Capacity building for gov. staff and civil society leaders and organizations aims to improve the efficiency and accountability of services for the people of AFG.

With funding from the Government of Germany, and in cooperation with the gov. agency “CSC”, Help provides tailor-made training in Herat and Bamyan until 2017.

Overall Goal:

Improve the capacity and efficiency of local government, train mostly female interns, facilitate and support the interaction between local government and Civil Society.

Project objectives for 2015 and 2016:

In Herat

1. Governmental staff – in courses of 30 each – will be trained for 6 months.
2. Mostly female Interns will be trained in 6-months long courses.

In Bamyan

1. Civil Servants will be trained in 3 parallel courses of 25 each for 6 months.
2. Mostly female Interns will be trained for 6 – 9 months.

Achievements: In the period covered by this project around 1.000 Civil Servants and Interns – among them at least 40% women – will be trained to apply the principles of good governance and project cycle management in their daily duties. They will have acquired advanced knowledge of English and be introduced to the most pressing cross-cutting issues; in particular the respect for human rights. Following successful graduation and good performance on the job, a high number of women will be promoted, while the interns will be integrated into local government.

The CB-training will be delivered in half-day courses of 6 months by qualified local and international trainers and guest-speakers. Mid-term and final exams will be organized and graduates will be rewarded with a certificate and promotion in the public service, respectively job offers for interns in the public service.

The curriculum focuses on 5 major subjects:

1. a) Good Governance
2. b) Project Cycle Management
3. c) Computer and Internet
4. d) English for international cooperation.
5. e) Cross-cutting issues (human rights, gender, ecology, culture and media).

1. Seven application-oriented projects / “aops” in Herat and in Bamyan will be jointly planned by recently trained governmental officers and civil society or private sector groups. This activity will continue beyond the duration of the actual project. By 2017 all “aops” will be handed over to autonomous local stakeholders.

In Herat:

1. Support environmental awareness and management in Herat- city and districts.
2. Continued support for the “centre of women for women” in Herat / WCBTC.
3. Cooperation and support for activities in culture and media in Herat Province.
4. Support social partnership, facilitate cooperation between gov. and private sector.

In Bamyan:

1. Promotion of culture- and tourism- management in Bamyan.
2. Support environmental awareness and management in Bamyan Province.
3. Promotion of women and capacity building, focusing on their organizations.

Achievements: All participating civil servants will be practically introduced to design, planning, implementation and accounting of interactive projects. In the process, they will learn about the advantages of sharing and teamwork, delegation and joint monitoring.  Civil Society actors will participate as equal partners and thus become stakeholders – rather than mere beneficiaries – of an expanding public network. The projects will create sustainable, well-managed structures and hundreds of permanent jobs in local communities; thus adding to socio-economic development and the credibility of governmental action.

Resource: Help Media and Culture Department