OVERVIEW

Stability in Key Areas - North (SIKA-N) promotes stabilization and good governance in some of Afghanistan’s historically unstable and weakly governed provinces. Project managers work with district and community-level government officials to deliver grants that address the local populations’ needs and concerns, often through small scale public works projects. Typical work includes construction of local flood control ditches and dams, embankments, pedestrian bridges, school equipment, and upgrades to dirt roads.

Through grant work, project partners work closely with district-level government officials, the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD), and the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG) to strengthen existing subnational development and governance structures, including Community Development Councils (CDCs) and District Development Assemblies (DDAs). Throughout the process, hiring local work crews and local government supervision are priorities. SIKA-N operates in nine districts of Baghlan and Konduz provinces.

CURRENT ACTIVITIES

• Training provincial and district entities to identify drivers of instability and appropriate counter measures available to local government.
• Project officials help provincial and district entities to improve communications to better understand district populations' needs and make delivery of services more effective.
• Through a grants mechanism, government officials at the local, district, and provincial levels receive technical training in contracting and contract management.

RESULTS

• 350 active or completed grants made with local stakeholders.
• 341 projects completed with community and Afghan government involvement as a result of a bottom-up, participatory decision-making process
• 435 training/capacity building sessions held with community, provincial and district entities
• 341 joint monitoring visits to projects sites by Provincial Rural Reconstruction and Development (PRRD Engineers and/or District Social Workers, demonstrating increased Afghan government ownership of infrastructure delivery
• Five conflict-resolution Jirgas with participation from provincial and district government officials.
• 6,481 female beneficiaries reached plus an additional 10,000 female students targeted to benefit from the provision of school equipment prior to project close out, bringing the total female beneficiaries to more than 16,000 women
• Youth associations established in Baghlani Jadid, Aliabad, Dasht-e Archi and Khanabad including a female youth association in Dasht-e Archi and female members in the Khanabad and Baghlani Jadid youth programs; 32 activities targeting youth implemented.