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OPA News Release: [01/29/2002]
Labor Secretary Announces $3 Million Grant At Afghan Event
USAID, First Lady and Chairman Karzai Place Priority On Rebuilding
Afghanistan
WASHINGTON— The U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Elaine L.
Chao announced a $3 million grant to aid in the reconstruction of Afghanistan
today at the U.S. Agency for International Development.
“I want to applaud Chairman Karzai for his outstanding leadership
and the high priority he is placing on women’s rights in the rebuilding of
Afghanistan,” Chao said. “That’s why I’m pleased to pledge
$3 million as a down payment on Afghanistan’s future.”
The $3 million grant will have two major components: employment
generation and economic opportunity for young people and ex-combatants and
specialized training for women. Each segment will receive approximately $1.5
million in direct funding from the Labor Department.
The program will include training in specific target skills areas,
identification of income-earning activities, job-search assistance and aiding
in the creation of their own businesses. To increase women’s inclusion in
the workplace, the grant money will provide information on career possibilities
and rights.
The Department of Labor will dispatch technical experts to Afghanistan
in the next three to five months to determine needs, conditions and the
suitability of different methods and systems.
Chao joined First Lady Laura Bush, USAID Administrator Andrew S.
Nations, Afghanistan Interim Chairman Hamid Karzai, Afghanistan Minister of
Education Rasoul Amin, Afghanistan Minister of Women Affairs Sima Simar,
Afghanistan Reconstruction Advisor Ashraf Ghani, Secretary of Health and Human
Services Tommy Thompson, Secretary of Education Rod Paige, Sen. Patrick Leahy
(D-Vt.), Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.), Special Envoy
Zalmay Khalilzad and Under Secretary Paula Dobrianski at the press
conference.
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