Background and objectives:

In recent years, Helmand Province has endured major upheavals as the drug barons and poppy eradication forces battled for control of poppy-growing areas and British troops were engaged in challenging an increasing insurgency. The municipality has been unable to provide services to its citizens and has been overwhelmed by the enormity of the tasks at hand. This project aimed to build the capacity of the municipality to plan, develop and implement development projects together with its citizens to meet their needs.

The goal was to improve the local governance system in Lashkergah through the collaborative assessment of urban priorities at the community and city levels, and the design and implementation of activities addressing these needs. The project assisted the municipality to re-establish itself and prepare a City Profile and Strategic Municipal Action Planning (SMAP). In addition, six CDCs will be established in the informal settlements. Infrastructure projects identified as immediate needs in the SMAP will be implemented.

Activities:
The main activities included:

• Improve the institutional capacity of Lashkergah Municipality to conduct citywide and community level consultations.
• Develop a Strategic Municipal Action Plan through a citywide participatory planning process.
• Establish six Community Development Councils (CDCs).
• Improve the capacity of the CDCs to conduct community consultations and to implement local development projects.
• Enable Lashkergah Municipality to better deliver basic services to its residents.

Results:
The results achieved were:

• Prepared City Profile (CP) and Strategic Municipal Action Planning (SMAP) for the Lashkergah City in a consultative and participatory approach with the relevant stakeholders.
• Conducted series of workshops and training on upgrading informal settlements to develop the City Profiling and SMAP. (816 men and 76 women attended).
• Introduced a model of community-based local governance as well as building the capacity of the municipality to provide essential services to the city population and to initiate citywide and community level consultations.
• Established six CDCs in informal settlements to improve the capacity of the communities (In total 10,596 - 5,134 women and 5,462 men).
• Organized a three-day City Profile consultation workshop with over 300 participants.
• Implemented three quick-impact projects in collaboration with the municipality and contractors, which improved drainage in Nangarhar, Bost, Herat and Derwaishan Jadas.
• Built the capacity of the CDCs to supervise and manage the implementation of their own sub-projects.