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| Residents of rural Panjwayi received seed and farming equipment and also welcomed the completion of a wall to protect their village water tower. |
| By U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Stephen Lum 117 Mobile Public Affairs Detachment |
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| PANJWAYI, KANDAHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan, Nov. 3, 2005 — West of Kandahar City, residents of the village of Panjwayi, welcomed the delivery of 15,000 kilograms of wheat seed, two tractors, two trailers and farming tools Oct. 27. The day's events also included a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the opening of a secured water tower wall. Coalition forces from the U.S., Canadian and Romanian armies spent the summer here, building trust and friendships with weekly shuras, village medical outreach programs and information sharing. This week's shura began with a thank you and congratulations to all the individuals involved in the successful election process, including the village elders, the district leader, the new police chief and the newly elected district representative. U.S. Lt. Col. Bertrand A. Ges, Task Force Gun Devil commander and Canadian Col. Stephen J. Bowers, the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team commander, shared their insights to the process of building more roads, culverts and irrigation wells, as well as the process of releasing certain incarcerated individuals. They took a break from the shura for a photo opportunity as the grain and farming equipment were presented to the council. |
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| One hundred fifty bags of wheat seed were off-loaded from two jingle trucks in the village meeting hall yard. The farming supplies and wheat seed, funded by the United States Agency for International Development, were provided as an alternative crop to the poppy crop raised by so many local farmers. While the shura was going on, a civic assistance operation was being conducted by coalition medical personnel and the latest issue of the 'Peace' newspaper and other informational literature were passed out by civil affairs and psychological operations personnel. The shura continued with village leaders and elders able to convey their wants and concerns, while many others offered their thanks to the coalition. After the shura concluded, key town leaders joined Ges and his staff at the water tower wall and guard shack for a ribbon cutting ceremony. The water tower built this summer was not secured against vandals; the wall completed within the last 30 days will provide that added security. The material and local contractor's labor cost of $33,000 were funded by the Commander's Emergency Response Program.
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