The citizens and local government in Garmsir District devised a plan to correct part of the Helmand River that was diverted during the high water levels last winter and has caused issues for Afghans down stream. Haji Abdullah Jan, Garmsir District governor, and approximately 100 Afghan citizens work on an ongoing project to correct the flow of water back to its original course, July 11.

The Helmand River is the one major source of water in this desert region, and when a portion of that supply is diverted, it causes problems for entire communities.

This scenario is exactly what transpired as the high water levels of last winter changed the course of the river at crucial points, capturing the attention of the Afghan government leadership in the area and that of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force.

The Garmsir District governor, Haji Abdullah Jan, called a shura, July 6, with about 50 village elders to discuss the matter and come up with a common solution. U.S. Marines with Regimental Combat Team 3 and the ISAF stability advisor for Garmsir were in attendance at the meeting and coordinated with the officials to help in the best way possible.

The citizens and local government in Garmsir District devised a plan to correct part of the Helmand River that was diverted during the high water levels last winter and has caused issues for Afghans down stream. Haji Abdullah Jan, Garmsir District governor, and Capt. Micajah Caskey, civil affairs team leader with 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, and other Afghan citizens discuss the ongoing project, July 11.

“It is very important for everyone to pitch in and help because the people down river are having problems,” Jan said as he addressed the group of influential leaders.

As an agricultural district surrounded by a desert with temperatures reaching into the 120s during the summer months, water is crucial to the survival of the population and their livelihood in Garmsir.

“Aside from security, water is the number one concern in the region,” said Lt. Col. Leonard DeFrancisci, 4th Civil Affairs Group detachment commander with RCT-3.

Various solutions were discussed at the shura, but the Marines were strictly present at the meeting as observers, according to the CAG commander.

In a side conversation with the district governor, ISAF offered to pay for the renting of the equipment required, but the Afghan locals were committed to the physical construction of the project.

“The civil affairs Marines did just enough to get the project going, and the Afghans here took advantage,” DeFrancisci continued.

At the shura, a work plan was identified and the elders pitched in with village labor – about 100 locals joined the workforce. A local contractor who rents machinery was approached by the district governor, and he agreed to lease his equipment at basic rates, according to the Peter Chilvers, an ISAF stability advisor who works in conjunction with the British-lead Provincial Reconstruction Team in ‘s capital.

The PRT takes the lead on issues relating to governance and infrastructure development in Helmand province. It encompasses military and civilian advisors and experts in a variety of specialized fields who work closely with the provincial government to coordinate efforts with ISAF.

“Afghan leaders recognize that ISAF cannot fix all of their problems, and they are best suited to fix their own issues,” said Capt. Micajah Caskey, 2/8′s civil affairs team leader.

Construction for the project in Garmsir started July 8 with the work of numerous local Afghans and Governor Jan himself joining in the effort.

“The district governor played a very active role in helping the people – very visible in the community,” said DeFrancisci.

The work on the project is going well, according to Chilvers, and the district governor has been providing regular updates on the status of the project via Radio Garmsir.

“It all happened pretty quickly, and it is a great example of a joint community lead project being delivered by the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,” the stability advisor said.

“The process of Afghans working with Afghans to solve problems will have positive and far-reaching effects on the peoples’ confidence in the legitimate government,” said Lt. Col. Christian Cabaniss, battalion commander of 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment. “I’m just glad we were able to support the local government in effectively and immediately addressing a pressing issue that affects the entire community.”

The project should be completed before the end of July, according to Caskey. Equally as important as the project itself is the display of the local government’s ability to bring together numerous community leaders for the benefit of the Afghan people.

2/8 entered Garmsir District when it turned over battle space with British forces last June. It expanded further into the district during Operation Khanjar, July 2, when nearly 4,000 U.S. Marines and more than 600 Afghan soldiers entered areas of southern Helmand Province previously under the influence of the Taliban in an effort to provide security for the Afghan people.

The U.S. Marines and Helmand-based PRT are part of the larger international force in Afghanistan, ISAF, which is committed to the security, reconstruction and extension of governance in Afghanistan.

DVIDS
Story by 1st Lt. Kurt Stahl

A close partnership between British and Danish International Security Assistance Forces in the Upper Gereshk Valley is delivering stabilisation, reconstruction and development.

ISAF security forces for the Gereshk area are provided by the Danish Battle Group, under the command of Task Force Helmand.

The British provide a Military Stabilisation Support Team – this team supports and coordinates the military effort in helping to deliver reconstruction. They gather information on community needs through local engagement, assess infrastructure and generate development projects and cash-for-work schemes. A team consisting of 12 Danes and six British personnel work in partnership, yielding many benefits for the local Afghan people.

Projects by the MSST include things like funding small bridges and wells in order to make sure that there is clean drinking water for the local population, as well as larger projects including water towers, roads, parks, and refurbishment of schools, health clinics and the local hospital. Effort is also put into fighting unemployment; in Gereshk this has meant hiring men to collect rubbish and clean the watering canals.

The joint teams work closely with the civilian stabilisation advisor from the Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team, which is run from Lashkar Gah and from Forward Operating Base Price.

“Building bridges and schools is just one part of our mission here,” said Lieutenant David Joyce, Officer Commanding of the British MSST. “We have to build the capacity and ability of the local government structures to take the lead and allow us to step away.’

“We meet regularly with the municipal mayor to discuss the ongoing construction work within the District Center. He is very keen to progress reconstruction and stabilisation in this area but does not have the technical knowledge to monitor the work effectively,” added Lt. Joyce. “We are mentoring him on project management and are trying to show him the benefits that would be had from employing a municipal engineer. Small steps at the moment, but we are seeing definite progress in his ability to manage the construction work in Gereshk – including a number that are totally Afghan-led and have had no input from us.”

Over the last year, Gereshk has become one of the most stable areas in Helmand and is now considered by many to be the economic centre of the Helmand province. Maj. Johansen describes the bazaar as full of life, the traffic as more and more chaotic, and the construction of compounds as increasing. All are signs of an increased sense of security and optimism in the area.

From August 2008 to February 2009, the Civil Military Cooperation (CIMIC) /MSST in the Danish area of responsibility conducted 335 patrols, 100 of which were carried out by British personnel from the MSST. A total of 250 projects were carried out (mostly smaller projects) and 3.7 million Danish Kroner spent or 1.5 million USD on small projects such as wells and small-bridges.

DVIDS

Vital new medical equipment donated by Estonia was delivered this week to the recently refurbished Bost Hospital in Lashkar Gah, Helmand province in southern Afghanistan.

The life-saving equipment and supplies were delivered to Kandahar Airfield and then transported by Afghan convoy to the outskirts of Lashkar Gah with the protection of the Estonian infantry company who operate out of the Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team base.

The hospital was built and equipped in 1965, and despite being one of the few provincial hospitals equipped to standards required by the Afghanistan Ministry of Public Health, it still struggles with the lack of equipment and trained personnel.

“This equipment, donated by Estonia, will provide a big boost to the capability of the hospital,” said Dr. Argo Parts, of the Estonian Special Mission to Afghanistan. “The equipment will help to provide the operating rooms and the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital with an all-important oxygen provision system, which will ultimately save lives.”

ISAF