In Khaneshin district of Hilmand province, the 300-year-old community center was once the focal point of the village. However, years of Taliban occupation and insurgent activity led to the center’s decay, and citizens were unable to use it. Last month, the district governor mobilized citizens to rehabilitate the community center with funding from USAID. The residents of Khaneshin now have a proper forum to meet with their peers and government officials to address community needs, improving a formerly negative perception of the national government.
Additionally, the local bazaar has undergone a revival. After a five-year absence of government services, the bazaar was in a state of disrepair and neglect. Immediately after an outbreak of violence, USAID employed 22 young men to clean the bazaar every day. This has re-established the bazaar as a center of commerce and community, improving the daily lives of the people while providing gainful employment to youth who might otherwise be attracted to the insurgency. This project also formed the basis for a proposed permanent municipal sanitation department, which would be operated by the district government – further demonstrating that the government aims to serve its citizens.