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USAID Increases Work with Pakistani NGOs
FrontLines - October 2009
As the USAID mission in Pakistan triples its budget, it is looking to partner with more Pakistani organizations. On Aug. 13, the Agency hosted a first-ever capacity building workshop for Pakistani American NGOs at USAID headquarters in Washington.
About two dozen participants learned about new opportunities to partner with USAID and how to apply for grants and contracts.
"We’re looking for examples from the Pakistan diaspora community
who want to cost-share with us and to share their brains and talent," said Jim Bever, director
of USAID’s Afghanistan/Pakistan Task Force. "President [Barack] Obama wants us to fund more Pakistani entities, going beyond those around the beltway."
Since reopening in Pakistan in 2002, USAID has provided more than $3.4 billion to support economic growth, education, health, governance, earthquake reconstruction, and humanitarian assistance to Pakistan. Recently, in response to increased interest
in the country, the Agency increased its assistance to Pakistan from $407 million during
the 2008 fiscal year to $1.1 billion for fiscal year 2009.
USAID is looking to expand its programs on health, education,
agriculture, rule of law and, especially, job creation.
"We are still looking for ideas and we don’t have all the good ideas. You do," Bever told the group.
Workshop participants briefed USAID employees about their development efforts in Pakistan and their ideas for new projects.
They also expressed their frustrations with applying for USAID grants and contracts, and with the English-only application process. USAID representatives from the Office of Acquisition and Assistance, the Office of Development Partners, and the Diaspora Network Alliance acknowledged their concerns and offered solutions.
"If you try hard to work with us, we will try hard to work with you," Bever said.
Shamila Chaudhary, a senior advisor to Richard Holbrooke, the State Department’s special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, also urged the group to communicate more with USAID and the State Department about their projects and funding needs.
Christopher Keppler, the task force’s lead public information and outreach officer, said that he hopes to convene the group three times a year.
"This is the beginning of a dialogue," Keppler said.—L.A.
★
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