Marines help Afghans build brighter future

Photo By Cpl. Joshua Hines | An Afghan worker shovels dirt while digging a water canal in Musa Qal’eh, Jan. 25. Every public works and improvement project is entirely built by Afghan workers contracted by the Afghan government. There are about 500 workers contracted for work on such projects daily.  

MUSA QAL’EH, AFGHANISTAN

01.28.2011

Story by Cpl. Joshua Hines 

II Marine Expeditionary Force   

MUSA QAL’EH, Helmand province, Afghanistan – In their fight against the Taliban, the Afghan government, alongside 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 2, have made a major effort to win the people’s support, by providing employment and skills-based education while improving the quality of life in Musa Qal’eh.

Part of that, is the construction of public works and improvement projects throughout Musa Qal’eh. These include building playgrounds, schools, wells and improving of roads, water canals and the local bazaar.

“One of our goals is to have a playground in every village,” said Capt. Charlie Chiang, team leader with the civil affairs team attached to 1st Bn., 8th Marines. “So far, two playgrounds have already been built with two more currently in the planning stage.”

Every project is worked entirely by Afghan workers contracted through the Afghan government, or the Marines. They contract about 500 Afghan workers for such projects daily.

“The majority of males are unemployed and offering them employment goes a long way on the road to helping the people,” Chiang said.

More and more workers with specialized skills will be needed for upcoming jobs. To ensure that a steady pool of qualified workers is available, a vocational school is scheduled to open soon.

“Most specialized skills other than farming are rare here, because there simply hasn’t been much need for them until now,” Chiang said.

The vocational school will train masons, carpenters, tailors and other trades. The training is planned to last up to six months.

“They will be training in skills that they can easily turn around and use,” Chiang said. “As we continue to develop Musa Qal’eh, there will be more demand for those specialized workers’ skills.”

Though skilled workers are in high demand here, it is still a farming community. For those, a demonstration farm is being developed. This patch of land will show the effects of different agricultural techniques and teach local farmers different methods for growing crops. This will help farmers grow larger, healthier crops and discourage growing poppy and marijuana, which can fund Taliban forces.

“Most of the Afghan farmers have small pieces of land to grow crops on and rely heavily on their crops to survive,” Chiang said. “They don’t ever get a chance to experiment with different farming methods, so the demonstration farm gives them that chance without the risk of ruining their crops.”

As these projects become available for the Afghan people, Musa Qal’eh is certain to have a brighter future.

“Working with the Marines, we have shaken the people awake with our great deeds and made the people aware of Musa Qal’eh’s potential to be a productive and prosperous district,” said Musa Qal’eh District Gov. Naimatullah Sameen.

• Date Taken: 01.28.2011
• Date Posted: 01.28.2011 23:17
• Story ID: 64425
• Location: MUSA QAL’EH, AF