17 Aug 2009

AFGHANISTAN / GRASSROOTS DEMOCRACY

In Afghanistan voting at the local community level has paved the way for thousands of small scale development projects in recent years. The National Solidarity Program (NSP) was founded on the principles of grassroots democracy to channel resources to communities for projects developing irrigation, power, water supply and roads. WORLD BANK

Posted at: August 17, 2009 4:51 pm

Duration: 02:02

Available in: SD

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Full script

STORY: AFGHANISTAN / GRASSROOTS DEMOCRACY
TRT: 2.02
SOURCE: WORLD BANK
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: PASHTO / NATS

DATELINE: APRIL 2009 / DEH BALA VILLAGE; LAGHMAN, HERAT, KABUL, KAPISA, KARABAGH PROVINCES, AGHANISTAN.

SHOTLIST:

APRIL 2009, DEH BALA VILLAGE, AGHANISTAN

1. Various shots, village

APRIL 2009, KAPISA PROVINCE, AGHANISTAN

2. Various shots, exterior school 
3. Med shot, classroom
4. SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Baba Langar, villager:
"The only reason I donate my land is to make my villagers self-sufficient by attaining education."

APRIL 2009, HERAT PROVINCE, AGHANISTAN

5. Wide shot, bridge
6. Med shot, women sewing
7. Wide shot, women being fingerprinted
8. Close up, women being fingerprinted
9. Wide shot, men voting
10. Close up, men voting 
11. SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Fatima, Head of Emam Farokhrazi Village, Karokh district, Herat province: 
"Today all men and women had an equal opportunity to participate in the election process and select their representatives. I am extremely happy because women are able to work together with men."

APRIL 2009, LAGHMAN PROVINCE, AGHANISTAN

12. Wide shot, construction site
13. Close up, construction site
14. SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Mawlawi Obaidullah Alokozai, Chairman of Ulima Council, Laghman Province:
"In addition to concreting over a 254 meter street, we have also constructed two sets of concrete stairs which play a vital role in our lives. We have carried out all activities to the satisfaction of the villagers."

APRIL 2009, KARABAGH PROVINCE, AGHANISTAN

15. Med shot, girls in school
16. Wide shot, teacher distributing papers
17. SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Zia-ul-Haq, student, Karabagh, Kabul:
"We used to study in an open area where we had many difficulties. Our school was usually closed when it was windy. Presently we study in a proper building where we can do so comfortably."

APRIL 2009, KABUL, AGHANISTAN

18. Med shot, women weaving
19. Wide shot, women weaving
20. Wide shot, men walking in the village

STORYLINE:

Like many Afghan villagers, Baba Langar from Khawaja Mohammad Khil village of central Kapisa Province has donated half of his small piece of land to build a school as part of the National Solidarity Program, known as NSP.

SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Baba Langar, v:
"The only reason I donate my land is to make my villagers self-sufficient by attaining education."

Afghanistan's Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development started NSP in 2003.

The program is providing jobs and improving infrastructure in some 22,000 communities.

The first step is local elections to form community development councils, so the program provides decision-making opportunities to all.

SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Fatima, Head of Emam Farokhrazi Village, Karokh district, Herat province:  
"Today all men and women had an equal opportunity to participate in the election process and select their representatives. I am extremely happy because women are able to work together with men."

And it's through working together villagers have the chance to decide on projects that meet their needs like irrigation, power, water supply and roads.

SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Mawlawi Obaidullah Alokozai, Chairman of Ulima Council, Laghman Province:
"In addition to concreting over a 254 meter street, we have also constructed two sets of concrete stairs which play a vital role in our lives. We have carried out all activities to the satisfaction of the villagers."

This approach is clearly beneficial to everyone in the village, especially children.

SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Zia-ul-Haq, student, karabagh, Kabul:
"We used to study in an open area where we had many difficulties. Our school was usually closed when it was windy. Presently we study in a proper building where we can do so comfortably."

The World Bank's support for the country's only program totals 381 million dollars and reaches out to 359 districts across all 34 provinces.

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