South and South-East Asia - Afghanistan
Cowater implemented this six year initiative funded by the Asian Development Bank and managed by the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ministry of Energy and Water. The objective of the project was to improve rural livelihoods through strengthened integrated water resources management (IWRM) and agriculture development by increasing technical and management competencies of ministry staff and other stakeholders involved in IWRM of the Western River Basins. Cowater carried out a needs assessment and delivered 21 technical and socio-economic training courses. The project provided financial support to 60 students undertaking undergraduate level engineering programs and 50 students receiving English language training. The project also supported 36 ministry and Herat University engineers and professionals, including six women, in completing master’s degrees at the Asian Institute of Technology and a national university. In total more than 400 participants were trained as part of the project, the majority coming from the Ministry of Energy and Water, other stakeholders included Women Affairs and Herat University.
