SIKA-EAST Weekly Program Update: November 30 –December 5, 2013

The program is implemented by SIKA-East, a team of experts working in collaboration with local authorities and community members. The program's main objective is to strengthen the capacity of local institutions and communities to manage stabilization initiatives and promote economic development. Capacity building is a key component of the SIKA-East program. During the week of November 30 – December 5, 2013, seven training activities were conducted across the SIKA-East districts, attended by 177 men and 75 women. The training topics included Unity Building, Fundraising, Lobbying, Grant Process and Application Development. Additionally, twenty DDA+ communication committee meetings for men and women took place in various districts. Since the beginning of the program, 12,060 men and 4,202 women have attended 449 SIKA-East capacity building sessions. Infrastructure grants are another critical component of the SIKA-East program. Milestone payments resumed this week, with 21 payments made, distributing a sum total of $272,716 to grant recipients in various districts. Three new engineering designs valued over $200,574 were completed in the reporting period, and an additional eight project designs are under development for various districts. To date, 98 awarded grant projects have been completed or are currently being implemented in eight districts of eastern Afghanistan. The SIKA-East program also focuses on promoting women's empowerment and addressing gender-related issues. In conjunction with the Department of Women Affairs (DoWA) and technical and financial support from SIKA-East, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women was marked in Wardak and Paktya Provinces. The event aimed to raise awareness about the importance of eliminating violence against women and promoting their rights. The program also conducted a two-day meeting in Kabul to provide field staff with technical support to implement the gender mainstreaming action plan. The Karez Extension and Rehabilitation project in Saydabad District of Wardak Province is in progress, and the Repair Ramak Ditch and Canal project in Dih Yak District of Ghazni Province, which started on May 20, 2013, is also ongoing. The project aims to benefit 5,000 inhabitants of the area. The SIKA-East program has conducted 120 focus groups sessions so far, and all 120 surveys have been transcribed and 81 are translated into English. In Ghazni Province, two training sessions were conducted: Grant Process and Application Development training for 40 men and Fundraising training session for 29 men from Qarabagh District. The third milestone payment was disbursed to Shetem CDC for the construction of a protection wall valuing $11,753. In Khost Province, seven applications are under development for various districts, and the joint SIKA-East and PRRD GRC reviewed and approved two new grant applications for Jaji Maydan District. In Logar Province, infrastructure project implementation training session was conducted for 32 men from Baraki Barak District, and sixteen milestone payments were made for Baraki Barak and Mohammad Agha Districts with a cumulative value of $231,500. In Wardak Province, three training sessions were conducted, and four milestone payments were made for various districts.