Location: Afghanistan
Creation of non-governmental organizations
The US Government is increasingly turning to host-country institutions to implement its programs. These new NGOs will initially work under US development institutions as sub-grantees or sub-contractors, with the goal of becoming self-sustaining NGOs that can take on a large part of the work currently performed by expatriate development institutions.
In accord with this policy, IDEAS has provided technical and planning assistance to create a non-profit, non-governmental organization for a USAID project in Afghanistan. The Afghan Social Marketing Organization (ASMO) – committed to building the demand for and supply of high-quality priority health and family planning products – is well under way, with strong support from IDEAS. IDEAS worked with ASMO to conduct its first Board of Directors meeting and drafted major portions of the organization’s business and transition plan. With IDEAS’ and others’ assistance, the organization completed several prerequisites and, in November 2010, became the largest sub-contractor on USAID’s social marketing project and the prime example of USAID’s “Afghanization” strategy.
Public-private collaboration
InAfghanistan, IDEAS supported an assessment of the policy environment which encompassed the private sector’s provision of health services and products. Based on assessment findings, we assisted the Ministry of Public Health to draft the National Policy for the Private Health Sector. This groundbreaking policy fosters collaboration between the public and private sectors, with increased contribution by private health services to national public health goals. IDEAS then facilitated the development of a comprehensive strategic plan to implement the policy, as well as the strengthening of private-sector business associations to serve as intermediaries between the Government of Afghanistan and private-sector business entities.
