Farah Governor visits Por Chaman for first time, vows more trips will come

POR CHAMAN, Afghanistan (May 10, 2010) – Farah Provincial Governor Rahool Amin, with support from Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) Farah, visited the distant district of Por Chaman to meet with District Sub-Governor Saleem and assess the needs of the Afghan people in Farah Province

The trip is the governor’s first visit to Por Chaman due to the remote location and limited access to the district.  It is also the PRT’s first visit in over two years.  Amin and the PRT plan more trips in the near future to more fully support the district and to provide reconstruction efforts.

“I was very pleased with the visit,” said Farah Governor Rahool Amin, “Our goal was to meet with the sub-governor and see what the district needs and we were very successful in doing that.”

Amin and other Por Chaman government leaders conducted a shura with the villagers to explain the government’s role in assisting the people of Por Chaman.  Members of the village were also given an opportunity to voice their opinions, concerns and needs.  The trip included visits to the local girls’ school, the Ministry of Health facility, a bridge, and a poppy field which was destroyed in front of the government representatives by local residents in the village.

“It [the visit] made a huge impact on the population there,” said Gustavo Mejia, United States Department of State, “It was very significant for the province and for the governor to actually go there.”

The newly constructed two-story girls’ school, which was supported by the PRT, will provide valuable education for girls living in Por Chaman.  Currently, the school is awaiting teachers, furniture, and books which will be supplied by the ministry of education.  Amin assured those living in Por Chaman that he will ensure the required supplies are delivered as soon as possible.

Por Chaman is located in the northeast corner of Farah Province.  Major roads and access routes to the district are severely limited, causing the relationship between the Por Chaman leadership and provincial government to become distant.

Despite the distance, plans are underway by the PRT to visit more villages and conduct further assessments in the district within the next several months.

“The Governor was very enthusiastic about returning,” said Mejia, “There are certainly considerations to go back and conduct further assessments.”