Regional Afghan Municipalities Program for Urban Populations (RAMP UP) – RC East Monthly Report: March 2011

The program is sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and is implemented by Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI). In March 2011, several key events took place under the RAMP UP program. In Jalalabad, a solid waste collection project was inaugurated on 9 March, with over 100 citizens and the Provincial Governor and Mayor of Wardak in attendance. The project will support the installation of 25 steel sheet trash bins and arrangements for trash collection and disposal in the landfill site. In Puli Alam, the Mayor inaugurated a solid waste management project on 12 March, which will provide the city with new trash bins and cash-for-work opportunities for 36 laborers. The Mayor urged citizens to use the new trash bins and to not dispose of garbage in the streets. In Bamyan, the Mayor held his first TV interview since his appointment in February, which enabled him to mobilize community support for new municipal projects and provide clarifications on various municipal issues. In Charikar, municipal staff completed a pilot project to identify requirements for vehicles, equipment, staff, and fuel to collect solid waste in all areas of the municipality at least once per week. The pilot project was successful in developing a simple step-by-step process to calculate the number and location of collection bins needed throughout the city and to identify the number of vehicles, drivers, and laborers required to maintain the weekly waste collection schedule. The RAMP UP program also provided in-house training to 16 municipal officials from Puli Alam in Logar province to improve practices for conducting citizen forums and the preparation of newsletters. The lack of women's participation in the citizen forum was discussed, and recommendations were made to overcome this challenge. In Puli Alam, citizens will soon have access to trash bins supported by RAMP UP East, and the ongoing construction of a new parking lot is underway. The RAMP UP program aims to improve municipal services in urban areas of Afghanistan, and these events demonstrate the program's progress in achieving this goal. The RAMP UP program has also been working to improve municipal services in other areas, including Maidan Shar and Bamyan. In Maidan Shar, the installation of new trash bins helps to promote the visibility of municipal services, and in Bamyan, the city Mayor updated TV viewers about the municipality's achievements and plans. Overall, the RAMP UP program is making significant progress in improving municipal services in urban areas of Afghanistan. The program's efforts to provide training to municipal officials, improve waste collection services, and promote community engagement are all contributing to the program's success. The RAMP UP program is also working to improve the capacity of municipal officials in areas such as solid waste management, infrastructure development, and community engagement. The program's technical staff are providing support to municipal officials to help them develop the skills and knowledge needed to manage municipal services effectively. In addition to its work in solid waste management, the RAMP UP program is also working to improve other municipal services, including infrastructure development and community engagement. The program's efforts to improve infrastructure development include the construction of new roads, bridges, and other public facilities. The RAMP UP program is also working to improve community engagement in municipal services. The program's efforts to promote community engagement include the establishment of citizen forums, where citizens can discuss municipal issues and provide feedback to municipal officials.