Development Alternatives Inc.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Afghanistan: Gunmen Kidnap Development Alternatives Inc. Contractors

Ziayee said the woman was wearing a burqa when the party was last seen at around 10.30am travelling through the district of Chowki. He said that she was “kidnapped by the opposition” after a brief fight with local police, who gave chase into the mountains.

An official with the Kunar criminal investigation unit said local insurgents were responsible, led by a man called Mullah Basir and an associate called Qari Ruhullah. At midday, a group of 12 senior elders from the area were sent into the area where the hostages were believed to be to try to secure their release.

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I do not know any other details other than what has been reported. My heart goes out to the friends and families, and I certainly hope the kidnapers do not do to these folks like what happened earlier this year to the medical team. DAI has not had very good luck these days and perhaps they should reevaluate their security protocols?

If there was only one security guy for this entire party then I don’t call that very smart. Low profile is a great method of travel, but obviously this team was busted off the get go as having a British contractor in it. Perhaps someone sold them out or they got careless? Either way, tough deal and I hope they survive. –Matt

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Afghanistan: gunmen kidnap Briton and three co-workers

British woman and Afghan colleagues part of convoy intercepted by insurgents in Kunar province

Jon Boone in Kabul and James Meikle

Sunday 26 September 2010

A British woman working for an American company and at least three Afghan co-workers have been kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in Afghanistan. They were in a two-vehicle convoy intercepted by insurgents in Kunar province.

Neither the Foreign Office in London nor Washington-based Development Alternatives Inc (DAI) would confirm the woman’s identity, but DAI, a contractor with the US Agency for International Development (USAID), said it was working “on a suspected abduction” and would be issuing a statement. The FO said relatives had been told and appealed to the British media not to name her.

(more…)

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Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Industry Talk: Contractors And IDEA-NEW, A Successful Combination For Foreign Aid Work In Afghanistan

Filed under: Afghanistan,Industry Talk — Tags: Afghanistan, contractors, Development Alternatives Inc., IDEA-NEW, USAID — Matt @ 1:37 AM

“My team can go places and do things soldiers can’t,” he went on. They “operate low profile” and can move freely “because the communities invite them in and support them.” They work to “rebuild irrigation systems, plant fruit and forest trees, build walls around girls schools, drinking water schemes, microhydro power for villages” and more, he continued. Of his 370 in-country staff, only two are expatriates – the rest are Afghans.-Greenham

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I thought about Tim and his gang with this story, and I wanted to highlight the good work of a company that was doing some good things out there. Bravo to USAID for putting together a program that works and is built off of the input of those out in the field, and bravo to Development Alternatives Inc. for doing the job.

Most importantly, this is the kind of stuff that puts the fear of allah in the Taliban, because it cuts into their poppy crops, it cuts into their market share of public support, and it makes the US and the Afghan government look like the good guys. It also employs young men in jobs that help the community, and keeps them from working for the Taliban as soldiers. Intelligence benefits from this as well, because now people might be more apt to say something to help us out, or even protect their good deal going on with IDEA-NEW by dropping some tips that out some bad guys.

Now you know why I like talking about this stuff, and why the Taliban have been attacking contractors lately. They fear contractors, because we are a direct threat to their shadow governments. Look at it like this. If we are competing over the affections and respect of the people, then these contractors and USAID are giving the home team a run for their money. –Matt

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Worldview: Successful model for foreign aid is IDEA-NEW

Sun, May. 2, 2010

By Trudy Rubin

JALALABAD, Afghanistan – You’ve all heard horror stories of U.S. aid funds misused by big contractors on failed projects with high overhead in war zones.

The U.S. military insists the war can’t be won by guns, yet our civilian-aid programs have floundered. They’ve been undercut by shifting goals and the fact that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has shrunk to little more than a contracting agency.

So I was looking for U.S. civilian-aid programs in Afghanistan that actually work, and offer Afghans the help they need to improve their lives. On this trip, I found such a program in eastern Afghanistan, called IDEA-NEW, which runs agricultural projects. The program is funded by USAID and led by a Washington contractor (Development Alternatives Inc.). Sounds like the same old, but it isn’t.