Poverty Reduction Blog | MCC

Heavy equipment donation means hands-on training for Mongolian students

Posted on November 22, 2011 by Robert Reid, Mongolia Resident Country Director

Earlier this month, seven technical and vocational schools in Mongolia received donations of more than $1.7 million in heavy equipment from the Department of Defense. In return, the students will be trained on usage, maintenance and repair to better prepare them to find jobs. This was the first time Mongolia has received equipment through the program.

MCC’s five-year compact with Mongolia includes $47 million to improve the country’s vocational education system. To leverage these investments, MCA-Mongolia signed a memorandum of understanding in March with the U.S. Department of Defense Excess Property Program, which allows for the donation of non-lethal, excess property to countries that contribute to the U.S. Government’s efforts to promote democratic development and regional stability.

The schools, which often cannot afford to purchase expensive machinery, received 18 pieces of donated machinery frequently used in the mining, road, construction, and agriculture industries.

Donated items include cranes, graders, tractors and scoop loaders. Hands-on training will better prepare students to find jobs after school.

MCC is helping improve Mongolia’s technical and vocational education system through policy reforms, professional development for instructors, the establishment of a labor market information system, and the provision of essential equipment. An estimated 170,000 people are expected to benefit from the project over the next 20 years.

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Interagency Coordination, MCA-Mongolia, MCC Board of Directors, Foreign Aid, Impact, Mongolia, Training, Compact, Europe, Asia, and the Pacific, Community Services, Country Ownership, Economic Growth, Income Increases, Poverty Reduction, Sustainable Development

MCC Works to Improve Sustainability at Headquarters

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Thomas Schehl, MCC Senior Sustainability Officer

MCC promotes environmental sustainability as a core principle of economic growth in its partner countries. At our headquarters in Washington, DC, we've embraced environmental sustainability in our policies and operations as a key component of responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.

MCC is a relatively small government agency. We have fewer than 300 federal employees in Washington, DC, and our commitment to country ownership translates to a minimal presence in partner countries abroad. Nonetheless, we're committed to creating a sustainability-conscious operating environment for all of our employees and continuously improving policies and practices to enhance our environmental performance.

In October 2009, President Obama signed an executive order requiring federal agencies to develop, implement and annually update a formal Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan. Every agency's plan prioritizes actions based on a positive return on investment for the American taxpayer and meets energy, water, and waste reduction targets.

MCC developed its Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan in 2010 in response to President Obama's executive order. This year, in our Fiscal Year 2011 Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan [PDF], we assess what we've achieved as an agency and determine how we can build on those achievements for increased sustainability and cost-effectiveness.

This week, the Office of Management and Budget formally approved the FY 2011 Performance Plan.

This year’s plan highlights MCC’s new flexible work policy, expected to contribute to reduced greenhouse gas emissions; environmentally conscious procurement activities; electricity conservation efforts; a space consolidation analysis; new policies favoring bicycle commuters; money-saving paper reduction procedures; and an internal communications plan that builds on previous years’ substantial “greening” initiatives.

We're proud of our sustainability record, and will continue to assess and improve our policies in the coming year.

Learn more about Federal Agency Strategic Sustainability Performance Plans.

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MCC Board of Directors, MCC Executive Staff, Corporate Officer, Senior Staff, MCC Staff, Impact, Open Government, Sustainable Development

A Model That Works

Posted on April 8, 2011 by Alan Patricof, Board Member

I met a farmer who sells cucumbers and tomatoes and is benefiting from the Agribusiness Development Activity. A total of 280 agribusiness and farm production projects have been funded, resulting in over 2,800 jobs.

I visited a chicken hatching facility that received funds from the Georgia Regional Development Fund project.

Even for those of us involved in global development, it’s easy to wonder sometimes whether your work is making a difference.

Last week, I got my answer. I traveled to Georgia to attend compact closeout ceremonies and get a first-hand look at MCC’s investments in this region. I’m happy to report that the MCC model is working.

I spent three days in Georgia, and I wanted to see as much of MCC’s work as possible. So I met with beneficiaries. I drove the newly rehabilitated Samtskhe-Javakheti road. I heard at all levels about the struggles, the challenges, and the enthusiasm behind the MCC-funded work in Georgia. After all of that, I am impressed.

The Samtskhe-Javakheti road rehabilitation is the project that, at first glance, will yield the most immediate and tangible impacts on commerce and tourism around the country. Businesses are transporting their goods and tour operators are creating new routes that make use of this road, accessing the lakes and caves that are found along the way.

The less tangible but potentially more impactful investments, in my opinion, will be the MCC-funded credit and grants programs. I met young entrepreneurs who are eager to expand and excited to take advantage of the opportunities that this source of capital provides. People are benefiting throughout Georgia and the impact will be felt for years to come.

I saw accountability, country ownership and tangible results at work. U.S. Ambassador Bass said it best: “MCC has made us think differently about how the USG partners with countries.”

This compact could have been disrupted by any number of events in Georgia – a war in 2008 and implementation challenges not least among them. Instead, the compact was completed successfully and the results are easy to spot.

I can now say with certainty: MCC works.

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MCC Board of Directors, Georgia