Projects

Adopted in the wake of flawed national elections and resulting interethnic violence in 2007, Kenya’s February 2008 peace accord and power-sharing agreement afford Kenyans the political framework around which they can begin to rebuild their country. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) is working to help Kenya restore its position as an anchor of stability in the Greater Horn of Africa region. Through assistance in reducing tensions and by enabling economic, political, and social recovery, the Kenya Transition Initiative Program (KTI) is helping to renew the nation’s confidence and capacity in addressing instability, political marginalization, and violence.

In April 2010, the Government of Kyrgyzstan and its president were brought down amid protests over corruption, abuse of power, and increasing utility prices. Within days a new government assumed power, followed in June 2010 by a new constitution and parliamentary system. The first elections to the new parliament—the Jogorku Kenesh, or Supreme Council—were held October 10, 2010. To effect reform and stability, parliament must work toward three intertwined objectives: being a constructive actor in government, a responsive and representative body, and a well-managed institution.

Lebanon is saddled with a multitude of water and wastewater infrastructure investments that are failing to adequately deliver benefits to its people. The companies that provide water face crippling staff shortages and an aging workforce, poor customer relations, low tariffs that fail to recover operating costs, lack of metering, excessive nonrevenue water, and years of underinvestment in the water and wastewater infrastructure. Since 2009, the Lebanon Water and Wastewater Sector Support (LWWSS) project has been addressing these challenges by partnering with Lebanon’s four water establishments and the Ministry of Energy and Water.

The apparel industry is Lesotho’s largest private sector employer with approximately 46,000 people employed. In 2005, it was estimated that one third, or 15,000, of these workers were HIV positive. Most apparel industry employees are young women, and it is this gender and age group whose risk of HIV infection is greatest. 

After the second civil war in Liberia ended, DAI was active in the country on behalf of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), supporting social reconciliation, community infrastructure reconstruction, economic development, and democratic governance and civil society strengthening. Building on this presence, DAI was awarded USAID’s Liberia Community Infrastructure Project II, which targeted vulnerable youths by combining literacy and numeracy training, enterprise development and agribusiness assistance, and key infrastructure projects that fostered economic growth for the nation.

DAI assisted LBDI in expanding its business, particularly to the micro, small, and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) segment. The banking sector in Liberia is extremely small, comprising only a handful of operational banks. Ecobank and LBDI dominate the sector, but LBDI has the highest capacity to respond to many of the financial markets. 

Decentralization is an important component of lasting democratic development in countries such as Macedonia that are accustomed to a centralized autocracy. The MDW project increased the capacity of municipal governments to assume new powers under the decentralization that commenced in 2005. Most of the work was at the local level, including direct, small-group, and one-on-one technical advice.