Success Stories Assistance Areas SEED Reports Contact Information Last updated: Friday, 15-Mar-2002 15:48:02 EST

	Fact Sheet USAID and Poland Decade Decade of USAID Assistance Impact of Activities

Success Stories

USAID assistance has contributed significantly to the Polish success story. USAID began office operations in Poland in 1990. The program focused on: 1) development of a strong market economy and private sector; 2) development and strengthening of institutions necessary for sustainable democracy; and 3) improvement of the basic quality of life in selected areas. From 1989 to 1990 USAID assistance was predominantly focused on humanitarian assistance and stabilization programs, and far less than on transformation and development of an adequate institutional and legislative framework. This was considered by the GOP as a first phase of assistance calling it "fast emergency aid." The second phase of assistance, which commenced thereafter, addressed the process of transforming the economy and the social-political system into a free market economy.

Nobody doubts that the changes that have occurred in Poland since 1989 have been radical. They were often so rapid and deep that it was enough to leave the country for a few months, at times even just weeks, and you would come back to somewhere entirely different.

As the assistance program ended, we also tried to summarize some of our greater achievements: in our close-out publication "USAID and the Polish Decade", chronologically, and with examples of impact of various activities in fields such as private business development, housing and local government, energy efficiency and environment, and special programs. They are only examples, but they should give you a flavor of what is possible when a foreign assistance program is able to work in a country wishing to make most of that assistance.

You can find more detailed information on some of these specific assistance programs in the Assistance Projects section of this website. And the USAID-funded Development Experience Clearinghouse gives you access not only to over 350 reports regarding Poland , but also thousands of other reports and documents regarding USAID’s work throughout the world.