|
September 2023
USAID Responds to Flooding in Eastern Libya
Heavy rainfall from Storm Daniel resulted in devastating and widespread flooding in the eastern Libyan districts of Derna, Jabal al Akhdar, Marj, Misrata, Sirte, and Al Wahat districts. Significant infrastructure damage and deaths have been reported. USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance has approved $1 million in disaster assistance funds to meet immediate needs and is sending a Disaster Assistance Response Team to the region. USAID offers our heartfelt sympathy to all who were impacted, especially those who lost loved ones in this terrible flood. Since 2011, USAID has partnered with national and sub-national Libyan institutions, civil society, and the private sector to strengthen the foundations of a more unified Libyan state through its humanitarian, stabilization, and development assistance. The road to recovery will be challenging, but USAID continues to stand with the people of Libya and remains committed to assisting them during this difficult time.
Storytelling Helps Redefine Possibilities for Women
 Libya's first female rugby team in is inspiring women and girls to follow their dreams.
In Libya, where societal norms and gender roles are often barriers to pursuing dreams, a remarkable story of courage and determination unfolds - the first Libyan women's rugby team. El Kul (which means For Everyone in Arabic), a current affairs platform for Libyan audiences with a following of more than 1.3 million people, produced a video about these fearless women as they challenge conventions and embrace their passion.
USAID supports citizen journalism via El Kul that provides trusted news and information, uplifting stories on society and culture, and a platform for debate to promote peace through social cohesion. An important component of this is furthering gender equality and inclusion by sharing stories of girls and women who are challenging traditional gender roles. The achievements of Libya’s women’s rugby team sends a powerful message that societal norms can change, and women can thrive in fields that were once considered exclusively male.
“I have always dreamed of representing Libya on a national sports team, but never had the chance up until now, at this age,” said a member of the team, adding “the main challenge I see is that the Libyan community still doesn’t accept women practicing any sport… so we are relying on the next generation to be the future of change."
The video has more than 400,000 views and 30,000 acts of engagement on Facebook. It also ignited discussions in the comment section. USAID’s support for El Kul is a testament to the transformative power of storytelling - promoting inclusion, encouraging discussion, inspiring change, and challenging long-standing norms.
Streetlights Bring Hope to Residents of Murzuq
 On September 6, USAID delivered 120 solar powered street lights to Murzuq, a town in southern Libya recovering from years of intercommunal violence. The delivery of the street lights was the culmination of a months-long process to ensure the major ethnic groups in Murzuq –Arabs, Tebu, and Tuareg – had a voice in the prioritization of resources.
In June, USAID organized a dialog between residents and the Murzuq Steering Committee to determine which districts would receive the limited number of street lights. USAID guided the group through a discussion to determine which parts of the city would most benefit from the street lights and how the streetlights would promote stability in that community.
Meeting participants ultimately agreed to install 30 lights in four districts where infrastructure was most compromised due to armed conflict, and where better lighting could help restore security and invite displaced residents to come home.
Ashrof Adam, the head of Murzuq Steering Committee, described the arrival of the lights as “drops of rain beginning to fall on the land of Murzuq” in a Facebook post.
The street lights are a small step in USAID’s efforts to facilitate reconstruction in Murzuq, but exemplify the importance of bringing the community together to prioritize reconstruction efforts. After years of conflict, the town is seeing visible signs of improvement in the living conditions, encouraging displaced residents to return and community members to work together to promote peace and reconciliation.
Empowering Tomorrow's Leaders: Celebrating International Youth Day
 Youth Day participants view the exhibit at Misrata University.
Young people in conflict-affected communities in Libya celebrated International Youth Day in August with a focus on civic participation. USAID’s PLAY for Peace activity organized public events with nearly 700 participants from Bani Walid, Tawergha, Zawiyah, Sahl ElJfara, and Misrata that brought together youth from diverse backgrounds with representatives from local civil society organizations, municipal councils, and various segments of society.
Events included a dialogue on youth involvement in community affairs followed by a tree planting in Bani Walid where participants demonstrated their commitment to environmental sustainability. The cities of Zawiyah and Sahl ElJfara showcased youth-produced short films followed by a job fair with 15 companies. By the end of the day five participants walked away with new jobs. Misrata University hosted an exhibit of youth innovation in art and technology followed by a discussion on the reintegration of youth into the community activities after more than a decade of recurring conflict.
It is essential for the youth to take a leading role in shaping a more inclusive, unified, and stable Libya. USAID promotes local reconciliation efforts by bringing together young people that have suffered from deep-rooted divisions and recurring violence for positive interactions that promote peace.
|
Assahel Celebrates a New Soccer Field
Community members enjoy the new soccer field well into the evening hours.
USAID’s Taqarib activity partnered with the Assahel Municipal Council to construct a new soccer field, which opened in August with a match between members of the Alsudood local youth soccer team. Assahel is one of Libya’s largest municipalities, sprawling across 4,000 sq km of the coast and is home to 85,000 residents. Due to its vast size, the municipal council noted a general cynicism of and limited engagement with local government.
USAID previously provided solar street lights for the mosque and shopping center at the center of town, yet also wanted the community to have a place for people to gather in a purely social setting. The soccer field provides space for residents to interact, enhancing social cohesion. It is also a visual reminder that local government is present and using limited resources to serve public interest. The Assahel media office, which received training and equipment from USAID, shared a video of the construction and opening of the field on its Facebook page.
USAID works in 30+ municipalities nationwide, including six in underserved southern Libya, to bolster local governments as they navigate the challenges of decentralizing public services. Through these activities, USAID reinforces community bonds and promotes citizen engagement in public dialogues and prioritization of public resources, establishing trust after decades of neglect, instigation, and conflict.
Improved Electricity Service Brightens Prospects for Small Businesses
 Engineers from Salala are able to complete projects in a timely manner due to a more stable flow of electricity.
For years daily power outages in Libya caused extensive disruptions to businesses, particularly small businesses. Companies like Salala Engineering & Consulting were faced with daily work interruptions, resulting in stalled projects and lost business.
“The power would go out for roughly half of our working hours each day,” said Ibrahim Shanak, Salala’s general manager. “We used generators, which incurred additional costs for fuel and maintenance, and negatively affected the work environment and employee morale.”
This year, electricity service in Libya improved significantly with the support of USAID’s Libya Public Financial Management activity. USAID provided technical assistance to the General Electricity Company of Libya (GECOL) to develop tools that manage electricity demand, including strategies to shift and curtail electricity demand during peak times. USAID also developed an interactive electricity supply and demand dashboard to allow GECOL to see electricity usage across the grid in real time, allowing for better management of electricity during peak hours.
GECOL now regularly contacts large-scale energy consumers, such as factories in the east and west, to encourage them to limit usage to specified levels, and, in certain circumstances, to halt consumption completely during peak periods. When large-scale consumers cannot curtail usage, they are charged a higher rate, which incentivizes conservation.
GECOL’s energy conservation approach is working. A recent review of electricity usage across the grid showed the country has gone more than six months – 189 days as of September 4– since the last electricity cut due to insufficient supply. A recent article in Al-Monitor called attention to this vast improvement.For companies like Salala, the improved service is fundamental to its business success.
“This year, especially during these peak summer days, the situation is excellent with few disruptions,” Shanak said. “It is contributing to improved performance”.
|
|
