Kevin, Economist in DFID Afghanistan. Picture: Christa Rottensteiner/DFID

As someone returning to Afghanistan, I have found progress in the space of three years – the last time I worked here – extremely encouraging if signs are anything to go by. Literally. Outside our Embassy in Kabul, a giant TV screen advertising 3G mobile phone services acts as a makeshift street light. Other parts of the city too are bustling with growing Afghan consumerism - neighbourhoods specialising in the selling of toy cars, fast food and phone credit. All of this would not look too out of place in Piccadilly Circus!

My day job can be best summarised as helping the Afghan government improve the nitty-gritty aspects of public finances. This includes raising more taxes and spending public money according to need. Or, as a colleague puts it, ensuring that the financial pipes work. Better services provided by government are expected to follow, such as in education, health, roads and access to water. Whilst it is fascinating to have a national perspective from Kabul, I occasionally yearn to see what is happening out in the rest of the country, just as I did when I was in Helmand back in 2009.

You can imagine that I jumped at the chance to join Christa to discover ground truths in Herat. Together we flew on a freezing Saturday morning due west of Kabul. My first impression when we landed was how steeped in history the city is, like many other parts of Afghanistan. Some things have not changed - the remnants of a giant city wall, said to have been constructed by Alexander the Great, can still be seen. Interestingly, for me as an economist, Herat still is the trade route to Iran. Sadly, Herat still suffers from a significant number of landmines from a previous conflict though DFID is financing a project which will eventually make Herat mine-free.

We packed in a lot during the visit. We built on lessons learned from Helmand, on issues that still persist in getting public money into the provinces. I recall a great discussion with provincial directorate officials on where they believe the blockages in the national budget lie. The health sector director eloquently and diplomatically likened this to a tailor having your measurements but giving you a random suit – budgets are not always based on local needs. On a more positive note, we also saw examples of local government and politics working very well, when locally-elected representatives outside the city showed us a school built and maintained by them. This is the water pump that serves the school and houses around it.

Local representatives prioritised the building of a water pump, paid for by the UK via the World Bank’s National Solidarity Programme. Picture: Christa Rottensteiner/DFID

When visiting the provincial tax office we also stumbled on a poster informing officials of an upcoming training event provided by DFID. This was a pleasant surprise and perhaps the most joy I have felt looking at essentially an official mandate. You can find out more about how tax collection is helping the country here.

Village representatives of Baland shahi. Picture: Christa Rottensteiner/DFID

One highlight I did not expect was culinary – we had lunch with Afghan counterparts in a restaurant overlooking the town, with delicious local food.

We also met with the provincial governor during our visit, to talk about an existing DFID support to his office. The conversation was in English (Christa an Austrian, he an Afghan and me originally coming from Hong Kong) as he sat in front of a wall filled with pictures of the last two centuries of Herat’s governors. He wheeled out his economic strategy; music to an economist’s ears. We were even luckier to be invited by him to see the old citadel, used by previous emperors of the city before it was even part of Afghanistan. The panoramic views of the city on offer inside the fort are a sight to behold. This reminded me of something a colleague recently mentioned, having seen it inscribed on a stone outside the Kabul museum: a nation stays alive when its culture stays alive.

The impressive Qala Iktyaruddin citadel. Picture: Christa Rottensteiner/DFID

The site of the buddhas in Bamyan

At the same time, it is a poor province: over half the population lives below the poverty line, compared to a third nationwide. Only one in five adults can read or write and just 14% of households have access to safe drinking water (National Risk and Vulnerability Assessment).

It was great to see during my visit that both government and elected officials are keen to improve the situation through the funds that SPAD provides. We heard how a relatively small amount of money can have a big impact which includes building wells or allowing government officials to travel around and inspect schools. We explained how the money will get to the province, starting by local people deciding on the most important priorities. This means people can also hold their government to its promises. It was great to discuss the programme with Habiba Sarabi, the only female governor in Afghanistan.

Members of a farming cooperative learn how to use new tractors. Picture: USAID SCR

While in Bamyan, we also met the beneficiaries of the UK and the New Zealand agricultural programme. Farmers explained how pleased they were with the faster harvesting of potatoes thanks to new tractors. Overall, the production of potatoes (Bamyan potatoes are now famous across Afghanistan) and wheat has doubled in the last few years. Read more about this project here.

I also travelled to Uruzgan, a remote and mountainous province, bordering Helmand and Kandahar, which is equally poor. Only 1% of women can read or write, and no children under two years have been vaccinated. Almost all children between the ages of six to 15 work, compared to every fifth child in the rest of Afghanistan.

Meeting with district governors in Uruzgan

In Tirin Kot, the capital, we met a large number of people including district governors and their deputies from three remote districts. They gave us a fascinating insight into their daily challenges, such as not having funding to buy stationery for their offices. Everyone we spoke to was eager to improve the situation and do their job better.

All these meetings helped me understand local conditions better, and that helping the government provide better services to the people is the right thing to do. My colleagues have since been back to both provinces and seen that government officials have met with local people to come up with plans for how to best use their budget, with the help of the Independent Directorate of Local Governance.

There is a lot of enthusiasm for the planning. Once this is complete and funds start to flow, we will see the impact, just like in Helmand!

DFID’s regional director and head of office meeting members of the Uruzgan provincial council that represents local communities

SPAD is the first donor programme that uses the government’s "normal" budget procedures. Whilst we make sure that our funds are safe, this gives the government and local people much more of a say on what the money should be spent on. In Helmand where the programme has been running for a while now, every year the authorities and local people get together to plan how best to spend their budget from SPAD.

For example, in Nehr E Seraj district, the district authorities and the elected district councillors decided to prioritise the refurbishment of Abo Al Fathi Bosti School. The reasons for this being that the school is considered one of the best boys high schools in Gereshk, has a large number of students (434), sufficient teachers and is in a secure area. Before, the school building was in very poor condition with broken windows and doors, but with the SPAD funds, the education authorities were able to contract a local firm to undertake the repairs. The procurement process was televised and transparency was ensured with public signing of the contracts. The building is now in good condition and open.

The refurbished Abo Al Fathi Bosti School in Nehr E Seraj district.

Students at the Abo Al Fathi Bosti School in Nehr E Seraj district.

Other projects that SPAD has paid for included building a major health clinic, setting up a blood bank and improving the main irrigation canal in the province. For this year, 26 ministries in Helmand have been allocated funding to improve service delivery, including some initiatives to improve women’s rights.

As the programme has been so successful in Helmand, we wanted to expand the programme in order to reach more people. I therefore travelled to Uruzgan and Bamyan to see for myself what the needs are in these provinces and whether SPAD could make an impact there.

More about that in my next blog post!

Darvishan Canal in Garmsir – the main irrigation canal in the province that was maintained by the Ministry of Power and Water with SPAD funds.

National Museum of Afghanistan

Tourism was not the first thing I expected to do while living in Kabul, but I recently discovered that there are some impressive sights to visit, including the treasures at the National Museum of Afghanistan.

The museum was built in 1922 during the reign of King Amanullah Khan and in its heyday housed one of the most important collections in Central Asia, with over 100,000 items dating back several millennia. Unfortunately in the 1990's during the conflict the museum was looted and as a consequence about 70% of its objects disappeared.

In August this year, over 800 items were added to the museum’s collection, covering almost all periods of Afghan culture including the famous 1st century Begram Ivories which were featured in a British Museum exhibit in 2011. The museum hosted a handover ceremony which was attended by a number of British and Afghan dignitaries and highlighted the support that the British government has given to the museum, through the British Museum, the Ministry of Defence and the British Council.

The British Embassy's Consul General, Colin Crorkin, said:

"The pieces, and their enormous range, bear testament to the incredibly rich cultural history of Afghanistan. They show Afghanistan’s other face.

"They remind us that the troubles of the Taliban age and the subsequent battle against the insurgency and for a peaceful Afghanistan are small events in a grand sweep. They bring us a sense of perspective that only culture can articulate."

This adds to the already impressive wide variety of content in the museum – which includes painted frescos, fragments of architecture including a mosque from the 11^th century, sculptures and a large collection of coins (about 30,000). The additions mean that Afghans and foreigners now have the opportunity to see a greater number of important pieces from the incredibly rich cultural history of Afghanistan.

Artefacts on display in the current exhibition on Buddhism in Afghanistan. The picture in the centre is from another part of the museum. It's a wooden horseman from the north-eastern province of Nuristan.

The current exhibition is on Buddhism in Afghanistan, a period which I knew very little about before visiting the museum. Buddhism was practiced in Afghanistan for more than 1,000 years. It can be traced back to the middle of the 3rd century and was overtaken as the major religion by the arrival of Islam in the 7th century. Buddhism was practiced along with other native religions but had the largest number of followers. The artifacts displayed were found in Buddhist monasteries especially in the south Hindu Kush Mountains.

Ruins of the impressive royal palace built in the 1920s by King Amanullah Khan

The other part of the museum that I particularly enjoyed was the room containing statues carved out of wood and beautiful door frames. My favourite was a wooden horseman from the north-eastern province of Nuristan.

Upon leaving the museum, I also got a great view of a famous ruin that overlooks the museum - the impressive royal palace built in the 1920s by King Amanullah Khan.

Olympic Rings on Tower Bridge, London

I have just returned to Kabul following a visit home to London to see my family during the Olympics.

It is obviously quite a contrast between the shiny capital of "Team GB" and dusty Kabul which is still rebuilding itself following thirty years of conflict. There are similarities, however, for example in the ambition and patriotism in both cities.

When Ruhollah Nikpai, a former refugee from the marginalised Hazara ethnic group, won a bronze medal in Taekwondo, the nation was united in its exhilaration and pride. Four years ago, in the Beijing Olympics, he won Afghanistan's first ever Olympic medal, also a Taekwondo bronze. Afghans across the country followed his fortunes, with the young generation excited about their hero - one blogger declared: "You didn't win a Bronze but our HEARTS".

National stadium, Kabul

Thousands of jubilant fans piled into Ghazni Stadium - Afghanistan's national stadium, to welcome Nikpai home. A little over a decade ago, the stadium had been a feared place of execution by the Taleban. Now it was a symbol of a country that wants to get back to normality after years of conflict.

Another Afghan Olympic athlete also made the headlines - Tahmina Kohestani, the only female representative in London. The female sprinter came last in the 100m heats, but her participation was a powerful statement for women's rights and having overcome fierce opposition from conservative forces. She proudly said "What I have done is worth more than a medal for me and my country,".. And she promised to aim for the next Olympic games in Rio!

Boarding the helicopter for Lashkar Gah

It was an exciting trip which involved a plane and a thrilling ride in a Chinook. The helicopter was filled with soldiers so I did my best to pretend that it is perfectly normal to commute this way!

The Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) is based in the provincial capital Lashkar Gah, a town of approx. 150 000 inhabitants. It is a UK-led, multinational and civil-military effort to bring stability to Helmand. In March, we saw elections in the district of Sangin. This district has been previously known for its large number of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) casualties. Over 2000 elders and other notables took part in a secret ballot to elect a District Community Council to represent the people of Sangin, and even one female stood and is now a member of the council. In a unique situation for Helmand she was voted in by men from her community (see more in the Head of Mission's blog).

Provision of safe drinking water to the community in Sameeti, Lashkar Gah. Picture: UN Habitat

I met with the mayor of Lashkar Gah who told me how our support to municipal development had transformed the town. He said, "Before, roads used to get flooded all the time and it was difficult to pass them. With the new drainage system, things are much better." Other improvements include the construction of hand pumps and better waste collection.

The project is about much more than just improving infrastructure. It has also created community groups which hold meetings regularly to discuss priorities. I met two representatives of these groups and UN Habitat staff to learn more about their work. Our meeting was held over a delicious Afghan lunch that we ate under a canopy outside, on traditional carpets and cushions.

Women receiving tailoring training. Picture: UN Habitat

It was interesting to hear from them how they decided what was essential in their communities and how they use some of their own funds to further improve the infrastructure.

I also learnt more about the training the project provides, for example, teaching women how to tailor clothing so they can earn money for their family.

Members of the Municipal Advisory Board, the Helmand Governance Team and me

Another way the UK government helps improve governance is through support for the Municipal Advisory Board in Lashkar Gah. This elected group represents the community and holds the authorities to account.

Over endless cups of delicious green tea, nine of the members told me about their work, how they help settle disputes and bring the concerns of local people to the attention of the mayor. I was particularly interested in the views of one of the female members of the council who told me how she had been able to make a difference.

After a lengthy trip back to Kabul I arrived energised by the experience and came away with a much better understanding of our achievements so far, and what further work needs to be done. Why the title of this blog post? As an Austrian, I was delighted to see in the PRT cook house, a delicious apple strudel! 

Enjoying a delicious Afghan lunch under a canopy on traditional carpets and cushions.

Entrance of the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG)

I've spent a month in Kabul already, which has passed in a flash! In this time, I have got to grips with my job, which is to help strengthen government systems - especially how the government in Kabul works with local structures at the provincial, municipal and district level. 

DFID Afghanistan supports several projects in this area, including providing advice to the organisation at the heart of local governance - the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG).

This project provides technical experts in financial management who advise Afghan civil servants how to make their systems and procedures more efficient. This then allows IDLG to work more effectively and improve how services are delivered to the approx. 34 million inhabitants of Afghanistan. For example, getting teachers and judges into more remote, sometimes insecure areas can be very challenging. IDLG can help ensure that staff receive higher salaries if they work in these places. This gives the rural population (around 80 percent of the total population) better access to schooling and justice.

At the moment I'm looking at how we can support IDLG in the future which involves many discussions with the government and other donor organisations. I enjoy those meetings because they give me a real sense of what needs to be done and I meet the people who can truly make a difference to the lives of ordinary Afghans. There have already been great improvements, including being better able to use planning and budgeting tools which will mean that funds can flow better to where they are needed most. I also enjoy the travelling around Kabul, and seeing the bustling street life and mad traffic to and from the meetings!

Traffic in central Kabul

Another area I've been working on is discussing Afghanistan's plan for how it will improve local governance – the National Priority Programme on Local Governance. This is one of 22 priority programmes for the government which are really crucial as they mean Afghans get an opportunity to shape the future direction of their country. This is especially important in the run up to the major development conference for the country which will take place in Tokyo this weekend. The aim of this conference is for the international community and the government of Afghanistan to agree mutual commitments for the next ten years, to ensure the country continues on its path to self-reliance.

Masood Square

I've also started Dari lessons with a very enthusiastic teacher, Ahmad. Dari is one of the two official languages in Afghanistan (along with Pashto). It is mainly spoken in the north and the centre, as well as in the capital, Kabul. I have learned greetings and can form some basic sentences, such as "OyaInglastankeshwarbuzurgyakeshwarkujak hast?" (Is Britain a big country or a small country?) Interestingly, the verb is at the very end of the sentence, which takes some getting used to. I particularly enjoy writing Dari – it uses the same script as Arabic, with four additional letters.

Finally, I recently travelled to Helmand, to find out more about our programmes there. So it's been quite a month! Look out for a report on my trip to Helmand in my next blog post...

This is my first time in Afghanistan and I'm excited and nervous, only having seen one week before the news of attacks in Kabul - just as I was telling my family that living in Kabul was no more dangerous than riding a bike into central London every day.

Afghanistan's beautiful mountains, viewed from the plane

As I sat on the flight, I was curious to see who else would be coming to this intriguing country. There were only a few foreigners, with the bulk of the passengers Afghan families, many of whom were coming to visit family members.

The children behind me were playing 'I spy with my little eye' in English for most of the trip. Two Afghan men caught my eye and I quickly recognised that they were the owners of my local corner shop which made me realise the world really is so small! They were going home for a few weeks with their extended family to sort out business matters.

It was a long journey from London, but I was rewarded with stunning mountain views and a wonderful sunny morning as we touched down at Kabul airport.

The busy streets in central Kabul

As the only blonde person in the terminal, I am grateful for my headscarf. Immigration is remarkably efficient and after a bit of a wait for my luggage my transport whisks me off to the 'Green Zone' where the UK and many other embassies are located, as well as government ministries.

The dusty roads are jam-packed with colourful scenes of noisy traffic - cars, bikes, motorbikes and donkeys and carts - and before I can take it all in, I arrive at the DFID office.

My first impression of DFID staff is that they are a welcoming and very dedicated group of Afghans and UK staff. My job is to work on programmes that support local authorities to deliver basic services such as water and electricity to people in more remote parts of Afghanistan. This is crucial in a country where over a third of the population lives on less than 60p per day.

The population has high expectations of what basic services the government and donors can offer them and DFID is working hard to help meet them in a place which is rebuilding itself after enduring over three decades of conflict.

Business as usual: shops around the Green Zone

I have worked in DFID for seven years on a variety of roles, including working on job creation in conflict areas and providing debt relief to poor countries. Coming to Afghanistan offers me new challenges and the opportunity to make a difference.

Over the next few months I will share my impressions of Afghanistan and its people through this blog. I will be likely to see more of Kabul, as well as visit a number of provinces and districts to see the impact of our projects for myself. I am very much looking forward to gaining my own impressions of this fascinating place.