Since October 2017, USAID has been working with the Afghan Ministry of Irrigation, Agriculture and Livestock (MAIL), to place young men and women as interns in the MAIL provincial headquarters in eight Eastern provinces. Over the course of three months, the interns attend agribusiness events, training and farmer field days, and work in various MAIL departments to gain basic administrative and agricultural extension skills.

“It is not easy for Afghan graduates to find employment, “says 29-year old Arfanullah Tawheed from Laghman Province. “Many students apply for jobs, but the employers reject their applications mainly because of lack of work experience.” After graduating in Agricultural Economic Development at the Kunar University a few years ago, Arfanullah was unable to find employment. When he saw the call for internships posted at a job website, he applied. After a number of interviews, he was selected for placement in the Logar MAIL office. Only two months after completing his internship, he applied for a full-time job as an Administrative Manager at the Logar Provincial Governor’s Office, and got the job because he had relevant experience.

“When I first joined the internship program, I was like blind in the office: I had no idea how to function in an organization or how to accomplish a single task. The internship helped me learn the organizational system, that there are rules and regulations, management, communication, and – most importantly – it taught me work ethics.”

The internship program helps young people gain relevant experience and increase their employability to enter the workforce, while also providing valuable assistance to our governmental partners.