AID grant to Town Affiliates Association to support development assistance collaboration between US and LDC sisters cities in the areas of public health and vocational training

to LDC sister cities in the areas of public health and vocational training. Overall TAA objectives in this project are to: (1) mobilize human and financial resources of U.S. cities for use in strengthening LDC urban institutions; (2) help U.S. cities identify needs in LDC sister cities that can be effectively addressed by technical collaboration; (3) help U.S. cities and their LDC sister cities design projects suitable for short-term interventions by U.S. technicians (at least 35 interventions are planned); and (4) provide a mechanism by which U.S. and LDC cities can implement collaborative TA projects. TAA activities toward this end will include, inter alia: disseminating information to U.S. and LDC cities on program capabilities and resources; promoting programming and financing linkages between potential collaborators; conducting needs assessments in LDC cities and providing U.S. cities with TAA programming criteria, technical information, and other guidance; providing grants to U.S. technicans for collaborative projects in LDC sister cities and to LDC technicians for specialized U.S. training; and helping cities raise funds for TA projects. The decision to focus project activities exclusively on public health and vocational training reflects a significant departure from previous A.I.D.-TAA collaborations and derives from suggestions made by A.I.D. and sister city chapters already active in TAA"s ongoing program.