New schools to be built and a factory inaugurated

Dr. Suraya Dalil, Acting Minister of Public Health

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education announced yesterday that the foundation stone for a new girl’s elementary school has been laid in the Paghman district of Kabul province. A ceremony was held to mark the occasion and local officials as well as teachers and students attended. The new building will be built in 6 months at a cost of $176,000. It will have 8 classrooms, 2 administrative rooms, restroom facilities, a surrounding wall, and a well.

Also, yesterday, Pajhwok Afghan News reported that Afghanistan’s “Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) plans to set up a number of nursing schools across the country”. The report said that at a function marking International Nurses’ Day, acting Minister of Public Health Dr. Suraya Dalil announced that “thirty nurses would be enrolled at each of the schools in all 34 provinces”. The schools are to be setup by the year 2014, and they will provide 18 months of training.

Finally, mid last week, Afghanistan’s Bakhtar News Agency (BNA) reported that a beverage production factory had been inaugurated in the city of Puli Khumri, located in the north eastern province of Baghlan. According to the report, the factory has the capacity to produce 700 one and half liter bottles of soda in 24 hours. The factory will employ 30 people.

May 23, 2011 · admin · One Comment
Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy, Education, Health News, Job Creation, Reconstruction and Development

Courthouse building in Kunar, school building in Panjshir inaugurated; Solar lights installed in Khost

This week, Pajhwok Afghan News (PAN) reported that a new courthouse building was inaugurated in Afghanistan’s northeastern province of Kunar. The three-storey building is for the Asadabad Court of Appeals. It took 16 months to built at a cost of $440,000. Funding for the project was provided by the United States. The building has 30 administrative rooms, a conference hall, and 3 kitchens.

Meanwhile in Panjshir province, also located in northeastern Afghanistan, a new school building was inaugurated for a high school in the Faraj area of Anaba district. The building has 16 classrooms and it was built at a cost of $250,000. Because of the new building, the students will no longer have to study under tents.

In other development news, as many as 118 solar lights were installed at the Sheikh Zahid University, and along roadsides in the capital city of Afghanistan’s southeastern province of Khost. This project was also funded by the United States, according to the PAN report.

May 13, 2011 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Education, Environmental Issues, Reconstruction and Development

Two new bridges to be built in Ghazni province

Construction work has started on two bridges in Afghanistan’s province of Ghazni, according a report today from Pajhwok Afghan News (PAN).

The PAN report said that the bridges will connect people on both sides of a river in the south of Ghazni province.

Each bridge will be 40 meters long and 2 meters wide, and they will be completed in two months at a cost of five million afghanis ($108,980), Ghazni officials told PAN.

An inauguration ceremony was held to mark the occasion, and the governor of the province, Musa Khan Akbarzada, and Ghazni city major, Sayed Abdul Basir were in attendance.

May 8, 2011 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Reconstruction and Development

Major deal signed to allow direct flights between Afghanistan and Bahrain

Bahrain's Civil Aviation Affairs Undersecretary, Abdulrahman Mohammed Al-Qaoud and Afghanistan's Deputy Transportation and Civil Aviation Minister, Sayed Mehdi Sayedi

Recently, Afghanistan and Bahrain signed an agreement that will promote civil aviation ties between the two countries. The deal will make possible direct flights between Bahrain and Afghanistan.

Bahrain’s Civil Aviation Affairs Undersecretary Abdulrahman Mohammed Al-Qaoud and Afghan Deputy Transportation and Civil Aviation Minister Sayed Mehdi Sayedi sealed the agreement. According to the Bahrain News Agency, under the deal, there will be eight passenger flights weekly, in addition to extra charter cargo flights.

“Afghanistan has seen some remarkable growth recently and the government is committed to facilitating and promoting the development of a dynamic, competitive private sector by closely working in partnership with local businesses to revitalize and expand the economy”, Samer Majali, the Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Air, Bahrain’s main airline, recently told Gulf News.

This deal will make travel much easier for Afghan passengers and will also help the Afghan economy because Afghan commodities can more easily be shipped to major markets, such as the ones in Europe.

May 1, 2011 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy

Private Higher Education Institute Opens In Khost; 2 New School Buildings To Be Built In Kapisa

Khost governor, Abdul Jabbar Naeemi

Today in Afghanistan’s eastern province of Khost, Pamir Institute, the first-ever private higher education in the province was officially inaugurated and opened, according to a report from Afghanistan’s Bakhtar News Agency.

The provincial governor, Abdul Jabbar Naeemi, community leaders, teachers, and students attended the ceremony. The school was founded by Professor Syed Karim Shah Nekmal, and it will offer higher education in computer science, language and literature as well as economics.

Yesterday, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education announced that two new school buildings will be built in the the eastern province of Kapisa. According to a ministry official, a foundation stone laying ceremony was held to mark the event.

The first building will be for the Allah Mohammad Shaheed High School and it will have 6 classrooms and 1 administrative room. The second building will be for the Qari Mir Asman High School, and it will have 8 classrooms and 4 administrative rooms. Both schools will be provided with tables and chairs as well. The project is expected to take 6 months at cost of $210,000. Funding for project is being provided by Japan.

April 24, 2011 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Education, Reconstruction and Development

$60 million beverage bottling plant to be built in Afghanistan

PepsiCo, one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies has recently signed an exclusive deal with the Dubai based Alokozay Group to manufacture and distribute popular PepsiCo beverages such as Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Mountain Dew and 7-UP in Afghanistan. A $60 million beverage bottling plant will be built in Kabul in order to make this happen. It is expected that the new plant will come into operation in March 2012. The really good news for Afghans is that this deal will create 800 direct jobs.

“The beverage industry in Afghanistan has grown tremendously and industry estimates point to more than 30 per cent growth year on year. We are delighted to take the PepsiCo franchise into Kabul as this will enable us to service the growing requirement for beverages in the country, with one of the most internationally renowned brands” said Jalil Alokozay, CEO of Alokozay Beverages Company. “As one of the largest organizations of Afghan origin, the Alokozay Group of Companies has remained committed to contributing to the economic development in Afghanistan, and the establishment of this plant is further evidence of this commitment,” he added.

Anwar-ul-Haq Ahadi, Afghanistan’s Minister of Commerce and Industries, and Najeebullah Mojadidi, Afghanistan’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates were present at the deal signing ceremony.

April 23, 2011 · admin · One Comment
Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy, Job Creation, Reconstruction and Development

New building for a girl’s high school inaugurated in Balkh province

Yesterday, Afghanistan’s education ministry announced that a new building for the Am Albalad Girl’s High School was inaugurated in the capital of Balkh province, Mazar-e Sharif. Students, teachers, education officials and community leaders attended a ceremony to celebrate the opening of the new building.

The new building was built in one year at cost of $356,000.  It has 24 classrooms, 6 administrative rooms, a library, and a laboratory.  The school was provided with 500 tables and chairs for the students, 30 tables and chairs for the teachers, and 8000 books dealing with science and culture.

April 17, 2011 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Education, Reconstruction and Development, Women's Rights

Two new maternity hospitals opened in Afghanistan’s province of Wardak

An example of a patient room at Bibi Khairi Gul Hospital

Two new 30-bed maternity hospitals were recently opened in Afghanistan’s Wardak province, which is located in the central east region of country. The Bibi Khairi Gul hospital was built in Hessa Dowom and the Shirin Taj Hospital was built in Tagaab Village. Both are one-story buildings which took 16 months to complete. Funding for the project came from the US based Bayat Foundation, and according to a press release issued by the foundation, both hospitals are “built to a modern design, with a complete electrical system, patient rooms, operating room, delivery room, post-op recovery room, a pharmacy, doctor’s office, reception area, storage and bathrooms”.

At the inauguation for the Shirin Taj Hospital, Ehsanullah Bayat, the founder of the Bayat Foundation delivered a short dedication speech and commented, “The needs of Afghans start at birth and these hospitals are helping the next generation of Afghans and their mothers begin life as well as possible.  We are committed to the progress of health care in Afghanistan.”

The foundation transferred the hospitals to the Health Minister of Wardak Province.

About the Bayat Foundation

Ehsanullah Bayat

Since 2005, the U.S.-based Bayat Foundation has promoted the well-being of the Afghan people.  Founded and directed by Ehsan and Fatema Bayat, the Foundation has contributed to more than 200 projects to improve the quality of life for the youth, women, poor, and elderly of Afghanistan by constructing new facilities and sustainable infrastructure in needy regions, and by promoting health, education, economic, and cultural programs.  In addition to his charitable initiatives, Ehsan Bayat launched Afghan Wireless Communication Company in 2002, the first GSM wireless and Internet service provider in Afghanistan, followed by Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN), which includes Ariana Radio (FM 93.5).

April 15, 2011 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Health News, Reconstruction and Development, Women's Rights

New airport runway inaugurated in Uruzgan province

Today in Afghanistan’s central province of Uruzgan, a newly-built airport runway was inaugurated, according to a report from Pajhwok Afghan News (PAN).  The runway is 28 metres wide and 2,250 metres long.  It was built at a cost of $28 million, according to the PAN report.

“The runway would connect the province with the world and help boost residents’ economic position considerably”, said Uruzgan’s Governor, Mohammad Omar Sherzad.

Mehdi Saeedi, the Deputy Minister of Transport and Aviation, who was present in the ceremony, told PAN that there are plans to construct airports in Nimroz and Badakhshan provinces in the near future.

April 15, 2011 · admin · 2 Comments
Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy, Reconstruction and Development

Afghan fighter scores another victory!

10th Legion Championship Fighting "Symbol of Power" event poster featuring Abdul Mohamed

Afghan Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Abdul Mohamed scored yet another victory last night when he defeated British MMA fighter Andrew Fisher by unanimous decision for the Lightweight World Title (70kg). He received his victory in the 10th Legion Championship Fighting “Symbol of Power” event, which was held in Hull, United Kingdom.

This is the third straight victory for Abdul Mohamed. Before this fight, he had defeated Ian Jones on September 4, 2010 by submission in the first round, and before that, he had defeated Rasmus Bendtsen on February 21, 2010 by unanimous decision. He now has 19 wins, only 8 losses and 3 draws. Going into this fight, his opponent, Andrew Fisher, had a record of 5 wins and 3 losses.

Abdul Mohamed was born in Afghanistan’s north eastern province of Panjshir. He has been fighting professionally since 2003. He used to be the former Cage Rage World Lightweight Champion, and was the Cage Rage British Lightweight Champion until the Cage Rage organization went bankrupt. The folding of the organization left Mohamed as the last ever British Lightweight Champion.

April 10, 2011 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Afghan Sports News

2 new school buildings inaugurated and 2 new school buildings to be built in northern Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education announced yesterday and today that 2 new school buildings have been opened, and two new school buildings will be built in northern Afghanistan.

In Afghanistan’s northwestern province of Badghis, a new building for a girl’s elementary school in Qadis district has been opened. The new building took 1 year to build at a cost of $48,000.  It has 6 classrooms and 2 administrative rooms. Meanwhile in Afghanistan’s northern province of Balkh, a new building for a girl’s high school in the Nahri Shahi district has been opened.  It was built in one year at  cost of $390,000.  It has 24 classrooms and 8 administrative rooms.

Also, in the province of Balkh, the education ministry said that a new building for the Fatima Alzahra Middle School in Mazar-e Shariff will be built. The new school building will take 1 year to build at a cost of $290,000. Once completed, it will have 16 classroom and 8 administrative rooms.

Finally, in the northern province of Kunduz, a school building for the Khaja Pastah Middle School in Khanabad district will be built. The building will take 6 months to build at cost of $228, 000.  Once completed, it will have 8 classrooms and 4 administrative rooms.

April 3, 2011 · admin · One Comment
Posted in: Education, Reconstruction and Development, Women's Rights

Afghans give back, donate $1 million to Japanese people affected by the recent earthquake and tsunami

Japan's Ambassador to Afghanistan, Rechero Takachi

Afghanistan’s Bakhtar News Agency (BAN) reported today that a check for $1 million was given to Japan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan, Rechero Takachi. The money will go towards helping the Japanese people affected by the recent earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan. The money was handed over by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Zalmai Rasool and Minister of Finance, Omar Zakhilwal. The BAN report said that “the Afghan ministers thanked Japan for its assistance to the reconstruction process in Afghanistan and said that the people of Afghanistan share the sorrows of the Japanese people”.

March 30, 2011 · admin · 2 Comments
Posted in: Human Rights, Reconstruction and Development