IOM has begun construction of a Teacher Training College in
Maimana, the capital of Faryab province in north-western
Afghanistan, with funding from the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID).

The college, which will provide training for 600 students and
has dormitories for 100 male and 100 female students, is one of
four similar IOM projects currently under construction in Faryab,
Wardak, Parwan and Nangahar provinces, and is scheduled for
completion in September 2011.

All four projects are part of IOM Afghanistan's USD 57 million
USAID-funded Construction of Health and Education Facilities (CHEF)
Programme 2008-2012.

Afghanistan has some of the world's lowest literacy and health
indicators and desperately needs new infrastructure in both
sectors.

In addition to the four teacher training college facilities,
IOM, in coordination with the Afghan Ministry of Public Health, is
constructing two new hospitals and three midwife training centers.
Three other health and education facilities, the construction of a
new school for girls and the refurbishment of a hospital and a
clinic have been successfully completed and handed over.

Last week the Maimana site was visited by a high level
delegation, including US Ambassador Karl Eikenberry, Deputy
Minister of Education Osman Babury and Faryab Governor Abdul
Shafaq.

For more information please contact:

Kristiina Lilleorg

IOM Kabul

Tel: +93 7968 56150

E-mail: "mailto:klilleorg@iom.int">klilleorg@iom.int