STABILIZATION
Community Stabilization Grants Engage Maywand Communities:
With approximately 51,900 inhabitants and more than 160 villages, Maywand District has been deemed strategically important due to its location along Highway 1 in Kandahar Province. Previously one of the most unstable districts in Kandahar Province, security in Maywand has dramatically improved since last summer.
The district government now plays a more active role in development, particularly around the district center of Hutal. In collaboration with the International Security Assistance Force and USAID, the district governor engaged communities through weekly shura meetings.
The District Development Shura and village elders worked with the district governor to identify possible development activities. USAID’s Local Governance and Community Development project implemented 14 community stabilization grants (CSGs) in Hutal to rehabilitate approximately 9 kilometers of road and 14.7 kilometers of karez, improve drainage systems and sidewalks, and refurbish boundary walls. The grants also provided short-term employment to an estimated 300 local males. The district governor played an active role in selecting communities and monitoring progress, thereby building relationships with his constituents.