SIKA-East Weekly Program Update: March 29 - April 3, 2014

The program operates in five provinces: Ghazni, Khost, Logar, Maydan Wardak, and Paktya. SIKA-East's activities are focused on supporting local governance, infrastructure development, and economic growth. Training is a key component of the SIKA-East program, with a total of 673 training sessions conducted since the program's inception. These sessions have been attended by 21,823 individuals, including 16,470 men and 5,353 women. The training activities have covered a range of topics, including grants management, infrastructure project implementation, and community development. Grants are another critical aspect of the SIKA-East program, with 425 grant applications received to date, valued at over $17 million. Of these, 286 applications have been approved by USAID, and 127 projects have been awarded to 18 districts in five provinces. The approved projects have a total value of over $4.1 million. Infrastructure development is also a key focus of the SIKA-East program, with a total of 191 grants awarded to date, valued at nearly $6.6 million. These grants have been used to support a range of projects, including the construction of roads, bridges, and other critical infrastructure. The SIKA-East program has also made significant progress in terms of gender activities, with a focus on promoting women's economic development and empowerment. The program has hosted several meetings and training sessions for women's organizations, including a recent introductory meeting with organizations working on women's economic development. In terms of provincial activities, Ghazni Province has been a key focus of the SIKA-East program, with 58 grant project applications received to date, valued at nearly $1.9 million. Four milestone payments were made for Ghazni Province during the reporting period, and two grants projects started in the province: Karez village and Nuh Burja protection walls. Khost Province has also seen significant activity under the SIKA-East program, with four milestone payments made during the reporting period, valued at over $32,000. Three engineering designs worth over $78,000 were completed during the week, and 59 grants applications worth over $2 million have been received in the province. Logar Province has also seen significant progress under the SIKA-East program, with two milestone payments made during the reporting period, worth over $15,000. USAID has approved 67 grants projects, worth nearly $3 million, for Logar Province, and 24 projects have been completed. Maydan Wardak Province has received 101 grant applications to date, valued at over $2 million, and 80 projects have received USAID approval. Thirty projects have been awarded, of which 18 have been completed. Paktya Province has also seen significant activity under the SIKA-East program, with a two-day Infrastructure Project Implementation training session conducted for 19 men from Laja Ahmad Khail District. One new engineering design, worth over $24,000, was completed for Laja Ahmad Khail District, and three milestone payments were made for small infrastructure projects in the district.