Regional Afghan Municipalities Program for Urban Populations – Regional Command East Monthly Report: August 2011

Municipalities adapted their work schedules to accommodate the Holy Month of Ramadan, which coincided with the month of August. Despite reduced daytime work hours and productivity fluctuations, solid progress was made in projects throughout the municipalities. In Jalalabad, laborers worked at night to complete the more arduous tasks, including pouring concrete to form one of the culvert slabs. This brought two of the culvert projects to over 60% completion by the end of the month. Overall, Jalalabad completed over 50% of the planned culvert projects. Municipalities also conducted critical capacity building trainings in the areas of Finance, Revenue Generation, and Public Works. Over 35 accounting and finance managers and staff participated in general accounting training conducted by RAMP UP East public finance advisors. The training focused on structuring double entry accounting in the municipalities and accurately completing bank reconciliations. Pre and post test results showed a more than 20% increase in comprehension of general accounting processes. Revenue Enhancement Activities were also implemented, with the roll out of training to additional municipalities beginning in August. Over 40 municipal staff from all 13 municipalities traveled to Kabul for the training sessions, which were adapted to be a 5 half day program to ensure success during the fasting month. The program included training staff on conducting business surveys and the Business Registration System. This prepared municipal staff to begin conducting business surveys in their municipality, the next phase in the project implementation of this revenue generating activity. Public Works Activities involved public works staff in each of the municipalities working with RAMP UP East public works advisors to develop operations and maintenance plan checklists for municipal assets and properties. The checklists included areas such as parks, municipal owned buildings, ditches, streets, and public latrines. Development of these checklists also involved determining and recording the GPS coordinates of each of the structures. Municipal offices intend to use these maintenance plans to budget for future operation and maintenance costs to ensure they can sustain the services. Public Awareness and Citizen Forums were also conducted by municipal offices, using multiple methods to convey information to local citizens. This included meetings, announcements, and other forms of communication to keep citizens informed about municipal activities and services. Municipal offices also continued to engage with local communities through various activities, including public meetings and outreach programs. Regional Afghan Municipalities Program for Urban Populations – Regional Command East continued to support the development of municipal capacities in August 2011. Municipalities demonstrated flexibility and resiliency in adapting their work schedules to accommodate the Holy Month of Ramadan, while still making progress on projects and implementing activities. The program's focus on capacity building, revenue enhancement, and public works activities contributed to the development of municipal capacities and the provision of essential services to local citizens. The program's activities were implemented in collaboration with various stakeholders, including municipal staff, RAMP UP East advisors, and other partners. The program's success was measured through various indicators, including the completion of projects, the increase in municipal capacities, and the improvement in public services. The program's continued support to municipal development is essential for the provision of essential services to local citizens and the promotion of sustainable development in the region. Regional Afghan Municipalities Program for Urban Populations – Regional Command East continued to work towards its objectives in August 2011. The program's focus on capacity building, revenue enhancement, and public works activities contributed to the development of municipal capacities and the provision of essential services to local citizens. The program's success was measured through various indicators, including the completion of projects, the increase in municipal capacities, and the improvement in public services.