USAID/RAMP UP East

Engineer Leeda Raufi, one of the graduates thanks USAID for providing the training.

Twenty-two women engineers and engineering students graduated yesterday from the Professional Skills Development Course for Women Engineers provided by USAID through its RAMP UP East Project. The employment of women in municipal engineering departments and local construction companies is almost non-existent.  Providing women engineers with a highly specialized training improves their chances of finding employment and promotes gender mainstreaming. 

The training was conducted between May and December 2011. It focused on general professional development, construction scheduling using Primavera, one of the most advanced software in engineering project scheduling, and advanced quality control. 

 “The course we attended was unique. We were taught advanced and modern engineering principles. I learned a lot from it and I hope to apply this learning soon,” – said engineer Leeda Raufi, one of the course graduates. 

Four female engineers who graduated from this course will be selected for a three-month internship at RAMP UP East that begins in February. They will work in the office and visit municipalities to personally observe and apply their newly learned skills to all phases of the engineering and construction project cycle. 

 “What you did is a big accomplishment. Even in western countries, including the United States, there is a great need for female engineers but there is a short supply of them,” – said Christina Davis, Governance Advisor for the USAID Office of Democracy and Governance. 

USAID RAMP-UP Project helps municipalities to deliver improved and demand-driven services based on priorities established by its citizens.  The project  also seeks to increase the capacity of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA) municipal officials and improve the delivery of municipal services.

2012 01 29 Press Release Women Engineers Training (English)