Illustrative Examples
Strategic Goal #1: Regional Stability
Democratic Republic of Congo
Demobilized ex-combatants in Butembo.
Photo: Leslie Rose, USAID/REDSO/ESA |
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), USAID is implementing several programs in areas heavily affected by conflict. The programs strengthen local communities' access to justice, reconciliation efforts, and the reintegration of ex-combatants. In eastern DRC, USAID supports a community-based reintegration program for Ituri forces and other groups that have recently disarmed. Partners trained 1,000 ex-combatants and 1,200 local community members in conflict resolution, project management, and income management, and created conflict resolution committees and project management committees in 30 local communities. This community-based approach resulted in 90 community rehabilitation projects (55 local infrastructures, such as routes, bridges, schools, markets, health centers, and electrification systems; and 35 fishponds) reaching 60,000 indirect beneficiaries. USAID continues to identify ways to engage the private sector in advancing peace, security, and sustainable development. USAID envisions leveraging resources through private-public partnerships to foster economic and democratic growth objectives. In addition, at the national level USAID has assisted the DRC National Demobilization, Disarmament, and Reintegration (DDR) process by (1) providing technical assistance to the National Commission for DDR, including the provision of a full-time international expert who has been instrumental in finalizing the plan and now helping to implement it; and (2) providing logistical and material assistance such as reintegration kits to facilitate the national DDR process launched in March 2005.
Strategic Goal #2: Counterterrorism
Philippine Interns Study the Legislative Process
Administrator Natsios and USAID
official Martin check Web sites being browsed by students.
Photo: USAID/ANE |
Most of the Philippines' Muslim minority population live on the island of Mindanao. This region has been economically and politically disadvantaged for decades as a result of violent conflict between Muslim separatist groups and the Philippine government. Disenfranchised due to the island's politics and economy, many Muslims believe the Philippine government ignores Muslim concerns and interests. The region's continuing depressed conditions are conducive to recruitment efforts of terrorist groups.
The Philippine government and USAID are placing special focus on the conflict areas of Mindanao in an attempt to accelerate economic growth and promote peace. USAID, in partnership with the Speaker of the Philippines House of Representatives, recently launched a congressional internship program bringing recent graduates from universities in the conflict-affected areas of Mindanao to Manila for the opportunity to acquire hands-on experience in the legislative process.
The participants, mostly from remote provinces, are identified as future leaders by university chancellors, thesis advisors, and political and civic leaders. Many of those eligible for the program have completed graduate degrees in mass communications and public administration, and have volunteer experience with local governments and non-governmental organizations (NGO). During the four-month internship, each is assigned to a specific House committee, subcommittee, or office, and is introduced to a broad range of national issues.
The interns are excited about their unique opportunity to learn how government works from the inside, and to share their view with Philippine policymakers. Program graduates believe that their improved understanding of government will allow them to contribute more effectively to the development of their home provinces. While expanding their knowledge of how decisions are made in the Congress, they have shared Muslim concerns with key lawmakers and thereby increased understanding of Muslim culture. The initial success of the program has prompted USAID and the Philippines House of Representatives to extend it. Current plans are to offer internships to at least 30 young Muslim scholars each year.
Strategic Goal #3: International Crime and Drugs
LAC (Latin America and the Caribbean): Licit Income Alternatives
USAID supports alternative livelihood programs and licit income generation in Peru.
Photo: Adele Liskov, USAID/Peru |
Despite bold efforts by Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru to combat narcotrafficking, the lack of state presence in some areas has allowed illegal narcotics production and armed terrorist organizations to continue to flourish. The spillover of drug related criminal activity brings the threat of violence and instability to communities along Ecuador's northern border with Colombia. USAID is working with the governments of Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru to eradicate coca and opium poppy by providing licit income alternatives and strengthening communities. As a result USAID has been able to: develop sustainable farm-level production and market linkages to increase licit employment opportunities and incomes in coca growing regions; expand the presence of the state by improving participation in and access to local government institutions; and improve general social conditions, such as health and education; and finance productive infrastructure and investments, such as roads and bridges, identified by participating communities.
Strategic Goal #4: Democracy and Human Rights
Iraq: Democratization
A woman votes for the first time in Kirkuk, Iraq.
Photo: USAID/Scott Jeffcoat |
USAID played a key role in delivering support to the Iraqi people in their efforts to make Iraq's historic elections on January 30, 2005 a resounding success. At the request of the Independent Election Commission of Iraq (IECI), USAID and its partners fielded domestic election observers, delivered voter education, and implemented conflict mitigation programs. In time for the elections, USAID trained 12,000 of the domestic elections monitors and nearly half of the 30,000 political party monitors, a major step in helping to ensure free and fair elections.
To build the foundations of democracy, USAID has also trained 10,000 council members in democratic principles and procedures, budgeting, and citizen input. USAID has also worked with more than 5,000 officials at the provincial levels in water treatment, waste management, and financial management systems.
Thousands of Iraqi women participated in the January 2005 electoral process by receiving training and serving as election monitors. They also ran as candidates and won 87 seats in the Iraqi National Assembly (INA) constituting 31 percent of all Assembly members. The new cabinet includes six women ministers (out of a total of 33 individuals) in the following Ministries: Communications, Displacement and Migration, Environment, Science and Technology, Public Works, and Women's Affairs. Women occupy approximately 25 percent of the seats of the elected Provincial Councils as well. An INA Women's Caucus that cuts across party lines has been established and has identified areas of common interest with regard to incorporating women's rights in the Constitution. Iraqi women serve as entrepreneurs, employees, business leaders, and professionals and have access to business development technical assistance, grants, and loans through outreach programs targeting women.
Strategic Goal #5: Economic Prosperity and Security
Ethiopia: Loan Guarantee Project Stimulates Business Growth
A nursery worker cross-pollinates flowers for export.
Photo: USAID/Uganda |
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia—Until two years ago, groups of coffee and grain farmers in this populous country could not access credit, which meant that they often lacked working capital and could rarely invest in new machinery or other improvements. That has changed since a Development Credit Authority (DCA) project began working with Abyssinia Bank and Awash International Bank. From September 2004 to March 2005, Abyssinia Bank lent more than $2.2 million to 12 cooperative unions. During the same period, Awash lent $520,000 to one cooperative union and an agroprocessor.
USAID is currently developing a DCA program with a third bank to give loans to small and medium-sized businesses working in areas other than the four agricultural subsectors (textiles and garments, leather and leather products, tourism, and rural service providers). USAID works with agroprocessors and cooperatives in business management, and helps them draw up business plans that show the viability of their enterprises. At the same time, the Agency works with banks so that they consider the viability of a business rather than basing lending decisions on the amount of collateral. Giving loans to cooperatives ensures that at harvest time they can purchase lots of grain from individual farmers. Cooperatives can sell some of the product right away and store the rest for later, when they can fetch higher prices for the grain. Members of some 332 cooperatives—or about 390,335 households—benefited from the DCA program last year.
Strategic Goal #6: Social and Environmental Issues
Latin american and the caribbean (LAC): Education
Children enjoy splashing each other in a USAID school water project. Photo: USAID/Ecuador |
The Centers of Excellence for Teacher Training (CETT) program is making excellent progress toward the goal of improving the quality of classroom reading instruction in grades one to three. CETT has successfully introduced a more child-centered, interactive approach to the teaching of literacy in LAC. To date, 12,500 teachers have received CETT training, surpassing targets. The three Centers of Excellence expanded their activities this past year and are now reaching teachers in 15 countries. Additionally, through an important alliance with Scholastic Books, CETT has made libraries of children's books available in classrooms, many of which had minimal reading materials in the past. The availability of books has given children an opportunity to apply their reading skills, and more important, has made reading more fun. The Scholastic book distribution began in the Caribbean during
FY 2004. They are currently being distributed in Central America and the Dominican Republic, and distribution will begin shortly in the Andes.
Strategic Goal #7: Humanitarian Response
USAID delivers tsunami relief goods in Indonesia.
Photo: USAID/Indonesia |
Tsunami Relief Regional
In an effort to mitigate the effects of further disasters, USAID is coordinating the U.S. government's Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System (IOTWS) program. This $25.5 million, multi-agency effort to develop early warning capabilities for tsunamis and other hazards will monitor changes in the ocean floor and also connect local communities to a warning system. USAID is working together with U.S. technical agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Forest Service, and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency to bring targeted expertise to both national and regional efforts. U.S. government funding will also support the International Oceanographic Commission as it takes the lead role in developing an international warning system with data sharing for more than 26 countries.
The USAID Global Development Alliance (GDA) works to enhance development impact by mobilizing the ideas, efforts, and resources of the public sector with those of the private sector and NGOs. USAID, through the GDA, has formed 18 partnerships with the private sector in tsunami-affected countries and leveraged more than $17.2 million in private sector funds for the Tsunami. USAID current and prospective partners in post-tsunami reconstruction include Mars, Chevron, Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Prudential, Deutsche Bank, IBM, Hilton, 3M, Conoco-Phillips, and the Mellon Foundation.
Strategic Goal #8: Management and Organizational Excellence
Targeted Security Enhancements
Perimeter gate with anti-ram bollards and vehicle barrier. Photo: USAID
Office of Security (SEC) |
One of the Office of Security's (SEC) highest priorities was to improve perimeter security at USAID's most threatened posts to protect its employees and facilities against bomb-laden vehicles. To mitigate this threat, SEC employed a variety of countermeasures, including construction of perimeter walls and the installation of state-of-the-art, anti-ram barriers. Other perimeter enhancements included increasing setback distances for USAID facilities by placing active and passive anti-ram barriers on adjacent streets or acquiring additional property. SEC also improved perimeter surveillance by modernizing and expanding closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems and installing explosive trace detection devices. A total of 33 projects were completed in FY 2005.
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