Maternity Hospital Inaugurated In Paktia Province

Ehsanullah Bayat

A new maternity hospital, “Gawhar Taj Bayat”, was officially inaugurated recently by the Bayat Foundation in Gardez, the capital of Afghanistan’s eastern province of Paktia.  Paktia’s governor, Juma Khan Hamdard, some members of the Afghan parliament and local officials attended the ceremony.

According to a press release issued by the Bayat Foundation, the new hospital “includes 20 beds, a delivery room, pre-operating and operating rooms, recovery room, a pharmacy, laboratory, modern equipment, examination room, waiting area, offices, with modern plumbing and modern electrical standards throughout the entire building.”

“Our hope is that by providing maternity hospitals like this in Gardez, families will have access to locally available specialized care,” said Ehsanullah Bayat, the founder of the Bayat Foundation.

Bayat is also the owner of the Afghan Wireless Communication Company and the Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN).

August 6, 2010 · admin · One Comment
Posted in: Health News, Reconstruction and Development, Women's Rights

Many new schools inaugurated in Faryab province

Afghan Minister of Education, Farooq Wardak

Yesterday, Farooq Wardak, Afghanistan’s Minister of Education, and Norway’s ambassador to Afghanistan officially inaugurated 68 schools in Afghanistan’s northern province of Faryab.

A press release from the Ministry of Education said the schools were constructed at a cost of  US $155 million. A lot of the money was donated by the Norwegian government. Wardak announced that there are plans to construct another 144 more schools in the province.

Also in Faryab province, construction started on a Teachers Training Institute in Maimana City.  Funding (US $3 million) for the construction is being provided by the United States government via USAID (United States Agency for International Development).  Construction work on the facility should be completed by next year.

August 5, 2010 · admin · One Comment
Posted in: Education, Reconstruction and Development

Largest-ever delivery of medicines and health supplies to Afghanistan

Yesterday, UNAMA (United Nations Assistance Mission In Afghanistan) reported that the World Health Organization (WHO) is “conducting the largest-ever delivery of medicines and health supplies to Afghanistan, sending 430 tonnes of life-saving materials – enough for 1 million people – to health providers throughout the country.”  The health supplies will be given to Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health and its implementing non-governmental organization (NGO) health partners.  According to the report: “The medical supplies are sufficient to cover the immediate health needs of 1 million people. These include treating at least 1000 major (and a larger number of minor) casualties; 170,000 cases of pneumonia and other respiratory diseases endemic to the Afghan winter; and 40,000 cases of life-threatening diarrheal diseases. In addition, WHO has procured equipment needed for four complete Intensive Care Units, which will be established in existing hospitals to prepare remote, underserved communities.”

August 4, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Health News

Villagers build their own road

Ghor Province, Afghanistan

Two years ago, residents of Kamich village in Shahrak district of Ghor province tried to get the government to build a road so they can reach neighboring Herat province easier and faster. According to them, the government wasn’t able to meet their needs and so they took matters into their own hands and build the 14-kilometer road themselves.  The road, which passes through a long valley, was officially inaugurated last Sunday. Pajhwok Afghan News reported that the residents took on all the expenses and people voluntarily worked on the road.  They even built a mountain tunnel in one area. Ghor’s provincial governor, Syed Iqbal Munib, praised the residents and attended the inauguration ceremony. Residents say the road shortens the distance to Herat by at least 30 kilometers, and they can now travel in the winter.

August 3, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Reconstruction and Development

Numerous Development Projects Have Been Completed In Nangarhar Province

Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan

As many as 41 projects have been completed recently in the Kot district of Afghanistan’s eastern province of Nangarhar. Farmland that has been sitting dry for over 30 years is now able to be watered and will soon flourish. 37 waterheads (intakes) were built on streams that originate from the Spin Ghar Mountain, and 7 canals were cleared.  The projects also put many local Afghans (nearly 3000) to work.

According to officials, as a result of the projects, 10520 hectares of land will now be irrigated and 26,000 families will benefit from the completion of the projects. Funding for the projects ($994,103) were provided by the United States government.

Also in Nangarhar province, a Japanese group (Shanti Volunteer Association) built a religious school (Madrassa) in in Surkhrod district. The cost of the project was $45,455.

July 30, 2010 · admin · One Comment
Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy, Education, Environmental Issues, Job Creation, Reconstruction and Development

Airport to be built in Uruzgan

A new airport will be built in Afghanistan’s central province of Uruzgan.  The acting governor of the province, Haji Khuda-i-Dad Rahim attended a ceremony earlier this week to lay the ceremonial foundation stone.  The airport is scheduled to be completed in one year, and funding for the project, which is estimated to be 17 million euros, will be provided by the Dutch government. Uruzgan residents will be able to use the airport in order to travel to other provinces or even to other countries.

July 28, 2010 · admin · One Comment
Posted in: Reconstruction and Development

School re-opened in Herat Province

Students of Parmakhan School

A school in the Parmakhan village of Herat province that was badly damaged during fighting against the Taliban back in 2007 has been repaired at a cost of $120,000.  Local and American officials held a ribbon cutting ceremony recently to celebrate the re-opening. The work involved masonry, tiling, painting, installation of bathroom fixtures, a new water pump and a well.  Furniture for the classrooms were also given to the school. Local Afghan officials said that after the school was damaged, school attendance in the area had dropped, and they are hoping that with the re-opening of the school, attendance will go back up.

July 27, 2010 · admin · One Comment
Posted in: Education, Reconstruction and Development

New schools in Paktya and Nangarhar provinces

Ministry of Education Logo

Yesterday, Afghan and foreign officials inaugurated fifteen school buildings through out Afghanistan’s eastern province of Paktya.  According to Mihrabuddin Shafaq, an official from the province’s education department told the media that schools were built in the Chamkani, Dand-e-Patan, Aryoub Zazi and Jani Khel districts of Paktya.  Funding for the projects were provided by the World Bank, United States, India and the Afghan government.

Also in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, a $192,500 sixteen room girls school was recently constructed.  The school is in the Bihar village of Khugyani district.

In recent years, numerous schools have been built through out Afghanistan.  There are now more Afghan children (both boys and girls) in school than ever in the history of the country. According to education ministry officials, there are plans to build many more schools, especially in the poorer provinces.

July 26, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Education, Reconstruction and Development, Women's Rights

School is reopened in Zabul Province

Zabuli students

A school in Afghanistan’s southern province of Zabul that has been closed for a year due to the facilities falling into disrepair was reopened this week, thanks to help from Afghan National Security Forces, NATO and support from the Lithuanian government. 

For the last two months, the locals were engaged to build a new wall, metal gates, a school yard, and repairs were made to the water pump. New windows were also installed and new chairs and benches were provided for the school.

Prior to the school’s reopening, local Afghan officials helped to distribute schools supplies to around 200 students.

July 23, 2010 · admin · 3 Comments
Posted in: Education, Reconstruction and Development

New road to make Bamyan to Kabul travel easier

Governor Habiba Sarobi

This week, Habiba Sarobi, the governor of Afghanistan’s central province of Bamyan, attended a road sealing ceremony with officials from New Zealand’s Provincial Reconstruction Team.  An important part of the Bamyan-Kabul Road will be paved with asphalt; this will open Bamyan to Kabul in the east and allow Bamyan farmers to take their produce to market much faster, and prevent them from rotting. As a result, this will help the farmers to make more money and improve not only the economy of Bamyan, but the country as a whole will benefit.  Bamyan is a rich agricultural area where such things as potatoes, wheat, and various fruits are grown.

July 22, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy, Reconstruction and Development, Women's Rights

Grant signed to help Afghan farmers

Karl W. Eikenberry, United States Ambassador to Afghanistan

A $100 million grant that will give Afghan farmers more access to financial credit was signed at a ceremony today at Kabul’s Badam Bagh Demonstration Farm.  The main purpose of the grant, which is called the Agricultural Development Fund is to help Afghan farmers expand their production. This will further improve Afghanistan’s economy and eventually improve the standard of living in the country.

American officials led by U.S. Ambassador Karl Eikenberry, Afghan Minister of Agriculture Asif Rahimi and Afghan Minister of Finance Omar Zakhilwal were present at the ceremony. 

“The $100 million grant will lend money to financial and non-financial institutions, such as banks, microfinance institutions, farm stores, agricultural depots and food processors.  These loans will then be extended to farmers for necessary equipment, seed and other materials to expand agricultural production, ” said a press release issued by the Embassy of the United States in Kabul today.

“Today’s grant signing ceremony is an example of the United States Government’s commitment to help the many small commercial farmers in Afghanistan to increase their production and succeed,” said U.S. Ambassador Eikenberry “I look forward to visiting farms and agricultural businesses around the country that have expanded their enterprises with financing obtained from the new Agricultural Development Fund.”

July 21, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy, Reconstruction and Development

Program to Improve Work Conditions Launched

Amena Afzali, Minister of Work, Social Affairs, Martyred, and Disabled

Amena Afzali, Afghanistan’s Minister of Work, Social Affairs, Martyred, and Disabled told reporters today that the Afghan government, working with representatives of labor and union, and with support from the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the United Nations have launched a program to create better working conditions for Afghans, especially for women, children and people with disabilities. “A decent work program is vital for Afghanistan,” said Afzali.

The program, called the Decent Work Country Program (DWCP) will promote and apply international labor standards, and promote productive employment through labor market information and skill development.

The expected outcomes of DWCP  include setting up a minimum wage for skilled and unskilled workers, like they have in many western countries like the United States, as well as contribute to the elimination of child labor in Afghanistan.

July 17, 2010 · admin · One Comment
Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy, Human Rights