Tomorrow will be my last day of the Governance training here in Kabul with class ending about 11 am. I will provide about a half hour of feed back to the Technical Secretariat at 2 pm. The Technical Secretariat consists of all the in-line water ministries so will give me a chance to interact with […]
After work today, I headed with Glen to Spinney’s, which is the super market adjacent to the Compound, to purchase an Arabic calendar. We are not required to take a security guard with us, but they are posted all along the route and radio each other to follow us on the short walk. The Persian New
March 21- Persian New Year Read More »
In preparing to deliver training in Afghanistan, one of my concerns was being a Lutheran-Christian woman teaching Moslem men. I wondered if I would suffer any prejudice? Or, if the men would direct their questions to the translator, instead of me? I am pleased to report that every man both in and out of  class has treated
Teaching in Afghanistan Read More »
On Friday (Holy Day), Elizabeth arranged for Paul, Galeb, Arzi, and I to go out to brunch and shopping at a local women’s artisan market in Kabul. As usual, the entrance to security approved locations required a wanding, walk through a metal detector and a hand search through my purse. Apparently, sometimes you are required to show
Brunch Out & Shopping at Ganjina Read More »
The streets were filled with hand carts today. I wonder if the carts are manned by a certain ethic group as most look more Asian that other peoples on the street of Kabul. A step up from the hand carts are the donkey carts hauling bigger loads.
Transportation in Kabul Read More »
On our daily “site seeing” trip in the armoured SUV with the driver and Omar our armed body/security guard, I noticed a big blue building signed as an Afghan-Dubai Wedding Center.” Omar told me that Afghan weddings include over 1,000 guests! The party is traditionally paid for by both sets of parents, but because his
Weddings in Afghanistan Read More »
Glen & I were escorted at 7:15 am through Kabul traffic to the Afghan Water Ministry’s Offices where we arrived a bit before 8 am. After introductions to the local staff, we met with a basin director and later the Deputy Minister of Water to discuss our planned trainings that will begin on Monday. Between our meeting, Glen told the
First Day at the Water Ministry Read More »
Friday is Holy Day in Kabul, Afghanistan so the cooking and cleaning staff at the compound have the day off. We’ll have a brunch at 10 am this morning, but cold meats and cheese later according to the ex pats living here with me. The dining room is adjacent to my living quarters (bedroom with
Safi Airlines required me to arrive at the Dubai airport 3 hours before my flight today leaving at noon–time to do additional reading in preparation for my governance and public administration facilitation! The flight from Dubai to Kabul was a little over 2 hours and now I’m another half hour time zone distant from Portland,
Arrived in Dubai after a four hour flight from Portland to DC, a short layover, and a thirteen hour flight. Warm here at 83 degrees until the sun went down shortly after I arrived at my hotel. The long lines as passport control (visa on the spot) gave me a view of a very mixed
Transfer at Dubai Read More »
Preparing for deployment for a USAID consulting mission to Afghanistan provides a few additional challenges than the usual international work. These included security briefings, determining and purchasing culturally appropriate clothing, and considerations of appropriate teaching methods. The US State Department/USAID contractor that I am working for is IRD: http://www.ird.org/Â Â My introduction toIRD came through Azad Mohammadi,
48 hours Before Deployment to Afghanistan Read More »
Alex Russin, MCC’s resident country director in Armenia, met with Laura Schroeder on Wednesday providing a status of he Armenian government’s adoption of agricultural policy and legislation. Later, Laura met with Arusyak Alaverdyan, the World Bank Rural/Irrigation Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development Unit for the Europe and Central Asia Region, to discuss the possible development
Armenian Agricultural Policy and Legislation Read More »
Approximately 27 hours after leaving the River House in Portland , Laura Schroeder arrived in Yerevan, Armenia. Armenia is in the Causus Mountain range with a continental climate much like that of eastern Oregon, southern Idaho and northern Nevada. Similarly, the climate dictates that water is THE issue when it comes to meeting the Millennium
Laura Schroeder’s Armenia Trip Begins Read More »
An Armenian delegation sponsored by Millennium Challenge Corporation will tour selected California irrigation sites beginning August 12, 2010.
Millennium Challenge – Armenia Study Tour Slated for California Read More »
Laura Schroeder left the USA on Thursday, July 22, 2010 arriving in Yerevan, Armenia over 24 hours later. Her mission is to review the priorities for the development of agricultural policy legislation to meet the priority goal of the Millennium Challenge: to end poverty and hunger. The United States worked with the Republic of Armenia
Armenia Water Tour Read More »
The first goal of the Millennium Challenge adopted by United Nations declaration in 2000 is to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger: http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/bkgd.shtml The three targets for this goal are: (1) halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than $1 a day; (2) achieve full and productive employment and decent
Laura Travels to Armenia Read More »
Armenia’s current water code requires a water system use permit (WSUP) without exception for any system of facilities. The WSUP is issued by the Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC). It has been suggested municipalities and small community water associations that own and operate their own domestic water delivery system should be exempt from the requirement
Water Facilities Permitting in Armenia Read More »
Our work in Armenia involves reviewing contracts between the State and a couple of the largest water purveying companies in the world, Veolia and Suez, which are headquartered in France. Interestingly, we have found that these French companies, through their subsidiaries Veolia Water North America and United Water, also have contracts in Oregon, Washington, and
Northwest Connection to International Water Read More »
