On December 29 troops of the Lithuanian-led Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) and Development Cooperation Advisor to the Special Mission of the Republic of Lithuania in Afghanistan paid a visit to Bahari Bala village in the vicinity of the provincial capital Chaghcharan. The visit was made to evaluate results of a well project targeted at welfare of the local community.
At present Rural Affairs and Development Department of Ghor is short of funds to ensure supply of fresh water throughout the regions of the province, therefore the Special Mission of the Republic of Lithuania in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan provided financing from the development cooperation project program's budget for two projects: digging out 10 wells with manual pump in the regions of Chaharsadah and Chaghcharan. Implementation of the projects was mainly focused in the villages of Chaharsadah region in the northern part of Ghor province. Several wells were dug in Chaghcharan region at around 10 km distance from the provincial capital. At present the wells are functional and provide fresh water for local people. Both projects were implemented in September-December 2010. While implementing the projects 54 locals were engaged.
Director of Rural Affairs and Development Department of Ghor Taj Mohammad Zolal expressed joy at the opportunity the Lithuanian Special Mission had given to develop the project in the northern part of the province where no similar projects had been implemented. According to the Afghan official, the job done in Chaharsadah region was not an easy one because of the extremely rocky ground surface in the area and a major part of the territory being notably mountainous which sometimes made workers change location of their digging.
The key goal of the project is to improve living conditions of villagers and to ensure supply of fresh water, to encourage local communities to take interest in opportunities of infrastructure development and search for ways to do it.
While visiting Bahari Bala village peacekeepers delivered gifts to local children: books of Lithuanian folk tales in Dari. The gift is aimed at widening children's outlook and help raising a generation of Afghan people open to the world meanwhile presenting a curious learning tool. Financing for translation of folk tales into Dari was provided by the Development Cooperation and Democracy Promotion Program of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Eight books were published at the circulation of around 32 thousand.
The Lithuanian-led PRT in Ghor is a joint civilian-military mission, a part of NATO's ISAF, that was launched in Ghor in summer of 2005. The main task of the mission is to help Government of Afghanistan to extend authority in the province, ensure security and create environment for provincial reconstruction. The 12th rotation of Lithuanian peacekeepers based on the Lithuanian Great Duke Algirdas Mechanised Infantry Battalion took over the mission from November. Prerequisites for the allied forces deployed in Afghanistan to finish the mission will be provided as soon as the country's National Security Forces are able to ensure security of the country and its people independently. In the present period major attention is paid to implementation of the NATO's strategy in Afghanistan: training projects for Afghan National Security Forces.
Currently the 12th rotation of the Lithuanian-led PRT provides security in Ghor province, the shift is based on the personnel of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Algirdas Mechanised Infantry Battalion.
Together with Lithuanian military and civilian personnel the following countries contribute representatives to the Chaghcharan-based Lithuanian-led PRT: Denmark, Georgia, Japan, US, Poland, Finland and Ukraine.
Author of pictures and article - PIO for PRT-12 Capt Ainaras Jonaitis
Pictures - moments from the visit in Bahari Bala village.
