SIKA-West Weekly Bullet Points No. 128: September 16-22, 2014

These 9 completed projects were turned over to the respective District Governors and consisted of road rehabilitation projects, flood protection walls, and culverts. The projects were completed in various districts, including Kushk Rabat-e Sangi, where the District Governor, Mr. Shir Aqa Sarwari, organized a 'Peace Drawing Contest' to celebrate the International Peace Day. Over 140 students attended the contest and drew peace symbols and wrote peace messages. The SIKA-West CDD also completed the feasibility studies of 18 projects in Qala-i-Naw, Muqur, Pashtun Zarghun, and Guzara Districts. These projects included the rehabilitation of a community center, flood protection walls, pipe scheme networks, and culverts. The SIKA-West Governance Unit will assist in the preparations of the DDA re-elections in Herat (Pashtun Zarghun and Guzara) and Ghor (Chaghcharan, Du Layna, and Shahrak Districts). These elections are scheduled for mid-October. Grants approved by MRRD and IDLG in target districts totaled $7,722,194, with 81 projects valued at $3,287,727 currently being implemented by CDCs. To date, 216 projects valued at $3,292,406 have been completed, and 25 projects valued at $1,214,353 are pending with the Vetting Unit for action. SIKA-West has requested USAID's support to expedite these pending requests. Milestone payments totaling $101,319 have been disbursed in Shahrak, Du Layna, Kushk Rabat-e Sangi, Pashtun Zarghun, Shindand, Muqur, Pusht-e Rod, and Lash Wa Juwayn Districts. The SIKA-West Governance Department supported the Qala-i-Naw and Lash Wa Juwayn District Governors in the development of their six-month Communications Plans. These plans, which were accepted and endorsed by the Provincial Governors, improve communication between the government and residents and encourage people to work with their government in bringing peace and development to their communities. The Communications & Public Outreach Department also supported the Bala Boluk Education Department in publishing instructions on how students can obtain graduation certificates. This publication will help school graduates in obtaining their certificate and continuing further education. Monitoring activities were conducted by SIKA-West through subcontractor Asia Pioneers, which conducted focus group activities with residents in the SIKA target Districts. The focus groups will elicit information using a set of communications-specific indicators to measure the impact/outcome of the Communications and Outreach Department activities. SIKA-West also submitted updates for the MISTI project verification tracker for a total of 67 completed projects.