Tajikistan has free and compulsory basic education, with high enrollment and completion rates. However, the education system faces many challenges, including an insufficient budget, a lack of professional-development opportunities for teachers, and outdated curricula and educational materials. The USAID Learn Together Activity addresses these challenges by partnering with the government of Tajikistan and the private…
Bosnia and Herzegovina has unique layers of history and one of Europe’s most distinguished natural landscapes. Yet, fractious governance, high unemployment, the low participation of women in the labor force, an aging population, and the emigration of skilled youth undercut the country’s prosperity. The tourism sector has the potential to address these challenges and catalyze…
For decades, systematic corruption has compromised the integrity of Peru’s executive, judicial, and legislative systems while negatively affecting poverty, crime rates, and economic growth. The USAID Transparent Public Investment (TPI) project partners with the Peruvian state and the private sector to address systemic corruption by promoting integrity initiatives in Lima and four key provinces: Lambayeque,…
Every day, Jordan’s Al Ghabawi landfill receives 3,200 tons of Amman’s waste. According to Greater Amman Municipality estimates, the commercial center generates at least 40 percent of this waste. Amman’s waste generation is climbing by more than 5 percent per year, and optimistic estimates peg Amman’s recycling rate at 7 percent, well below other cities…
In Mexico, crimes such as assaults, muggings, public disturbances, and robberies are frequent. Because local authorities often do not address these crimes, citizens lose trust in government and become reluctant to cooperate with law enforcement. This dynamic weakens the ability of the justice system to successfully investigate and prosecute crimes. The Violence Prevention and Reduction…
For more than a decade, Mexico has experienced violence and insecurity fueled by transnational criminal organizations. The toll on civilians has been high, with more than 200,000 deaths since 2006, including targeted killings of more than 100 journalists and human rights defenders, and more than 9,000 documented cases of torture. To reduce impunity and help…
The Kyrgyz Republic accounts for 6.3 million people, with a slow-growing, agriculture-led economy. Although economic growth is steady, employment opportunities have lagged. This has forced many people to leave so that they can seek income-generating opportunities elsewhere, which has created economic and social obstacles to peaceful and prosperous living. The central government has historically neglected…
In Tunisia, high unemployment — particularly among college-educated youth — has been an ongoing source of sociopolitical tension and has left some Tunisian youth more susceptible to recruitment by extremist political groups. This is especially true in Tunisia’s rural regions, which are economically disadvantaged. For Tunisia to succeed politically and economically, it must focus on…
Colloquially named “the breadbasket of Africa,” Zimbabwe is endowed with agricultural lands hospitable to a wide range of crops and livestock. However, counterproductive agricultural policies and practices, a lack of access to affordable resources — such as fertilizer and feed — and water scarcity have hindered agricultural productivity. Food insecurity is now high, and Zimbabweans in…
Many firms in Bangladesh have grown their businesses while helping smallholder farmers implement new technologies and better management practices, which has improved the quality of their produce. However, most agribusinesses lack the ability to effectively manage their businesses while increasing their engagements with farmers. Agribusinesses need to work more closely with farmer-clients, providing information that…
Uzbekistan’s agriculture sector has embraced diversification, unlocking new markets for its goods. But challenges to stronger agricultural market systems remain, including inconsistency in post-production, a lack of participation by women and youth, and limited educational and policy reforms. The USAID Agribusiness Development Activity tackles these challenges to boost private sector-led growth in Uzbekistan’s agriculture sector.…
Communities in Burkina Faso’s remote northern and eastern regions have long felt spurned by the central government in Ouagadougou. Following the end of President Blaise Compaoré’s 27-year rule in 2014, Burkina Faso entered a period of socio-political instability and has struggled to coordinate its response to the growing insecurity brought on by armed militant and…