The American People Invest More than $11 Million on Democracy and Economic Development

On Friday, April 20 at 14:00 International Relief and Development (IRD) hosted a special appreciation event in “Ponte Bianca” club in the Valjevo city center. IRD and USAID want to express their appreciation and friendship to Kolubara regional citizens, volunteers, NGOs, local governments, business leaders, and others who have worked so hard to make the USAID program a success.

The six year Western Serbia program of the American people will finish in July, 2007. On March 30 IRD closed its Valjevo regional office.

Since July 2001, IRD and citizens have planned and completed 274 projects in Valjevo, Mionica, Krupanj, and Ub worth more than $11 Million. The American people provided $6.6 Million; citizens, businesses, and local governments invested more than $4.5 Million. These projects have improved schools, hospitals, health services, water and electrical systems, livestock breeding, agriculture cooperatives, dairy products, tourism, parks, cancer screening, family planning and reproductive health services, services for children with special needs, programs to assist victims of domestic violence, business improvement districts, and helped make small businesses become more competitive by meeting international standards to increase domestic sales and exports.

IRD is especially proud of our contribution to helping citizens, local governments, and businesses work together to improve the quality of live and the economic environment.

Jesse Bunch of IRD made a public statement of appreciation at the event, while Valjevo ethno dancing group performed Serbian national dances.