Many regions in Afghanistan have had little or no interaction or support from the central government, thus there is little faith in the government’s ability to provide basic services. Additionally, many areas have been subject to insurgent intrusions and almost continual conflict.
The Government of Afghanistan and its international partners are facing the challenge of enhancing stability in communities after military operations and preventing unstable communities from experiencing greater deteriorations in security.
The Community Based Stabilization Grants Program (CBSG) worked with the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development’s National Solidarity Program, the Afghanistan Rural Enterprise Development Program and National Area Based Development Program to supported Afghan communities in 14 provinces in key areas through small-scale community-level projects. This partnership helped build trust between the government and citizens in some of the most unstable parts of the country.
The grants program awarded 910 sub-grants to community groups working on basic service projects such as infrastructure and the repair of village structures, providing needed reconstruction and in the process improving security and stability in these areas. Through the grants and resulting projects, the program directly benefited over 2 million people and generated more than 721,000 days of employment.
Community-based stabilization grants have been successful in reaching the most insecure, underserved and remote communities because the grants allows communities to guide their own development. The program helped develop greater trust and understanding between the local government and its citizens.