On June 14, 2009, the United States Government and the City of Kabul celebrated the start of Bagrami Park rehabilitation at a foundation stone ceremony. The park rehabilitation will provide temporary jobs and income to Kabul residents facing unemployment and rising food prices.

Both men and women from districts 8 and 12 of Kabul will participate in the park’s rehabilitation.  According to UNHCR reports, the two districts have received large numbers of returning refugees and internally displaced persons.  These new residents are considered extremely vulnerable in terms of food insecurity and unemployment and will greatly benefit from this cash-for-work opportunity.

“Through this program and dozens of others, we are able to reduce the impact of unemployment, rising food prices, drought, and crop failure here in Kabul and its surrounding environs,” said U.S. Deputy Ambassador Francis Ricciardone at the ceremony.  “Projects like these are an example of what can be achieved when Afghans partner with international governments and institutions.” 

In addition to providing employment and food security to vulnerable populations, the rehabilitation of Bagrami Park will improve one of the few public parks in Kabul.  When completed, Bagrami Park will be a peaceful, clean, and safe recreational area for Kabul residents.

The Bagrami Park rehabilitation will be conducted under the Food Insecurity Response for Urban Populations – Kabul (FIRUP-K) project, which was launched on April 27, 2009.  FIRUP-K is a cash-for-work program developed in response to the growing inability of Kabul residents to feed their families due to unemployment, rising food prices, and drought.  Designed by USAID in cooperation with Kabul municipality, and implemented by CARE International in Afghanistan, FIRUP-K will help approximately 250,000 Kabul residents – workers and their families – over a 12-month period.