berman not just that we have increased our almost 85 percent of the population Bill] period we can highlight some numbers, but we have been pushing with basic health care. major accomplishments. There are them out to the local level. We have You can’t just focus on the crisis many good things that we are doing, staff in regional platforms, provincial response. You also have to be develop- but we need to have some clear, platforms, and district platforms, out ing a longer-term vision of how to strong goals. there with the military in a way that transition Afghanistan from its cur- With Dr. [Rajiv] Shah’s leadership we have never had before. rent state of conflict into a sustainable and increased dialogue with the gov- We have put a lot of programs in and reasonably stable, gradually devel- ernment of Pakistan, we have been place that our field staff are able to oping state and society. defining those goals. For example, utilize and program to the local con- Afghanistan is one of the poorest for Pakistan, we were allocating funds text. And this is one of the most im- countries in the world. It was before to the health sector for a variety of portant realizations when you’re the conflict. It’s been through 30 programs. Good programs—but it working on stabilization. Context is years of conflict; it will continue to can be hard to see how they amount everything. We can’t have a cookie- be a challenge. But if we don’t put to strategic impact. Now, we’ve cutter approach to how we do in place institutions and economic focused and defined a goal of 90 per- assistance at the district level in growth potential starting now, they cent immunization for all Pakistani Afghanistan. It’s very fluid; it’s very will not be able to sustain the transi- children for basic childhood immuni- varied across the country. tion to long-term development. zations and polio. Having people at that level and We think not only is this going to having a strategy that requires them A Year in Review create a critical goal that will make a to focus on the sources of instability In December, the administration under- big difference for Pakistan—saving and then to use our programmatic took a review of its strategy in the two literally hundreds of thousands of resources to address those sources of countries. The purpose of this review lives—but that it will also provide us instability is a fundamental shift for was not to rethink current strategy. accountability, so that we know that USAID and how we work on stabili- The purpose was to evaluate whether we have a clear goal that we’re work- zation. That’s going to be and has we are accomplishing that strategy. ing towards. And it will provide us been a big focus of our effort this

20 www.USAID.gov AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN

year. We’ve learned a lot from it and the way that they do; where they feel Art of the Deal, we’re going to intensify it. that we’ve been unreliable in the past; continued from p. 5 what types of things they think we can and methods. And the event made Afghan Ownership accomplish). It’s about also making sure room for fun as well while Afghan The second thing that is also really that we are really aligning our vision families enjoyed restaurants, play- important is coming back to this issue of where that country wants to go. ground activities, dancing, music, of transition. With all of the assistance And that comes from them. We can and live wool and carpet weaving that we have today for Afghanistan, support them in defining that, and we demonstrations. we need to make sure that the way we can support them in reaching it, but it Since 2007, USAID has spon- are using those resources is also feed- really has to come from them. sored 11 international AgFairs in ing a longer-term transition to greater Afghanistan—six in Kabul—in Afghan ownership and leadership A New Home partnership with the minister of and sustainability. This year we transitioned from a tem- agriculture, irrigation and livestock, We must focus some of our porary task force into a fully fledged and other partners to build awareness resources into places where the independent office—the Office of of Afghanistan’s agricultural sector. Afghans are more in control of their Afghanistan and Pakistan Affairs Today, the fairs are recognized as destiny already—where security is (OAPA)—giving us independent bud- one of the most important routes better, where governance is better, and get and hiring authorities. This has for introducing the world to Afghan where we can do better, longer-term been a great boost to our staff here goods and in turn attracting much development work today. This will in Washington and in the field—and needed investment in the country’s help to set the stage for transition, but we are excited to welcome many new agriculture sector. it also creates immunity or a bulwark members into our extremely dynamic Afghanistan’s AgFairs also serve against the insurgency, because you (if sometimes a little too dynamic) as an opportunity to exchange ideas are really demonstrating to the teams. on how to improve agricultural Afghan people what that future production and agribusiness in can look like, in a positive way. Afghanistan and to demonstrate Reading and Writing, improved technologies and products. Shared Vision continued from p. 13 “Afghanistan’s progress in the If we’re ever going to do anything because “girls of this village only agriculture sector is helping lead successful in these countries, we need perform household chores and noth- this proud nation along the pathway to have and share a long-term vision ing else.” However, the village elder to development and self-sufficiency of these countries, which is both a convinced the brother that the oppor- by helping feed the Afghan people, historical understanding of where tunity would benefit Wahida and opening markets, and stimulating they’ve come from and how we’re other women. economic growth and investment aligned with them, to get to where “People of our village do not under- opportunities,” Eikenberry said. they want to go. And if we’re not stand that women and men have an As he shared childhood memories supporting that vision, then we’re equal right to study. It is the responsi- of Afghan raisins sold at U.S. super- going to fail. bility of people like you and me to markets, Eikenberry lauded the It’s not only about understanding take initiative and make girls’ educa- country’s agricultural comeback and where these countries are coming tion available and eliminate illiteracy,” said that the United States was proud from, or having a historical perspec- explained the elder. to play a supporting role. tive on assistance (why they view us

FRONTLINES • December 2010/January 2011 21 Photo by M. Ghani Khan, USAID Ghani Khan, M. Photo by

Punjabi farmers return home after receiving 50-kilogram sacks of wheat seed, fertilizer, and vegetable seed as part of USAID’s $62 million post-flood wheat distribution program.

22 www.USAID.gov PAKISTAN Pakistan Tackles a Flood of Thorny Issues

By Zack Taylor received shelter and food, and epi- The approach echoes President ISLAMABAD, Pakistan demics were kept at bay. Barack Obama, who in September Ironically, the water that inundated 2010 signed a directive on develop- N SEPT. 30, A FIFTH OF so much agricultural land left the fields ment policy committing the United OPakistan was inundated with rich in nutrients and primed for an States to “invest in systemic solutions water and USAID was focused on excellent harvest if only seeds for the for service delivery, public administra- flood relief. But there was other press- winter wheat crop could be planted. tion, and other government functions ing business with the country that In response, USAID took about where capacity exists. Public sector just couldn’t be put off. $62 million, mostly from KLB and capacity and sustainability will be a After a year of rising expectations, augmented by funds from the Agency’s core focus to the U.S. approach to USAID finally signed a bilateral Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster humanitarian assistance.” agreement committing the Agency Assistance, to furnish wheat seeds Teaching someone to fish so they to most of a $1.06 billion budget for via the U.N. Food and Agriculture can feed themselves for a lifetime fiscal year 2010—the first funding for Organization to the hardest hit prov- rather than giving them a fish so they the Pakistan aid bill that has become inces. The effort started in the north, can eat for a day, as the old saying known worldwide as Kerry-Lugar- where the water had receded and win- goes, is a huge challenge given the Berman, or KLB.* ter would arrive first, with a $21 mil- public perception that such a large The agreement cemented a reinvig- lion program in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. infusion of money should have an orated U.S.-Pakistan partnership That was followed by $25 million to immediate positive effect on the that has most prominently taken the implement the program in Punjab quality of life for Pakistanis. That form of strategic dialogue sessions and $16 million in Balochistan. challenge is compounded by concern in Islamabad and Washington. All the while, USAID continues to from American and Pakistani publics USAID has a long history with work closely with the Pakistani gov- that the money be responsibly spent. Pakistan, and has provided over $4.5 ernment to ensure activities reflect “We are excited about doing devel- billion in assistance since 2002. But mutual priorities, and are responsive opment another way,” Herbol said. in 2010, the mission found itself in to the most urgent needs, while build- “But the reality is a lengthy process of the throes of major growing pains. ing government capacity to pursue helping the government put systems The budget had jumped from $400 economic and political reforms with into place whereby they can effec- million in fiscal year 2008 to $1.1 the help of international contractors tively deliver meaningful public ser- billion in fiscal year 2009. Then the and local institutions. vices in an effective, transparent, and flooding put an entire year of plan- “Providing services in place of gov- accountable manner.” ning and implementation into ernment institutions does little to The Agency’s mission in Pakistan question. help it provide the services after the must have a clear understanding of Today, the water has largely re- programs close,” said Acting Mission the existing capacity of federal agen- ceded. And with the help of USAID Director Denise A. Herbol. “Building cies and provincial governments to and other international donors, capacity into governmental institu- account for funds they receive. the displaced tions helps them sustain delivery.”

FRONTLINES • December 2010/January 2011 23 PAKISTAN Photo by M. Ghani Khan, USAID Ghani Khan, M. Photo by

Pakistan Minister of Agriculture Arbab Ayub Jan, center, distributes wheat seed to flood-affected farmers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. USAID has assisted more than 400,000 households with a seed assistance program.

To that end, USAID is conducting moving in the right direction, getting resupply of flood-affected schools. extensive pre-award assessments for to where it needs to be, and not Outside experts will train head teachers dozens of Pakistani governmental and getting lost,” said Herbol. and district education office personnel. civil institutions, and launching pro- The democracy and governance USAID is also working directly grams to help them build capacity program, for example, is channeling with the Provincial Reconstruction, and monitor the funded initiatives. nearly 80 percent of its portfolio Rehabilitation, and Resettlement USAID has conducted more than through governmental or local Authority (PaRRSA), a governmental 100 pre-assessment surveys of govern- organizations, including a program body formed after large swathes of ment agencies to identify deficiencies to provide services like clean water, the Malakand Division were destroyed in accounting for funding, and in drainage, and solid waste manage- as security forces drove militants from some cases, embedding accountants ment to communities in all four prov- the Swat Valley in the summer of on-site. If deficiencies are identified, inces and the Federally Administered 2009. Through PaRRSA, the $36 the assessments provide recommenda- Tribal Areas; three small grants pro- million program has begun work on tions for how the institutions, whether grams that focus on women’s rights 44 of a planned 112 schools damaged they receive USAID funding or not, and other community-based initia- by the conflict. For the first time, can improve their accounting and tives; and an anti-corruption initiative schools will be built to three standard transparency mechanisms. An over- designed to expose any corruption in blueprints, according to school size. arching monitoring and evaluation KLB funding. Energy projects announced last program is also about to be put in In education, USAID’s work with year continue to move forward with place. the provincial government of Punjab rehabilitating key dams that provide “As stewards of the American tax- expands on an existing “missing facili- power to the national grid; upgrading payers’ money, the mission must ties” program being carried out with 11,000 inefficient tube wells used for not measure success by how fast the the World Bank, and will include $10 irrigation; improving performance of money moves but by ensuring it’s million for the reconstruction and continued on p. 36

24 www.USAID.gov PAKISTAN For Pakistan Teen, a Chance to Finish Childhood

By Asim Nazeer and Zack Taylor The guests were completely neighboring Thatta, the district capi- KANJEER, Pakistan unaware of the dangers Soomro tal, encouraging volunteers to spread described, but ultimately were con- important messages about the severe, AKHTAWAR ABDULLAH vinced that the marriage, and others long-term health risks of early teen- was a good student in the fifth B involving such young brides, should age pregnancy. grade at the small school located in be postponed. Accompanied by other “We did not realize the conse- this southern Pakistan village. village elders, Soomro made a second quences of early-age pregnancies,” She enjoyed learning, laughing with visit to the families of the betrothed, said Abdullah, Bakhtawar’s father, her friends, and spending time with and both sets of parents confirmed who uses only one name. “We do not her family. But one evening, as she sat their willingness to postpone the want our daughter to face any com- nervously in a chair beside her parents marriage. plications having a child too young, at the local meeting hall, she knew In traditional agrarian communi- so we have decided to postpone the that everything about her childhood ties in Pakistan, a woman’s prime role marriage.” was about to come to an end. in life is to be a mother. To assure Although Pakistan accepted the No more school, no more girlfriends, the maximum number of fertile years United Nations Convention on the no more fun. At 15, Bakhtawar was to have children, fathers, especially Rights of the Child prohibiting child to become engaged to be married. heads of poor families, marry their marriages in 1990, and current law But just as the betrothal ceremony daughters off straight after puberty. forbids marriage before a girl is 16, it was about to begin, a prominent man Soomro may not have taken issue is rarely enforced, especially in rural in the village walked into the hall with the betrothal at all were it not areas. Communities are often not followed by his wife, Jinnah. The room for his role as a community volunteer even aware of the risks involved with quieted down as the man approached in a neighboring district for a USAID early marriage and motherhood. Bakhtawar and her parents. He stopped program called Family Advancement “I didn’t expect to effect such a in front of them and spoke. for Life and Health (FALAH). change in my community so quickly,” “This girl is not mentally or physi- In the next few months, FALAH Soomro said. “But the elders came to cally ready for marriage and mother- will train more than 1,600 commu- agree with me completely. There will hood,” he told the wide-eyed parents. nity-based volunteers across Pakistan, be no more marriage for our girls “You must wait for three years, until spreading the word that not only do until they have reached a mature she is 18, before she gets married.” early and unspaced pregnancies leave enough age.” The man, Muhammad Asif Soomro, girls vulnerable to reproductive health The impacts of early marriage are was a member of the local village problems, but early marriage also substantial not just for young women, council and an influential member of deprives girls of the chance for an but their children as well: Infants born the community. Jinnah, a community education. to mothers younger than 20 face a activist herself, seconded her husband’s Physically, girls who marry before higher risk of death shortly after birth decree. age 18 have a higher incidence of up to age 5 than those born to older Participants at the ceremony, in- maternal mortality and miscarriage. mothers. cluding village elders and parents of Deprived of education, they are less The evening of Soomro’s interven- the soon-to-be bride and 18-year-old aware of issues surrounding their own tion, Bakhtawar beamed when she groom, all listened intently as Soomro reproductive health, and their emo- learned that she could finish her explained the negative impact that tional immaturity can lead to abusive schooling—and finish growing up early motherhood would have on the relationships with their spouses. before becoming a wife and mother. girl’s health and well-being for the Soomro had recently returned With 11 siblings, she understood the rest of her life. from a training session in a town continued on p. 36

FRONTLINES • December 2010/January 2011 25 PAKISTAN A Long-term Investment in Safer Schools

USAID building back better “so and USAID’s mission director for it was a joint effort by the USAID no community has to lose their Pakistan, Mark Ward, asked me if team, the contractor, and the local I had a visa.” people. children to an earthquake again” Five years later, MacLeod is making While Pakistan’s massive summer his last visits to the schools and basic 2010 flooding has shifted attention By Virginija Morgan health units he saw being constructed away from the similarly devastating BAGH, Pakistan by USAID throughout earthquake- earthquake, that catastrophe has not WAS STANDING BY THE destroyed areas of Kashmir in north- been forgotten. “I bank of elevators at the USAID eastern Pakistan. MacLeod arrived in the country office in Washington,” says Bob “Thank you Bob for the school you on Oct. 22, 2005, two weeks after MacLeod, remembering how he was helped build,” says a handmade ban- the earthquake struck Pakistan’s then recruited to come to Islamabad. “The ner one of the communities sent him, North-West Frontier province and earthquake had just hit Pakistan, and MacLeod is quick to respond that Kashmir, claiming 74,000 lives and leaving more than 2.8 million people homeless. “In one community, 130 girls were killed at a girls’ college,” says MacLeod. “Their dead bodies were still there when we visited the site.” Within a month, USAID’s mission in Pakistan presented a strategy that mapped out reconstruction efforts. Four, five-year projects launched in 2006 with a budget of $256 million. The projects keyed in on restoration of livelihoods, support for education and health systems, and reconstruc- tion of schools and health-care facilities. MacLeod was assigned to manage USAID’s Pakistan Earthquake Reconstruction and Recovery Program that focused on rebuilding key social infrastructure in affected communities. Over the next five years, the pro- gram helped build or rehabilitate 74 primary, middle, and high schools for thousands of girls and boys across Kashmir and in Mansehra in Khyber A student in Dharian Bambian, Pakistan, reads to Gul Laila. Despite being illiterate Pakhtunkwa province. Basic health herself, Laila is the head of the local school management committee, which received units were constructed and 20 more help from USAID after the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan’s Kashmir region.

26 www.USAID.gov PAKISTAN

college in Rerra Town, Bagh District. Each USAID-built facility incor- porated an activist committee to make decisions, communicate with local residents, and raise community donations to support the construc- tion. In Rerra, residents donated land for construction crew offices, and supplied electricity and water for the construction free of charge. Yet to MacLeod, the most valuable contribution by the committee was to solve all local issues related to the building process, so that only eight days of construction time were lost to any conflict, which often happens in Pakistan. Now that the schools are operating, the committee is raising donations for the school library and working to design co-curricular ac-

Photo by USAID tivities, such as sports classes. “I am pleased that my three grand- USAID is reconstructing more than 100 schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province daughters can study within their own that were destroyed when security forces drove the Taliban from the Malakand community,” says Sadiq Khan with a District last year. proud smile on his face. schools and one 40-bed hospital USAID also ensured that schools and Rerra’s girls’ intermediary college would be built as well. health-care facilities have access for teaches 511 students today, more than “But the best achievement is the the disabled, an unusual approach a 100-student increase since before engagement of local communities, for Pakistan. the earthquake, and plans to reach teachers, and farmers in our work,” The designs proved popular among 1,000 students within the next five says MacLeod, “because this project local communities, and now the years. The school hopes to receive belongs to them.” Pakistan government is financing status as a degree-granting college Each school and health-care facility construction of similar schools in soon, and has 60 students waiting to was designed by Pakistani firms in earthquake-affected areas in the north attend college-level classes, so that cooperation with an American con- of the country. girls in the neighboring communities struction company that is carrying “We are grateful to the American can continue their studies. out the project for USAID. people for helping us erect this beauti- “Five years is a long time to rebuild, All the buildings now have large ful building that will serve our com- but it’s the only way to go if we want windows that flood the rooms with munity for the years to come,” says to rebuild better than it was, so no sunlight—and minimize the use of Mahmood Sadiq Khan, chairman of community has to lose their children electricity. The roofs are pitched to the school management committee, a to an earthquake again,” says meet international building codes and volunteer school support group that MacLeod. guidelines for earthquake-prone areas. USAID helped organize for the girls’

FRONTLINES • December 2010/January 2011 27 PAKISTAN Maternal and Child Health Programs Deliver for Pakistan

By Zack Taylor RAHIM, Pakistan

AZIA BIBI WAS ENJOYING Na wedding reception in her village when she heard a fellow guest cry out in pain. She looked across the yard to see a very pregnant woman in obvious discomfort. “The baby is coming!” the woman shrieked. “Take me home.” For Bibi, 25, this was her big moment. “No I won’t take you home,” she told her firmly. “I am a trained community midwife. You are coming to my house.” She led the woman into her modest home and put her on a maternity bed in the corner hidden by a stand-up curtain. Neatly laid out on a table next to the bed were a stetho- scope, a new razor blade, a scale, and USAID Taylor, Zack Photo by various instruments associated with Nazia Bibi displays USAID-supplied equipment to community midwives in Pakistan childbirth. at a midwife graduation event. Several hours later, there were cries of a healthy boy, delivered in the ment and supplies to ensure “We have trained a whole new birthing suite set up in the midwife’s safe deliveries. cadre of community midwives, which family home only five days earlier. “The training and equipment in a few years’ time will bring huge The mother, looking down at the allowed me to establish the midwife changes,” said Dr. Nabeela Ali, gurgling infant, wept. home has strengthened the belief and PAIMAN’s director. “We’re not here Bibi had recently graduated as a trust of the community in me,” Bibi to take the place of government ser- community midwife from the School said. “Now they recognize me as a vices, but to build on existing systems of Nursing Holy Family Hospital in skilled birth attendant. Pregnant according to their capacity. Flexibility Rawalpindi, a city of 3 million situ- women seek me out.” is the name of the game.” ated south of the capital, Islamabad. The training was made possible Since its inception, the $92 million Her village of Rahim on the outskirts through a USAID project, Pakistan project has reached more that 70 of the city previously had no available Initiative for Mothers and Newborns, percent of the population through skilled birth attendant. or PAIMAN. For the last six years, a number of additional outreach She is among more than 2,200 PAIMAN has strengthened Pakistan’s efforts. young women across Pakistan who health system by helping communities Working with nearly 100 commu- have completed 18 months of training improve delivery of health-care services nity-based NGOs, PAIMAN helped in midwifery, and have been equipped for more than 5.7 million mothers strengthen management skills and with close to $1,000 worth of equip- and newborns. improve the reach of government

28 www.USAID.gov PAKISTAN

health services personnel in remote communities of Pakistan. Trainings enrolled 120 district health managers. In the rugged northern part of Pakistan, the project supplied the government with 76 specially equipped, four-wheel drive ambu- lances to transport women experienc- ing complications in childbirth to larger regional health centers. A media campaign to promote newborn and maternal health in- cluded 36 hours of television pro- gramming, video-on-wheels, and puppet shows in rural districts. A key Photo by Margy Bailey, USAID part of PAIMAN was its connection A nurse and baby at a USAID-supported Basic Health Unit in Jhelum, Pakistan. with more than 330 ulama, or reli- gious scholars, who are tremendously project installed features such Oral PAIMAN by the Numbers influential in their respective commu- Rehydration Corners and Well Baby nities, and who embraced the project’s Clinics. PAIMAN helped build a trained messages wholeheartedly. “The PAIMAN experience was cadre of health professionals who will continue to provide services to The results speak for themselves. critical to our delivery of maternal mothers and newborns long into By the end of the project in January, and child health services in a coordi- the future. The project trained: the rate of skilled birth attendance nated manner,” said Khushnood • 11,000 female health workers in jumped to 52 percent from a national Akhtar Lashari, Pakistan’s secretary communication skills and group average of 39 percent, and the num- of health. “We are better equipped to counseling ber of pregnant women who had at continue to help safeguard the health • 6,500 female health workers least three antenatal visits increased of the mothers and children of in community-level integrated by 29 percent. Pakistan.” management of neonatal and A survey found that 97 percent of The foundation PAIMAN has de- childhood illnesses families now believe pre-natal check- veloped will continue to serve women, • 2,282 certified community ups are necessary in a country where their families, and health-care provid- midwives in full 18-month trainings some conservative beliefs hold that ers long after the project ends. and refresher trainings childbearing is a natural process not “That was my first baby I delivered • 5,262 health facility staff in maternal requiring medical attention. The rate myself,” Nazia said, recalling the and newborn health skills of post-natal visits also rose 33 percent. eventful wedding reception. “And I • 569 private providers in maternal Infrastructure was another key am sure it won’t be my last.” and newborn health skills element of the project—more than • 1,014 health managers in basic 100 community health facilities were financial, logistics, and supervisory practices, and upgraded and supplied, as well as 57 For more on the PAIMAN project, visit: training centers and a nursing school www.paiman.org.pk/mediaproducts/ • 5,953 health staff in health dormitory. At these facilities, the mediaproducts.php. information systems and reporting Source: USAID

FRONTLINES • December 2010/January 2011 29 PAKISTAN Your Voice: Finding Hope Amid Flood’s Devastation

By Naazlee Sardar Your Voice, a continuing FrontLines feature, offers personal observations from USAID employees. Naazlee Sardar is an Islamabad-based senior education advisor who spent four weeks in the field monitoring USAID flood emergency assistance in three provinces.

T THE USAID DISTRIBU- Ation site at a flood relief camp in Sindh province, a young woman queuing up with her teenage son to receive a food donation somehow stood out in the crowd and caught my attention. It could have been the slippers on her feet—while most others were barefoot—or perhaps the dignified way she waited in line. I approached her, and she told me her name was Murada and that Larkana, her vil- lage, had been totally wiped out by flooding that began devastating Pakistan in late July. As she chatted about all the land she used to own and crops she had cultivated as if we were two neighbors having afternoon tea, a rush of emotions came over me. “I miss my rifle the most, you know,” she said matter-of-factly, my eyes widening as she explained that she was a widow and her late husband had taught her to use the firearm. “A Russian single barrel,” she added proudly, “to protect myself of course.” I shook my head as I contemplated that though Murada had lost her Photo by Naazlee Sardar, USAID home, 15 acres of land—including 10 under cultivation—and six cows, she Murada and her son received assistance parcels from USAID. The widow lost her preferred to discuss her missing rifle. home, 15 acres of land, and six cows as a result of the flooding.

30 www.USAID.gov PAKISTAN

Through my work with USAID, I could offer some degree of help in the form of the thousands of donated relief kits that included two weeks worth of food, cooking utensils, buck- ets for collecting water, and soap. People were eager to narrate their harrowing experiences to someone working for the American govern- ment, which many called their savior. As I opened each parcel to verify its contents before distributing the kits, I could see the appreciation in the recipients’ eyes—gratitude that someone was concerned enough to ensure that they receive each and every item that was sent for them. It was my honor to lend them a sympathetic ear as well. Aside from different regional lan- guages and attire, my experience in

Photo by USAID three provinces was pretty much the same everywhere I went. Much as I USAID’s Naazlee Sardar, right, inspects the contents of flood relief packages before they are distributed to Pakistan flood victims. tried not to cry, recurring scenes of poverty and helplessness invariably Amazing indeed that this woman, total loss in three weeks of visits brought tears to my eyes. until recently comparatively wealthy, to monitor food distribution sites. Yet at the same time, I couldn’t was now collecting a food sack marked Beyond their possessions, some help feeling another emotion welling “USAID,” and recounting a heart- Pakistanis have literally lost their up inside: hope. breaking story in such a sprightly land—washed away by the mighty Women like Murada, who spoke manner. Indus River after it breached its em- bravely about her loss and even tried It was only when I asked “so what bankments for hundreds of miles. to stay well-dressed amid the squalor, about the future?” did the facade Over and over I heard tales of seemed to me to represent the glim- crumble, and a look of abject grief hopelessness—no agency, representa- mer, however small, of a better future. came over her face. My heart sank tive, not even a landlord who was I was able to play a small part by as I realized that, despite her sunny willing to take responsibility for their promising those with whom I spoke demeanor, she was just one more welfare and survival. In such a state, that the American people would not victim of this terrible tragedy. they were more than eager to voice abandon them in their hour of need. From rugged Khyber Pakhtunkhwa their frustration to a representative I was grateful the people of America to the fields of Punjab, down to the of a donor agency in the hope of provided a platform to help make a coastal plains of Sindh, I witnessed finding someone who might actually difference in the lives of so many. the same horror and devastation of help them. That difference brings hope.

FRONTLINES • December 2010/January 2011 31 PAKISTAN 2010—The Year in Review

FEBRUARY More than 32 million Pakistani children under the age of 5 are immunized against polio during February’s National Immunization Days. Since 2003, USAID has contributed $1 million per year to both the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF to fund their participation in National Immunization Days. The WHO supports and monitors the polio campaigns and maintains a surveil- lance system to detect cases of polio; UNICEF conducts outreach and communications related to the campaigns.

MARCH Administrator Rajiv Shah meets with Pakistan government officials on the best role for USAID and de- velopment during a Pakistan development roundtable. At the event, Shah and Shahid Rafi, secretary of Pakistan’s Ministry of Water and Power, sign implementation letters confirming joint efforts to upgrade three Pakistani thermal power stations in Guddu, Jamshoro, and Muzaffargarh. Refurbishing the power stations will increase power to Pakistan by 315 megawatts, enough to power nearly 400,000 homes. The event is part of the first U.S.-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue, co-chaired by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, to engage high-level participation between the two governments.

APRIL During his first official visit to Pakistan from April 11 to 15, Shah emphasizes “a commitment that USAID, and on behalf of our entire portfolio of foreign assistance here, that we would do things differ- ently going forward in order to be better partners, deeper partners, and more respectful partners of the government of Pakistan and the people of Pakistan and Pakistani institutions.” Among the trip’s highlights are a meeting with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, and a press conference that draws more than 80 Pakistani and international media outlets.

LATE JULY U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W. Patterson issues a disaster declaration in response to extraor- dinarily heavy rainfall and flooding that begins in northern Pakistan in late July. The flooding drifts south to Sindh province, affecting an estimated 18 million people in every province. More than 75 percent of affected families are located in Sindh and Punjab provinces, and 1.7 million homes are destroyed. Widespread flooding is reported in 82 of Pakistan’s 122 districts. In coordination with the Pakistan government and other relief agencies, USAID responds quickly to the devastation wrought by the floods. USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) immediately sends water treatment units and Zodiac boats to help rescue stranded people. A Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) soon arrives to assess conditions, transport relief supplies, and help meet the immediate needs of millions of people affected by the floods in Pakistan.

32 www.USAID.gov PAKISTAN

AUGUST Shah visits flood-ravaged Pakistan to assess the situation on the ground and determine the next steps for USAID. The first high-level U.S. government official to visit Pakistan, he travels on a C-130 air- plane packed with plastic sheeting and other humanitarian commodities from OFDA, observes the USAID-supported World Food Program distributing meals, meets with donors, and consoles flood victims, including women and children who tell Shah that they have “lost everything.”

SEPTEMBER The U.S. government signs an agreement with the government of Pakistan to begin using the first tranche of funds under the Kerry-Lugar-Berman Act, which pledged a $7.5 billion, five-year assistance package for Pakistan. The agreement also launches USAID’s new business model to increase the role of local organizations in carrying out U.S. assistance programs. Over the lifespan of the Act, USAID expects to increase the share of programs implemented by local organizations to approximately 70 percent.

OCTOBER October marks the 5th anniversary of a devastating 7.6 magnitude earthquake that struck Pakistan’s Azad Jammu and Kashmir region in 2005. USAID’s Earthquake Reconstruction Program has been critical in helping the region recover. The program helped “build back better” by constructing modern buildings that are earthquake-resistant, trained thousands of health and education specialists to de- liver quality services for 2.2 million residents, and rallied the communities to participate in the man- agement of their local facilities. USAID rebuilt 21 schools and 15 health-care facilities that provide basic health care to approximately 200,000 people in Bagh District. The program also created em- ployment, helped businesses access microfinance, re-established markets, and expanded trade oppor- tunities, thereby increasing the per capita income in the earthquake-affected areas by 81 percent.

NOVEMBER Three months after the flooding, USAID and the U.S. government have delivered more than $579 million in emergency relief to the flood-affected communities. Assistance includes materials for shel- ter, food, medical care, potable water, rescue operations, and basic commodities. As the flood waters begin to recede and communities start returning to their areas, USAID focuses on restoring liveli- hoods. Flood-affected people receive seeds and fertilizer for the planting season, cattle, cash for work, and a variety of other assistance to restore jobs, businesses, key services, and homes. USAID’s DART team stands down as flood-related assistance shifts from emergency relief to longer-term recovery and reconstruction efforts. USAID’s country office focuses its work on re-establishing Pakistan’s agriculture, infrastructure, energy, and economic development. DECEMBER Andrew Sisson is sworn in as USAID’s new Pakistan mission director to lead the Agency’s programs in the country and the piloting of new business models around the world. USAID completes its six-year maternal and child health program that reduced neonatal mortality in Pakistan by 23 percent. The $93 million Pakistan Initiative for Mothers and Children (PAIMAN) improved the health of more than 5.7 million Pakistani women and children from 2004 to 2010. The program trained more than 18,000 health specialists and upgraded 103 health facilities as well as 57 training facilities.

FRONTLINES • December 2010/January 2011 33 PAKISTAN Voices from the Field

Zachary Orend is an economic growth adviser with USAID’s mission in Pakistan, where he has been working since 2006. Although Orend’s work currently focuses on private sector development and vocational train- ing, he has served the Agency in other capacities, including as a development outreach and communications officer.

Photo by USAID

Zack Orend on a weekend getaway near Skardu, in the Pakistani Himalayas.

FRONTLINES FL What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

What is the one thing you wish someone had ZO An assignment in Pakistan gives you the opportu- told you, and that you can now share with new- nity to work in a climate of pressing geopolitical bies, before moving to the country in which you significance. As a project designer and manager, I need to be prepared to rapidly move resources currently serve? according to natural disasters or shifts in political OREND circumstance. While this can be frustrating, it is also rewarding to be able to meet a pressing de- Even though Pakistani-U.S. relations can be mand. I have developed in-depth, informed under- strained, if you give people the opportunity to voice standings about a place that people throughout the their opinions, they are very open to talk. It took world, including friends and family back home, are me too long to learn not to be taken aback by some intensely interested in. of the stronger opinions of people I met. Now I appreciate the diversity of political and social opin- FL How do you deal with the hazards posed work- ion in the room at any social gathering. Some of the newspapers are just as open, with a breadth of po- ing in a critical priority country? That is, what litical and social opinion that makes even the op-ed helps you to work in an environment amid high pages of American papers seem centrist and bland. threats and high security?

34 www.USAID.gov PAKISTAN

ZO Compared to Baghdad, Kabul, Peshawar, or ZO I studied in Oregon and California and was friends Karachi, Islamabad is a relaxed security environ- with many international students—a few of whom ment. I drive, shop, hike, and eat out—while taking were Pakistani. Come to Islamabad and you find a care to vary my routine. There’s relatively little concentration of decision makers who studied over- street crime. Then a bomb goes off and everyone seas, predominantly in American colleges and uni- sends text messages to their friends to make sure versities. I’ve come to appreciate the immensely they’re alright. It has been a while now, though. positive impression of the United States that our In the end, I see that the people and institutions colleges and universities generate. USAID generates actively protecting Americans in Islamabad are the same promise of excellence and expectation much more numerous and powerful than those among many of our counterparts. seeking to harm us. Of course, Islamabad is a privi- leged piece of Pakistan and, at least of late, removed FL What is your favorite thing to do in your from the suicide attacks, targeted kidnappings and residence country on your days off? assassinations, ongoing conflict, and devastating ZO Eating ice cream at the Hot Spot, Islamabad’s natural disasters that are shaping daily life in other kitsch center, where John Waters meets Lollywood parts of the country. and all of the hip kids look at each other. Trash- talking Saturday basketball games on the Embassy FL What has been the most difficult experience compound—an American tradition. Sharing grilled at your job? prawns with that special someone on Sundays ZO The dramatic changes in Pakistan’s political envi- in winter. ronment, the series of natural disasters that have befallen the country, and the sustained attention FL What is the one thing you took for granted in that USAID programming receives from the U.S. the United States that you no longer would? government have impeded the sustained implemen- ZO When I go back to the States, I wonder how long tation of development-oriented programming. the American life of eating and shopping, shopping Programming works best if it is able to link a quick and eating will continue to excite me. While I’m on impact to longer-term development goals and if it’s leave, it’s completely absorbing. linked to a Pakistani institution that can maintain high standards. This is why it is important that we FL What would you say is your “grain of sand”; what continue to work closely with the government, civil society, and business interests. Better energy pric- you will leave behind as your most important ing, agriculture marketing policy, and textile sector accomplishment in the country you served? growth will, in the end, contribute enormously to ZO For better or worse, I’ve worked on at least a dozen political stability in the border areas. projects during my time in Pakistan. Within that broad template, I would like to think that I’ve FL How has your work with USAID changed the pushed the projects, Pakistani counterparts, my way you view the world? Has your view of the management, and myself to set realistic expecta- United States and its relationship to other tions and then meet them. countries changed?

FRONTLINES • December 2010/January 2011 35 PAKISTAN

Thorny Issues, Chance to Finish Childhood, Pakistan Fact Box continued from p. 24 continued from p. 25 • Population: 184,404,791 the largest electric distribution com- financial reasons why her parents (July 2010 est.) panies; and harnessing the power supported the marriage, but was • Percentage of people living of the wind for a clean, alternative nonetheless grateful for the delay. below poverty line: 24% energy source. “I have seven sisters and four broth- (FY 2005/2006 est.) In South Waziristan, USAID is ers,” Bakhtawar said. “Because we are Main development challenges: working with the governmental very poor, my parents wanted me to Frontier Works Organization, the get married as early as possible, but • Decades of internal political disputes and low levels of foreign Water and Power Development I was not ready. Now I can go back investment Authority, and other local agencies to school.” to rebuild roads, develop water infra- • Severe electricity shortfalls Bakhtawar is not the only girl in structure, and improve power systems. Kanjeer who will get a reprieve from • Inflation (14.2% in 2009) USAID projects are implemented child marriage. Soomro said that the • Expanding investment in education, through the local governing body, decisive reaction by the two families health care, and electricity pro- known as the FATA Secretariat, to to his advice has inspired him to de- duction, and reducing dependence on foreign donors enhance and solidify its authority liver additional messages he learned (Source: CIA World Factbook) with the populace in the tribal areas. at the training to other parents in In mid-November, 30 out of a planned the village, such as the importance of Main assistance sectors: 81 kilometers of road were complete. pre-natal care for pregnant women, a Much work, however, remains as trained birth attendant at all deliver- • Agriculture, democracy and the long-term social and economic ies, and proper birth spacing. governance, economic growth, effects of the flood become apparent. education, energy, infrastructure, health, and humanitarian assistance Painstakingly developed plans that once seemed appropriate have given • Year USAID began its program: Looking for The 1951 way to a harsher reality faced by mil- (Source: USAID) lions of Pakistanis. But flood or no flood, the U.S. goal is to partner with INSIDER? the federal, provincial, and municipal The Insider—that section of FrontLines Insights from Dr. Rajiv Shah, governments and support their efforts devoted to employee-focused news, continued from inside front cover to provide Pakistani people with bet- awards, events and photographs—has Building a dam may be a wonderful ter services and a better quality of life. moved online to the Agency’s website. service to the community, but engag- “Helping Pakistan become a more Go to www.usaid.gov/frontlines to link ing locals in project design; consulting economically vibrant country is to the latest news about what USAID with stakeholders as to how it will ultimately in the best interests of staffers are working on throughout affect river flows; contracting local the United States,” Herbol said. the world. This is also the new home workers to participate in the project; “Improving opportunity diminishes for the popular “Where in the World” and training them to maintain it all the appeal of extremism.” listings and for USAID obituaries. produce something much more pow- If you have news you would like to see *KLB was co-sponsored by Sen. John Kerry in this section, e-mail FrontLines at erful than electricity; they produce a (D-Mass.), Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), and meaningful stake in society. Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.). [email protected].

36 www.USAID.gov Photo by USAID Photo by Courtney Body, USAID the school in Kabul. in school the of progress reconstruction the on check to avisit during students with meets Above: FRONTLINES • December 2010/January 2011 2010/January •December FRONTLINES The Ghazi Boys School principal stands by as Administrator Rajiv Shah Shah Rajiv Administrator by as stands principal School Boys Ghazi The midwifery school. midwifery community Afghanistan, aBadakhshan, in students two to resuscitation neonatal demonstrates Ateacher Right: by the rust. by the caused damage the prevent and Balochistan in agriculture develop to working is USAID rust. stem by wheat affected wheat displays Pakistan, Left: A farmer in Balochistan, Balochistan, in Afarmer

sponsored school in Pakistan. in school sponsored aUSAID- at study villages neighboring and Above: More than 500 girls from Rerra Rerra from girls 500 than More PHOTO COLLAGE 37

Photo by Hassan Zakizadeh Photo by Virginija Morgan, USAID U.S. Agency for International Development Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs Washington, D.C. 20523-6100 Penalty for Private Use $300 Official Business

Pakistanis return home with their belongings to Bassera village in Punjab province in August 2010 as flood waters recede. Photo by Banaras Khan, AFP