15th-16th Day

Logistical problems dominate again everything. The transport of the scaffold material from the ISAF camp is questioned as the hired truck breaks down after a traffic accident. Our partners in Kabul suceed to organize a new truck overnight to be on time the next morning. I get up very early and coordinate some minor problems by phone that occur until the truck is finally allowed to enter the ISAF compound. Due to friday the telephone network is more stable than on other days. I appreciate the stability of the service today as I feel my total dependency on the reliabilty of the network. Also the Italian collegues are quiet happy as their luggage was finally detected at Dubai airport. They have reasonable chances to receive it prior to their departure from Bamiyan on Thursday. As the day passes by I have opportunity to meet the new Director of Agha Khan Foundation in Bamiyan which is running some very important devlopment projects especially in the infrastructure of Health Services and Electrification by Micro Hydro Power Projects. We discuss also about the possibilities of a Community Website for Bamiyan. It becomes clear that such a system cannot be a subsitute for an agency website but more a platform to share information and ressources that are in some cases dificult to obtain (i.g. Law texts of the different sectors or practical examples on issues of Health Care or agriculture and irrigation issues). For me it becomes clear, that development in Bamiyan is taking place rapidly. Not only that the bazaar has further grown since our survey in 2005 there are also street consolidation works going on at a large scale. The street to the airport is said to get bitumen coated and become a better quality than the recent airstrip, the previously dusty and bumpy road down the hill to the bazaar receives an new shape and the main road leading to the Buddha Cliff is leveled and graveled for good. Only the development in our main base the Cultural Center is leading backwards. A new water pump was installed as the previous well dried out. As a result the generator that provides the center with electricity overloaded and the selfmade switchboard exploded. New water no electricity and more experts to come to work here. Also there is great concern if the new attached storeroom wing will be ready for its inauguration on in two days.