CREATIVETIMES A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION FALL 2008 : HELPING CHILDREN LEARN BY asia REVITALIZING SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS

AFGHANISTAN: ENABLING GENDER EQUITY IN NGO MANAGEMENT

This fall, the Capacity Development Program trained 19 Afghans from eight NGOs in the ways management practices can develop gender equity in their services to their com- munities and initiatives.

“Gender inequality in a NGO’s organization can be one of the main obstacles to success and sustainability,” said Mohammad Nassir Anwari, Program Coordinator and Trainer for the Capacity Development Program (CDP).

Held in Bamyan, Afghanistan, a region known for inequality among women and men, participants – including 7 women and 12 men – who gathered in the three-day awareness and sensitivity workshop, came PHOTO BY: BESST STAFF PHOTO BY: away with new perspectives on developing LOCAL LEADERS, SCHOOL PRINCIPALS, AND DT3 MEMBERS DISCUSS EDUCATIONAL PRIORITIES DURING A SIP MEETING IN PROVINCE. equity strategies in organizational planning, policy and operation. fter successfully training more than Following the fi rst school improvement 49,000 educators, the Building meeting, where the principal and teach- Helping NGOs deliver vital services and AEducation Support Systems for ers articulated the school’s needs, Mr. advocate on behalf of citizens is at the core Teachers (BESST) project is taking steps Hayat agreed to cover the entire cost of of the U.S. Agency for International Devel- to maximize the impact of its interven- digging a well for the Taraki High School opment-supported Capacity Development tions by supporting school managers in Bak district. “When the teachers told Program. The CDP’s NGO component is and community leaders in creating and me that the students needed safe and implemented by Creative Associates Interna- implementing School Improvement Plans clean drinking water, I fi nally knew how I tional, Inc. as a member of the BearingPoint (SIPs). could help.” consortium. CDP is designed to support Afghan efforts to build good governance and So far, communities even in insecure BESST is funded by the U.S. Agency for democratic practices by focusing on NGOs areas, such as , have International Development (USAID) and which deliver services in education, health, responded enthusiastically to the task managed by Creative Associates Interna- women’s rights, human rights and vocational of revitalizing the school environments tional, Inc. training, among others. Creative provides where their children learn. in-depth training and analysis enabling NGOs Working with district and provincial Min- to build internal organizational capacities to “I remember being fond of school when istry of Education staff, BESST’s District better serve civil society over the long term. I was a child,” said Mr. Hayat Mangal, a Training Team (DT3) trainers have helped tribal elder in Bak district, Khost province. principals, teachers, elders and com- In total, the CDP NGO team has delivered “But the poor conditions of my school munity members organize meetings and more than a dozen training sessions on In- always made me sad.” facilitate the drafting and implementing tegrating Gender into Management training of SIPs. to over 196 persons from the 150 Afghan Mr. Hayat, now in his fi fties, added, “I NGOs that CDP targets all over Afghanistan. always knew I wanted to help and that These SIP shuras, or local councils, meet I wanted to improve the education we on a regular basis and discuss challenges “Gender equity policies in a NGO have a provide to our children here, but I wasn’t and issues that are most important to direct impact on reducing gender inequality sure how…until I met these BESST train- them. In many cases, these shuras de- ers.” sign plans to create a school environment PAGE 1 STORIES CONTINUE ON PAGE 2>> - 1 - >> CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 AFGHANISTAN: HELPING CHILDREN LEARN BY REVITALIZING SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS

that is safe, clean, pleasant and large Haji Muhammad Din, 70, told BESST that >> CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 enough so that students themselves are he was proud to help the local school comfortable and motivated to learn. Some fi nancially, but more than that, “It was AFGHANISTAN: ENABLING SIP shuras have prioritized safety, such very satisfying to see the wall constructed GENDER EQUITY IN NGO as a community in Khost where mem- by the hands of the villagers themselves. MANAGEMENT bers donated funds, time, and masonry Afghanistan has always had a tradition of expertise to build compound walls around ashar (communal works) but BESST train- in the community the NGO serves, es- the school. ers have provided our communities with pecially in Afghanistan where male staff a more organized and effi cient way to get cannot, in some communities, work with Others, as in Sar-e-Pul province, found lo- students what they need.” females because of restrictive codes,” cal engineers and doctors willing to volun- Anwari said. teer their time to teach science and math BESST hopes that these visible achieve- classes in the local secondary school; still ments, carried out by local communities Participants chose the CDP workshop be- others, as in , recruited and facilitated by BESST’s trainers, will cause of the fi ve steps the program advo- a local dentist, who agreed to donate a encourage an increasing number of com- cates for mainstreaming gender equity in few hours every month to examine stu- munity members to participate in the SIP NGOs. In particular, the group addressed dents’ teeth and gums. shuras throughout its 11 provinces. the issue of gender equity in the context of Afghanistan and the traditions of its In Bak district, news of Mr. Hayat’s In addition to training about 50,000 teach- many tribes and ethnic groups, whose generosity quickly spread. Within two ers and principals in multiple MoE-ap- perspectives on gender can differ from weeks, parents and community members proved curricula, BESST is supplementing province to province or even household collected 700 kilograms of wheat from those face-to-face trainings with educa- to household. It was agreed that explor- local farmers. The proceeds from sales of tional radio programs, as well as working ing gender roles in Afghanistan requires this harvest bought the pipes and a hand- with the Ministry to help develop national a study of Islamic laws, which are not pump for the water well under construc- competencies and credentialing systems always refl ected in traditional practices. tion at Taraki School. Shortly after that, for both teachers and school managers. in the neighboring district of Ismail Khel, “In the Holy Quran there are many state- a tribal elder working with the SIP shura — Alison Long, BESST External Relations ments concerning women and men being donated the equivalent of $100 to recon- Manager in Afghanistan. created from one single soul, which indi- struct a part of Sarband High School’s cates the equality of men and women,” compound wall, which had been destroyed Nassir said. “It shows that in Islam there by a heavy storm last year. is no superiority of men over women and that both deserve equal treatment.”

Acknowledging that gender equity is a AS A RESULT OF A SIP MEETING, A WELL AND HAND PUMP WERE INSTALLED AT THE TARAKI HIGH SCHOOL. long-term goal for Afghanistan, partici- pants noted the importance of sensitizing their communities. “They said that … their work was to raise awareness about equity issues starting with themselves, their families, their immediate communities,” Anwari said.

The training has already had a personal impact on one male participant. “The training was very good, even for me,” said the man. “Before, when I went home, I did not play with the children or help my wife with the housework. I was not talking to them and spent the time working on my laptop. Now, I leave the laptop at the of- fi ce and spend time with the family – and help my wife.”

— Alexandra Pratt with reporting and writing contributions from Carla Rosa Borges and Nassir Anwari in Afghani- stan. PHOTO BY: BESST STAFF PHOTO BY:

- 2 - GUATEMALA: TEN FORMER GANG MEMBERS GET A latin america NEW START AS PEPSI EMPLOYEES hen Dervyn Hernandez started ica thought that one of them could work Letona and his team provided solutions his new job at Pepsi Cen- with us,” Letona said. “Sometimes you to some of the challenges former gang Wtroamerica in Guatemala, Human have to take the risk. Really, it’s one of the members confront, such as a lack of funds Resources Manager Fernando Letona, most beautiful experiences that we have to pay for transportation to and from work. told only other managers about the young had. We saw that he wanted to work hard “So, we started to give them money at the man’s past life as a gang member. and change his life, so we just gave him beginning of their employment with us,” the opportunity and helped him to start his Letona said. “But we didn’t just hand them But Hernandez’s hard work soon caught new life.” the $80 dollars or so, that pays for trans- the attention of several coworkers. Along portation and lunch, we added an extra with growing acceptance of Hernandez, Throughout northwest Central America hour to their work day.” came the realization that former gang – notably in Guatemala, Honduras and members like him can be helped with job El Salvador – the spread of youth gangs When they fi rst arrived at Pepsi, the 10 opportunities. has lead to an increase in youth violence. former gang members were given jobs According to The New York Times, Guate- cleaning and sweeping because of their Pepsi soon hired nine more former gang mala has about 6,000 murders a year – a lack of education and work experience. members – an unprecedented effort for rate higher than that during some years of But Hernandez asked for a more challeng- the soft drink maker to help these young the country’s 36-year armed confl ict – at- ing job. men start new lives. tributed to gangs. Though estimates vary, some experts say that there are as many It all began nearly two years ago when Har- as 60,000 gang members across the three “We said ‘okay, we will let you try one of old Sibaja, Creative Associates Regional countries where the USAID/YCP operates. the machines that stacks boxes,’” Letona Director of Latin America, met with leading High crime rates and threats of extortion said. “He started to learn how to work this Guatemalan businesses to encourage have also led to negative repercussions on machine after work and, now, he drives them to hire former gang members. Sibaja, the social fabric and economies of these it. His position is very important at that a leading expert on gangs, directs the countries. In this climate, former gang company level, an employee is recognized USAID Youth Challenge Alliance Program members who seek jobs – and who are by other workers when he drives this (YCP), and its Desafi o 200 activity, also recognizable by their tattoos – are consid- machine.” According to Letona, Hernandez known as Challenge 200. It helps gang ered unemployable. has done so well that Pepsi is considering members turn their lives around by giving helping him to go back to school next year. them a stake in society through opportuni- “We saw a great opportunity to help and to ties in corporations and participation in be involved with our community,” Letona “This is one of the most important initia- initiatives through community and religious said. “We are a national company that tives for our company, this is a nice experi- organizations. wants to give back to our country. When ence, because we Guatemalans have to we met Harold Sibaja, we saw a nice op- solve this gang problem,” Letona said. “If “At the time USAID/YCP had 100 at-risk portunity to get involved and give back to they want to get out of gangs, we have to young men who they wanted to place with the community.” give them the opportunity to change, the private employers, and Pepsi Centroamer- opportunity to work. We are trying to get

CONTINUES ON PAGE 4>>

“We saw a great opportunity to help and to be involved with our community...”

Fernando Letona Human Resources Manager Pepsi Centroamerica

PICTURED IN ORANGE UNIFORMS ARE FORMER GANG MEMBERS NOW EMPLOYED BY PEPSI. PHOTO BY: JUAN CARLOS MOLINA CARLOS JUAN PHOTO BY:

- 3 - NIGERIA: PRESIDENT NAMES COMPASS-SUPPORTED africa SCHOOL THE BEST IN THE NATION ith help from the COMPASS COMPASS — Community Participation rates of girls, strengthening PTAs, and project, the Race Course Primary for Action in the Social Sector — is a U.S. providing teacher training support in 1,400 WSchool was named the best pri- Agency for International Development- public primary and Islamiyya schools. The mary school in the nation when it received funded project which integrates health and project’s strong professional development the President’s Teachers Schools Excel- education to improve learning outcomes component also includes training new lence Award for 2008. for Nigerian children in the states of Kano, teachers in modern teaching methods at Lagos and Nasarawa. COMPASS aims to local colleges of education. Through these The award, presented in October, is the complement the government’s efforts to activities, COMPASS seeks to establish Nigerian government’s way of recognizing achieve universal quality education by sustainable educational reforms in the schools that have shown quality improve- 2015. communities where it is working. ment and raised standards and achieve- ments in education. Creative implements COMPASS’ basic — Alexandra Pratt in Washington, D.C. with education component in collaboration with reporting in Nigeria from Nafi sa Ado and “The school won the award for its out- four international and Nigerian partner or- Yardada Maikano. standing performance which is a result ganizations and the Nigerian government. of compliance to new teaching strategies COMPASS is led by Pathfi nder Interna- taught by COMPASS,” said the school’s tional. head teacher, Mansur A. Uba. Race Course Primary counts as a special Two years ago, the Race Course Primary school for a number of reasons including School in Kano, Nigeria, was much like an active PTA, adequate learning facilities other schools in the country. It faced many which include a library and computer room. challenges in providing quality education “Above all, it’s the teachers’ determination to its 900 pupils: classrooms were inad- which is a result of COMPASS’ capacity equate, the library’s book shelves were building and provision of materials,” Uba empty, and the PTA lacked much needed said. resources including skills for proposal writ- ing, fi nancial management, and advocacy According to Uba, prior to COMPASS’ in- strategies. terventions, Race Course Primary needed an adequate library, teaching and learning In a letter addressed to COMPASS’ state aids and renovated classrooms. Its teach- team leader, Uba noted that, “Indeed, the ers also needed “skills and strategies for success and achievements were enhanced dynamic teaching and learning.” STAFF COMPASS PHOTO BY: due to the COMPASS assistance and RACE COURSE SCHOOL OFFICIALS RECEIVE THE PRESIDENT’S TEACHERS SCHOOLS EXCELLENCE intervention which made the school what The Creative-managed basic education AWARD 2008. it is today.” component is increasing the enrollment

>> CONTINUES FROM PAGE 3 GUATEMALA: TEN FORMER GANG MEMBERS GET A NEW START AS PEPSI EMPLOYEES other Guatemalan companies involved in about the Program and are supporting our mented Youth Alliance Program, which USAID/YCP’s work through the Guatemala Desafi o programs in Honduras and El Sal- made international headlines when it Human Resources Association, because vador. Pepsi Centroamerica is an example produced a reality TV series called Desafi o we think the initiative is so important.” of business social responsibility.” 10 Paz para los EX ™ also known as Chal- lenge 10 Peace for the EX ™ . The fi ve-part Pepsi’s partnership with USAID/YCP goes Speaking of the USAID/YCP youths on his series (viewable at www.challenge10.com) beyond employing former gang members. staff, Letona says, “Sometimes they are chronicled the competition between two Pepsi has also encouraged the other youth nervous, they don’t look you in the face, groups of fi ve former rival gang members on their staff to continue their studies you look in their eyes and see they are con- who established legitimate businesses with fi nancial assistance and has provided fused. They are shy at the start and that is with the help of private-sector mentors. It uniforms and other assistance for YCP’s the most diffi cult, you have to work on their was followed by Desafi o 100 which helped participants to organize a soccer team. self esteem and that’s the reason why I tell tens of young female and male former my staff to talk with them, to get involved gang members receive skills training and “Pepsi is a committed partner,” Sibaja with them…also you can’t help all of the job opportunities. said. “They see the Desafi o Program as problems but most of them you can.” their own. They advocate with other busi- — Alexandra Pratt with assistance from nesses to hire former gang members and YCP is supported by the U.S. Agency for Harold Sibaja. to contribute to the reduction of youth International Development and is a follow- violence. They put together their own video on to the Creative managed and imple-

- 4 - ALBANIA: SHELTER PROVIDES A LIFELINE WITH central europe CAAHT SUPPORT he arrival of the CAAHT project in secured the safety of her daughter, she 2004 provided essential support for “I really appreciate and value returned to Albania to raise awareness TVera Lesko, Director of the Vatra Psy- about traffi cking in her community. She chosocial Center. the experiences that CAAHT has continued to denounce local traffi ckers given to strengthen Vatra and to government offi cials and the interna- CAAHT is the acronym for The Albania Initia- other organizations, the capaci- tional community. In December 1999, tive: Coordinated Action Against Human she opened Vatra, the fi rst shelter in Traffi cking, a project made possible with ty building for the staff that they the country to assist Albanian traffi cked funding from the U.S. Agency for Interna- have offered, strengthening the victims. “It was indispensable for the girls tional Development. Implemented by Cre- who were deported to be accommodated ative Associates International, Inc., CAAHT reporting skills of our staff and, somewhere,” Lesko said. has funded 22 local NGOs to implement the most important, the Moni- more than 40 projects since the program toring & Evaluation system that With the information she gathered from started fi ve years ago. her extensive interviews in Vlora, Lesko, CAAHT has developed...” approached local government offi cials Vatra – which means hearth in Albanian and the police about taking action against – is one of four organizations among the local traffi ckers, only to discover that grantee NGOs funded by CAAHT, that pro- Vera Lesko some of these offi cials were involved in vide shelter and reintegration assistance Director traffi cking themselves. Undaunted, she for victims of traffi cking. Vatra Psychosocial Center began organizing meetings with civil society representatives and international While CAAHT has a broad mandate, support organizations. for the Vatra Center’s work is a testament a gateway for traffi ckers, who ferry their vic- to the project’s ultimate aim – to prevent tims to the Italian ports of Bari and Brindisi, “Until 1999, a lot of these people that I traffi cking and help victims rebuild healthy and from there to numerous Italian cities or met with were not accepting the extent of lives. By its end in 2009, CAAHT will have other Western European destinations. traffi cking,” Lesko said. “This forced me disbursed more than $2.6 million to local to share with them some of my confi den- NGOs working to combat traffi cking in Lesko discovered the breadth of the prob- tial reports which was very dangerous for Albania. lem in 1996 when she was assigned by her me personally, and for my family.” employer, a non-profi t women’s organiza- Vera Lesko has been a courageous pioneer tion, to investigate prostitution in Vlora. Lesko continued her awareness-raising in exposing and combating traffi cking of After conducting 500 interviews with politi- campaign, explaining to offi cials and vul- Albanian women and children. Her work cians, workers, community representatives nerable girls the ploys used by traffi ckers. began in the city of and traffi cked girls, Lesko came to the stun- She raised these issues at the highest Vlora, located in ning realization that human traffi cking was levels of the Albanian government. But southwest Alba- widely practiced in Vlora. She began work- senior government offi cials denied the nia, which has ing with victims of traffi cking directly and on phenomenon, seeing it as a stain on the a population one occasion, reported a local traffi cker to reputation of their country. It has taken of more than the police. The traffi cker followed her home fi ve years of advocacy work by Lesko, oth- 60,000 people. threatening to traffi c Lesko’s own daughter er Albanian NGOs and the international It is also home unless she dropped her allegations. community to persuade the Government to Albania’s of Albania to establish a National Coordi- second largest “In this moment, the fear was big and nator in the Fight Against Traffi cking. port and terrible,” Lesko said. When she arrived home, she found all of the windows in International support has been essential her apartment broken and her neigh- to providing both fi nancial and diplomatic bors terrorized. “At that moment, I support for Lesko’s efforts. In 2003, her decided to withdraw my denuncia- brave and pioneering work was rec- tion and to move my daughter to ognized worldwide when she received Italy, immediately.” the 2003 Anti-Slavery Award from the renowned international human rights But Lesko couldn’t forget the organization Anti-Slavery International. fate of so many victims. Having In 2004, USAID/Albania launched the CAAHT program to support and expand VERA LESKO, FOUNDER OF THE anti-traffi cking work of civil society and VATRA PSYCHOSOCIAL CENTER, A government institutions in Albania. Lesko SHELTER THAT SUPPORTS VICTIMS OF and the Vatra Center were one of the TRAFFICKING. earliest partners for the program. PHOTO BY: CAAHT STAFF PHOTO BY: CONTINUES ON PAGE 6>> - 5 - KYRGYZSTAN: CREATIVE’S TERRY GILES WINS “BEST africacentral asia EDUCATOR OF THE KYRGYZ REPUBLIC” AWARD

erry Giles, Creative Associates’ Chief mally launched. The signing of a Memoran- of Party for the Quality Learning dum of Understanding took place among TProject, was named “Best Educa- the Kyrgyz Minister of Education and tor of the Kyrgyz Republic,” by the Kyrgyz Science, Ms. Ishenkul Boldjurova, and Ms. Minister of Education and Science. Pat Shapiro, USAID Country Representa- tive, effectively giving the program a green The award is all the more remarkable be- light to continue the process of education cause Kyrgyzstan traditionally confers this reform in that country. honor only on native teachers and Giles is neither Kyrgyz nor a practicing teacher. With support from the U.S. Agency for

International Development, the Creative QLP STAFF PHOTO BY: “I was surprised because it’s an award Associates-implemented QLP is designed KYRGYZ TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD that is essentially for those who work in to assist the Kyrgyz government’s efforts CERTIFICATE GIVEN TO TERRY GILES, CHIEF OF schools or higher education, and as far to develop and implement their national PARTY, QUALITY LEARNING PROJECT (QLP). as we understand this specifi c award has education strategies. QLP will also assist not been given to foreigners before,” Giles the government in training quality teachers bringing the value of inclusive education said. “I am honored of course, and I think to improve learner-centered methods in and later education policy development.” it’s also recognition that classrooms as well as support the re- international projects form of education fi nancing. A 17-year veteran of development initia- have an important tives, Giles also has experience in the role to play in im- “As for the award Terry received, I can United Kingdom in education, working with proving Kyrgyz- say that it is one of the awards every youth, management and architecture. His stan’s education teacher would like to receive. There career experience also includes work- system.” are teachers, who work their whole ing on projects in Africa and more than career, but do not receive such an ten years spent throughout Asia. He led In fact, the award award. This award does not bring an education programs as well as agricul- was the culmina- extra paycheck, but it is recognition tural engineering projects in: Kyrgyzstan, tion of an eventful among the education community Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, week this fall when for the hard work that goes into Afghanistan, Iraq, , Rwanda, and the Quality Learning educating the young generation,” said Tanzania. Project (QLP) Keneshbek B. Sainazarov, QLP’s was for- Country Director in Kyrgyz- — Alexandra Pratt stan. “I can say Terry is the right person to receive this award. He has been work- ing in Kyrgyzstan

PHOTO BY: LAZARINA TODOROVA PHOTO BY: since 1996 >> CONTINUES FROM PAGE 5 ALBANIA: SHELTER PROVIDES A LIFELINE WITH CAAHT SUPPORT “The arrival of CAAHT in 2004 was impor- strengthening the reporting skills of our “A lot of traffi cked victims are re-integrated tant,” she said. “In 2005, Vatra had a huge staff and, the most important, the Monitor- into normal life, and have gotten married number of victims in need of assistance, ing and Evaluation system that CAAHT has and have children,” Lesko said. “A big but was in fi nancial crisis; it was then that developed,” she said. number of them have called me and are CAAHT began to fi nance our organization.” continuing to call to say ‘thank you’ and to Human traffi cking remains a serious express their appreciation for our work.” While Lesko’s concern for victims led her problem in Albania today; but public at- to establish Vatra, she had little experi- titudes and government anti-traffi cking — Reported and written by Alexandra Pratt ence running an organization, building its policies and procedures have dramatically in Washington, D.C. and Sarah Ste- capacity and reporting on fi nances – all improved – especially thanks to the work phens, Alketa Gaxha and Ines Xhelilaj in necessary steps to keeping Vatra’s doors of Lesko. As she begins to contemplate Albania. and services open to victims. “I really ap- the temptations of retirement, she draws preciate and value the experiences that comfort from having helped approximately CAAHT has given to strengthen Vatra and 1,600 victims of traffi cking at the Vatra other organizations, the capacity build- Center. ing for the staff that they have offered,

- 6 - EL SALVADOR: A SECOND ‘FOR MY NEIGHBORHOOD’ latin america OUTREACH CENTER WELCOMES AT-RISK YOUTH

“This brings hope to Lourdes, we can now dream of a new Lourdes. This Center will be all that the community wants it to be, specially the volunteers who will be the ones that truly run this Center.”

Pastor Jaime Guatemala Iglesia del Camino Lourdes PHOTO BY: JOSÉ ROBERTO MARTÍNEZ JOSÉ ROBERTO PHOTO BY: he Regional Youth Alliance USAID- The Lourdes “For My Neighborhood” Out- In addition to Stadthagen and Pastor Gua- SICA opened its second Outreach reach Center is the second to be opened temala, the inauguration was attended by TCenter in El Salvador, where it pro- in El Salvador after the fi rst, known as the USAID Democracy and Governance Offi cer, vides at-risk youth in the city of Lourdes, Father Rafael Palacios Educational and Jennifer Link, SICA legal counsel, Cesar a haven to acquire new skills for gainful Vocational Center in Mejicanos. At least Salazar, and El Salvador government of- employment and social responsibility. three more centers are expected to open fi cials. in El Salvador within the next year; each The Lourdes Youth Outreach Center will center will serve about 300 young people, “We will dedicate all our energy, all our also offer workshops that raise awareness ages 9 to 21. A total of 15 centers will be care, so we turn this Center into a true of the dangers of drug use and engage opened in the region. space of hope for the youth of Lourdes,” community volunteers as teachers, in said Pastor Guatemala. “This brings hope addition to classes in computer training, “We would like to think that keeping these to Lourdes, we can now dream of a new maintenance and repair, tailoring and bak- young people away from entering gangs Lourdes. This Center will be all what the ing, to name a few. would be just a click away, but it is more community wants it to be, specially the complex than that, said Stadthagen. “But volunteers who will be the ones that truly “Right after cutting the ribbon, it was great by showing them a wider world, paying run this Center.” to see all those kids go to the comput- them a little attention, helping the kids ers and, in many cases, use them for the with homework so they stay in school, Known in Spanish as Alianza Joven Region- fi rst time,” said Salvador Stadthagen, which is part of what an Outreach Center al USAID-SICA, the project offers a unique Creative’s Director of the Regional Youth does, will certainly go a long way.” approach to the social challenges posed Alliance USAID-SICA program. by disaffected youth in the region. Building The Lourdes Outreach Center is also on Creative’s successful Guatemala Youth A pioneering initiative, the Regional Youth supported by Iglesia del Camino Lourdes, Alliance Program, also funded by USAID, Alliance provides alternatives for at-risk a neighborhood church established by the program serves to help reconcile youth who are vulnerable to the lure of Pastor Jaime Guatemala, at the age of 21, country-specifi c approaches and the lack gangs in their poor neighborhoods. The Al- 10 years ago. Today, Pastor Guatemala’s of coherent legislation in Central America liance is a Creative collaborative effort with congregation has grown to 400 members. to lead to the development of regional the U.S. Agency for International Develop- solutions to address gang violence. ment and the Central American Integra- Pastor Guatemala has big ambitions for tion System (SICA) that launched earlier Lourdes, Stadthagen said. He does not — Alexandra Pratt with assistance from this year. This timely project is a direct want to see Lourdes resemble other com- Salvador Stadthagen. response to the public security, investment munities with high crime rates. and development challenges that Central America’s governments confront because Located just 10 miles west of San Salva- of youth gangs. Gang activity has contrib- dor in the Municipality of Colon, Lourdes uted to driving crime rates in Honduras, is densely populated with 2,500 people Guatemala, and El Salvador – where the per square mile and a total population just Alliance is active – to among the highest in under 200,000. It’s known to be among the region. the most violent areas in the country and has 130 communities and more than 100 active gangs. - 7 - CORPORATE NEWSBRIEFS

CREATIVE’S PRESIDENT AND CEO, M. CHARITO KRUVANT, SPEAKS AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY ON INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

his autumn, Mrs. Kruvant addressed “Your passion for women’s and girl’s issues 60 students at Harvard University’s is obvious and inspiring,” said one student TInternational Education Policy Mas- in appreciation of Mrs. Kruvant’s remarks ter’s Degree Program, on her experience about the role of women in international leading a minority women-owned interna- education. tional development fi rm. In other comments after her talk, one The presentation was part of a gradu- student described Mrs. Kruvant as vision- ate seminar that introduces students to ary and a distinguished guest and expert practitioners in international development. who spoke with “extraordinary passion and Mrs. Kruvant’s remarks focused on her dedication to helping others, which I am experiences in international education sure resonated well with all of us in the development and perspectives as a minor- program.” ity woman who has led Creative Associates International, Inc. for more than 31 years. PHOTO BY: LAZARINA TODOROVA PHOTO BY: CREATIVE’S DICK McCALL: CONFLICT IS CERTAIN FOR NATION-STATES WITHOUT FUNCTIONING INSTITUTIONS He was engaged in the peace process be- tween the warring sides in El Salvador and helped stabilize ethnic differences in the aftermath of genocide in Rwanda.

“In virtually every confl ict or post-confl ict country in which I have worked, I have found there to be a strong identity at the community level, ethnic or sectarian, but no sense of national identity. The pro- cesses of institution building at all levels of society can transcend the divisive nature of localism, or communalism, such as ethnic and sectarian,” McCall said. “Insti- tutions refl ect the accepted rules of the game, clearly defi ning individual rights and ebuilding failed states requires a nationalistic fault lines have led to the un- responsibilities within the broader commu- good dose of diplomacy, but without raveling of “states with very few attributes nity of interests.” Reffective institutions to ensure the of nationhood, such as the institutional rule of law and an engaged citizenry, the underpinnings of legitimate governance, —Alexandra Pratt efforts are doomed to fail, says Dick Mc- the foundation upon which viable nation Call, Creative’s Senior Vice President for states are built.” Programs. “What we have failed to understand is that McCall presented at a “Nation-State once an authoritarian state collapses or is Building 101 Workshop” on peacekeep- overthrown, there is no institutional under- ing operations and social reconciliation pinning or coherence in these societies,” to personnel from the U.S. Department of McCall said. “In the absence of functioning Defense and U.S. Army War College Peace institutions that refl ect a working consen- Keeping and Stability Operations Institute. sus within these societies, particularly The workshop was held this fall at the those diverse in their ethnic and sectarian Center for Naval Analysis in Alexandria, makeup, the potential for re-emergence of Virginia. violent confl ict is a certainty.”

Speaking of post-Cold War challenges, Mc- McCall is no stranger to on-the-ground

Call said that ethnic, religious, cultural or complexities of confl ict and reconciliation. AGUILAR LUIS PHOTO BY:

- 8 - CREATIVE’S DR. CHLOE SCHWENKE: WORKSHOP HELPS CORPORATE LEADERS INTERNALIZE ETHICS reative Associates’ Senior Associ- To Schwenke, ethical behavior promotes Through the identifi cation and strengthen- ate, Dr. Chloe Schwenke, recently proven long-term gains for organizations. ing of regional trainers, Creative has ex- Creturned from Izmir, Turkey, where In fact, she says, the impact of ethical panded this initiative to promote integrity she led a three-day Integrity Workshop for leadership on an organization may be the and ethical leadership by applying its mod- executives at several fi rms and non-profi ts reason that a growing number of Fortune ules in Tanzania, Kenya, Mali, and soon in from Central Asia affi liated with the Aga 500 companies have a renewed interest Afghanistan, Pakistan and Tajikistan. Khan Development Network (AKDN). in promoting it in their workforce, starting with management. —Alexandra Pratt Using role play scenarios, the workshop identifi ed existing and potential institution- “Sometimes, there are no good solutions al moral resources to help support corpo- to moral dilemmas,” Schwenke says. But rate leaders in their efforts to institutional- through awareness-raising, developing a CREATIVE SENIOR ASSOCIATE, DR. CHLOE ize ethical performance that meets the code of ethics, and insisting on the inter- SCHWENKE, CENTER, ADDRESSES RESOLVING highest global standards of organizational nalization and application of that code in ETHICAL DILEMMAS TO AGA KHAN DEVELOPMENT NETWORK EXECUTIVES IN IZMIR, TURKEY. leadership and management. “The train- the long-term, it helps most organizations ing activities designed and led by Creative prevent or resolve many ethical dilemmas. refl ect common daily business and com- Ethical leadership “improves the quality mercial experience, and are focused on and loyalty of the workforce and increases practical solutions to improve and sustain the bottom line. Firms do better when its ethical performance,” Schwenke says. leaders are ethical, their public image is improved and staff morale boosted,” she The AKDN is one of the world’s largest said. development networks with a mandate to provide assistance to the world’s poor, In addition to the Integrity Workshop in especially as it relates to education and Izmir, other trainings using a Creative- by upholding the highest ethical stan- developed ethics awareness curriculum dards. AKDN’s agencies are concentrated in collaboration with the British NGO Tiri, in South Asia, Central Asia, and Eastern have been held in Kampala, Uganda and Africa. Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Designed by Schwen- ke, the Creative model curriculum builds the competence of fi rms and organizations in resolving ethical dilemmas within the

workplace and as a “corporate citizen”. SHIRAZ HIRANI PHOTO BY:

A VISUAL TESTAMENT TO THE PLIGHT OF PERU’S DISAPPEARED

photo exhibit that shines a spotlight University in November, sponsored in part Photographer Giribaldi recently accom- on the plight of the disappeared by Creative Learning, the non-profi t sister panied and documented the work of the A in Peru was held at Georgetown organization to Creative Associates Inter- Peruvian Forensic Anthropology Team national, Inc. during their excavations of numerous mass A SITE IN PUTIS, PERU, WHERE MASS GRAVES graves. Creative Learning, with support OF CIVILIANS MASSACRED, BETWEEN 1980 AND 2000, HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED. FORENSIC The exhibit, “If I don’t come back…look from the U.S. Department of State, pro- EXPERTS WHO HAVE BEEN SPONSORED IN PART for me in Putis,” is a collection of work by vided grants to the forensic team to under- BY CREATIVE LEARNING ARE IN THE PROCESS photographer Domingo Giribaldi that seeks take DNA testing to identify the remains EXHUMING REMAINS AND RETURNING THEM TO SURVIVING FAMILY MEMBERS. to raise awareness about the plight of exhumed at Putis and other sites in Peru. Peru’s missing persons. Putis is a remote community in Peru where civilians were This important initiative will allow relatives massacred between 1980 and 2000. the closure they have been seeking. The largest of Peru’s mass graves, Putis marks one of the most brutal chapters The exhibit was held from Nov. 13 to 15, at in the country’s 20-year internal confl ict. Georgetown University, as part of its Latin The Truth and Reconciliation Commission America Initiative for the Identifi cation of found that in December 1984, 123 men, the Disappeared Program. women and children from Putis and nearby communities, were executed by units of the Peruvian Army and buried at Putis. PHOTO BY: DOMINGO GIRIBALDI PHOTO BY:

- 9 - NEW FACES IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

Patricia O. Kennedy joins the Communities in Transition division as a Management Associate. She brings more than 13 years of international development experience with key achievements in coun- try program and fi nancial management. Her experience also includes democracy and governance strengthening, organizational development, and establishment and management of partnerships with government offi cials and NGOs.

Before joining Creative, Patricia – who goes by Patsy – served as a Country Director for Mercy Corps in Tajikistan, where she provided leadership and managed all aspects of quality program development and implementation of an $8 million country portfolio and supervised 190 local and seven expatriate staff across fi ve offi ces.

Before that, she was Chief of Party of the USAID-funded Tajikistan Confl ict Prevention Program. She provided direction and support to program staff overseeing project components in confl ict mediation, economic development, energy and water system management, and sports and public health.

Patsy has also worked in Georgia, Uzbekistan, China and Thailand. She is Chair of the International NGO Forum and NGO Forum/Government Working Group in Tajikistan.

She received a master’s degree in International Development Management from American University in Washington, D.C. with a concentration in organizational management, and a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Ohio University. Patsy is fl uent in Spanish, profi cient in Thai and has some knowledge of Russian.

Caleb Charles McCarry has joined Creative as a Senior Associate in the Offi ce of the President. Before Creative, Caleb was the senior U.S. offi cial responsible for U.S. government planning to support a transition to democracy in Cuba. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who chairs the President’s Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba, named him to serve as Cuba Transition Coordinator in July 2005.

Caleb also served on the majority professional staff of the International Relations Committee of the U.S. House of Repre- sentatives and as staff director of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere. Prior to that, he worked for a bipartisan organization, The Center for Democracy, where he managed USAID-funded democracy promotion programs.

Caleb is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst where he studied Spanish literature and Latin American studies. Caleb lives in Leesburg, Virginia with his wife Nan and their two children Will and Caroline.

Katherine A. Merseth joins the Education, Mobilization and Communication division as a Technical Manager supporting the Egypt Technology for Improved Learning Outcomes (TILO) project. Katherine will also assist in project budgeting and business development.

Katherine received a master’s degree in International Education Policy from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, where she focused on education policy analysis and designing effective monitoring and evalu- ation systems. She is particularly interested in school-based health programs.

Previously, she was a program associate at Winrock International, where she supported a portfolio of rural development pro- grams in Zambia, Nigeria, Indonesia, Nepal and Bangladesh. She has also interned with USAID, the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce in Monterrey, Mexico, and the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies at Harvard University. She has worked and studied in Argentina and taught HIV education in Zimbabwe.

Katherine received a bachelor’s degree in Latin American Studies from the Elliot School of International Affairs at George Washington University, where she was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She is fl uent in Spanish and learning Portuguese.

- 10 - Angela Pitstick joins Creative as a Program Specialist in the Education, Mobilization and Com- munication division. Angela spent two years with the Peace Corps in South Africa, where she assisted educators in improving their teaching and classroom practices in the areas of math, science, and English through observations, model lesson plans, the creation of learning aids, and teaching classroom management. She also facilitated a partnership between educators, parents and community members, by assisting the School Governing Body in developing plans for parental and community involvement and pro- moting activities that encourage HIV/AIDS awareness and education.

She has also worked as a fi fth-grade substitute teacher in Marseilles, Illinois and has volunteered with Partner in Reading in Illinois and with Global Volunteers in Chennai, India. Angela received a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Illinois State University.

Sabina Henneberg joins the Education, Mobilization and Communication division as a Program Associate. Before Creative, Sabina was an Editing Assistant for the Journal of International Ne- gotiations and consulted for the United Nations Population Fund’s Humanitarian Response Unit. There, she coordinated the 2008 Gender-Based Violence training course in Ghent, Belgium.

Sabina has also recently interned for Amnesty International’s Asia Advocacy Program, where she assisted with preparation for advocacy meetings and congressional hearings on Asian human rights issues. She has international English teaching experience as well in China, India, and France.

Sabina received a master’s degree in International Relations from the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University in Washington, D.C., where she concentrated on confl ict management. She received a bachelor’s de- gree in International Political Economy from Colorado College in Colorado Springs. She is fl uent in French and German and has intermediate knowledge of Chinese.

NEW FACES

PHOTOS: CREATIVE ASSOCIATES INTERNATIONAL, INC.

- 11 - CREATIVETIMES A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION FALL 2008 PHOTO OF THE SEASON: TECHNOLOGY FOR IMPROVED LEARNING OUTCOMES PHOTO BY: TILO MASTER TRAINER EMAD AZIZ IN BENI SUEF TILO PHOTO BY: Thanks to support from the U.S. Agency for International Development, these young girls will benefit from interventions by the Technology for Improved Learning Outcomes (TILO) project to El Hadesa – Two School in El Wasta Idara, Egypt. Implemented by Creative Associates International, Inc., TILO seeks to integrate technol- ogy into Egyptian classrooms, allowing teachers to explore student-centered and inquiry-driven learning activities. TILO will transform 85 experimental schools into “TILO Smart Schools” and approximately 200 primary schools into TILO School Based Reform schools. TILO is designed to meet the Egyptian Ministry of Education’s standards for student learning in three domains: computer literacy skills, higher-order critical thinking skills, and active-learning, problem-solving and cooperative learn- ing skills.

REATIVE SSOCIATES NTERNATIONAL INC C A I Creative Associates International Inc., is a private, professional services firm headquartered in Wash- 5301 Wisconsin Ave., NW Designed by: ington, D.C. Since its inception in 1977, Creative Suite 700 CREATIVE I Graphics Washington, DC 20015 has assisted governments, communities, NGOs, and private companies worldwide to lead and to Produced by manage change. Communications and Media Development Unit Worldwide Offices Contributors Nafisa Ado Marvin Mendez Afghanistan Nigeria Luis Aguilar Larry Lai Albania Oman Nassir Anwari Alison Long Algeria Southern Sudan Carla Rosa Borges Alexandra Pratt Egypt Sri Lanka Jeff Fischer Keneshbek Sainazarov El Salvador Tajikistan Alketa Gaxha Chloe Schwenke Guatemala Turkmenistan Jeff Ghannam Harold Sibaja Kenya Uganda Terry Giles Semere Solomon Kyrgyzstan Yardada Maikano Salvador Stadthagen Liberia Marta Maldonado Sarah Stephens Pablo Maldonado Lazarina Todorova Carola Mandelbaum Ines Xhelilaj To comment on articles or for more Dick McCall information write to: [email protected] www.caii.com

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