ECODIT President Moderates Small Business Reverse Industry Day with USAID
7/18/2024

On July 18, 2024, ECODIT President Roula Attar moderated a panel discussion and Q&A session for a virtual Reverse Industry Day (RID) with USAID staff, hosted by USAID’s Office of Acquisition and Assistance (M/OAA) and Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), in collaboration with the Small Business Association for International Companies (SBAIC). Ms. Attar worked closely with USAID to organize the RID, in her capacity as co-chair of SBAIC’s Procurement Committee. SBAIC is a membership organization established to promote the meaningful utilization of U.S. small businesses at government agencies providing foreign assistance. 

Jami Rodgers, USAID’s Senior Procurement Executive, opened the event, noting, “Small businesses are more than a metric, they're a strategic partner for realizing better development outcomes and promoting our foreign policy objectives.” USAID OSDBU Director Kimberly Ball also delivered remarks focused on small business utilization and the Agency’s priorities and targets in this area. 

During the RID, Ms. Attar and five panelists - Betsy Bassan from Panagora Group, Erika Davis from Davis Management Group, Keith Ives from Causal Design, Kaylin Nickol from Nickol Global Solutions, and Michael Minkoff from Athena Infonomics -  discussed their experiences in working with USAID as small business partners, and provided concrete recommendations to enhance the Agency’s small business utilization and partner diversification efforts. The event was a great success, with more than 150 USAID staff attending from around the world.  

Key takeaways from the event include the following recommendations to USAID:

Maximize opportunities for U.S. small businesses across all sectors and regions.

Designate a USAID leader to advance a partner retention strategy, supporting the growth and success of businesses of all sizes.

Share positive experiences with small business partnerships to foster growth, enhance capabilities, and expand USAID’s partner network.

Recognize that small firms are specialized and provide exceptional technical delivery and customer service.

Utilize existing tools and encourage government-industry engagement to address small business needs.

Leverage the rule of two to reduce barriers for small businesses, even in overseas Missions.

Explore and nurture opportunities to align increased localization with small business utilization.

Be mindful of potential unintended consequences of certain localization approaches.

“It was a privilege to convene small business leaders and USAID staff to discuss ways for the Agency to better leverage small business capabilities to enhance development impact across sectors and regions,” said Ms. Attar. “Industry engagement events like these contribute to strengthening partnerships and I am grateful to USAID and SBAIC for their shared commitment to effective small business utilization.”

To watch a full recording of the RID, please visit the Work With USAID YouTube Channel here.


USAID Cambodia Green Future Activity Celebrates Successful Completion with Ceremony Honoring Youth and Partners
7/5/24

ECODIT celebrated the successful completion of the USAID Cambodia Green Future Activity on July 5, 2024 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. This five-year activity worked with young people to promote social and behavior change in the environmental sector. The event included interactive booths, displaying the impacts of the activity’s social and behavior change communication (SBCC) campaigns. The event’s guests learned about the role youth play in biodiversity conservation, forest protection, and correct disposal of waste.  Guests included representatives of USAID, relevant ministries, conservation partners, private sector, development partners, journalists, influencers, and youth leaders.  

 

The Activity used a SBCC approach and engaged with youth leaders, social media influencers, the Royal Government of Cambodia, civil society, the private sector, and others to move the needle on environmental issues. The Activity especially focused on youth and organized over 100 students into Green Groups that planned environmental outreach, reaching thousands through events and social media.

 

As a result, Cambodia has seen a significant change in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors toward the environment. The Activity’s endline survey showed that 83% of youth now believe that biodiversity conservation, forest protection and sustainable natural resource management are important, compared to just 45% at the project’s start in 2020. The survey also showed that young people are now more than 2.5 times as likely to engage in frequent discussions with their friends about environmental issues, and nearly six times as likely to engage in discussions with family members about these issues.

 

Speaking to youth represented at the event, USAID Mission Director Kerry Pelzman noted, “This activity is going to end, but we know that your work will continue.  You are the key to a sustainable, green future for Cambodia.”

 

ECODIT is a U.S. women-owned small business with over 30 years of experience working with governments, businesses, and local communities to advance environmentally and socially responsible development around the world. To learn more about ECODIT, visit www.ecodit.com and follow the firm’s social media accounts on FacebookLinkedIn, and X.

USAID DAWERR Activity Completes First Phase of Construction of Qaraoun Composting Facility
6/20/2024

On June 20, 2024, the USAID Lebanon Diverting Waste by Encouraging Reuse and Recycling (DAWERR) activity celebrated the completion of the first phase of construction for the Qaraoun Composting Facility.  In partnership with the Qaraoun Municipality, this facility will manage organic waste from more than 10,000 residents.  Minister of Environment Dr. Nasser Yassin, Director General of the Ministry of Industry Engineer Chantal Akl, Qaraoun Mayor Yehia Daher, heads of neighboring municipalities, religious authorities, community members, and representatives from local community-based organizations and international organizations in Lebanon attended the event, along with DAWERR partners Compost Baladi and ECODIT Liban.

 

DAWERR is a five-year activity implemented by ECODIT, which supports USAID/Lebanon’s work to develop sustainable processes for composting organic waste, reduce the amount of solid waste that goes to landfills, and improve existing recycling efforts throughout rural areas in Lebanon. By 2025, DAWERR aims to divert 56% of waste in the target municipalities, establish 30 public-private partnerships to support improved Solid Waste Management (SWM), create 100 sustainable full-time jobs in recycling value chains, and generate financial returns from composting and recycling.

 

The Qaraoun Composting Facility is a critical component of DAWERR’s work to improve SWM in Lebanon. This facility complements the existing village Material Recovery Facility, where recyclables are collected and stored, and will be managed and operated by the Qaraoun municipality. The recently completed construction work encompasses essential components such as curing areas, office reception, restroom facilities, bunkers for organic waste treatment, reception areas, and storage facilities for carbon materials. Further enhancements, including the installation of steel structures, electromechanical systems, and landscaping, are scheduled for completion by September 2024.

 

In addition to constructing the composting facility, DAWERR is collaborating with the Qaraoun Municipality and local community-based organizations to develop and implement a comprehensive SWM plan. This plan encompasses waste sorting, selective collection, awareness, social behavioral change, and treatment of organic waste through the establishment of a state-of-the-art composting facility.

 

 “The United States, through USAID, has long championed the use of strategic partnerships and targeted interventions to empower municipalities across Lebanon to effectively manage their waste, which in turn fosters inclusive growth and improves the quality of life for all citizens,” said USAID Lebanon Mission Director Julie Southfield. “We take pride in our investments in the Qaraoun Composting Facility, representing a comprehensive model for solid waste management, addressing both recyclable and organic waste.  This serves as a compelling example for other municipalities, offering a replicable model that embodies best practices in waste management and environmental stewardship.”

 

Jad Sakr, DAWERR Chief of Party added, “Through meticulous planning, regulatory approvals, and extensive community engagement efforts, DAWERR is paving the way for other municipalities to adopt localized solutions for solid waste management, particularly for the treatment and valorization of organic waste.”

 

ECODIT is a U.S. women-owned small business with over 30 years of experience working with governments, businesses, and local communities to advance environmentally and socially responsible development around the world. To learn more about ECODIT, visit www.ecodit.com and follow the firm’s social media accounts on FacebookLinkedIn, and Twitter.

ECODIT Supports the Development and Launch of the First Mobile Application for Recycling in Lebanon
1/23/2024

On January 18, 2024, the USAID Diverting Waste by Encouraging Reuse and Recycling (DAWERR) project launched “ReList,” the first mobile application in Lebanon for recyclables trading. DAWERR is a five-year activity implemented by ECODIT that is developing sustainable processes for composting organic waste, reducing the amount of solid waste that goes to landfills, and improving existing recycling efforts throughout rural areas in Lebanon. USAID/Lebanon Mission Director Julie Southfield, Lebanon Minister of Environment Dr. Nasser Yassin, and Director General of the Ministry of Industry Chantal Akl Sfeir attended the launch event, along with DAWERR’s local partners Berytech, Compost Baladi, and ECODIT Liban, the heads of partner municipalities, representatives from sorting facilities, factories, traders and exporters of waste, international organizations, and the private sector.


“ReList” is a solution that provides businesses across Lebanon with easy access to buyers and sellers of recyclables; increases access to markets, raw materials, and fair prices; reduces transportation distances, costs, and eventually increases the price of recyclables. By connecting sellers of recyclable materials with potential buyers, “ReList” not only creates economic opportunities but also significantly contributes to a cleaner environment.

In her remarks, Ms. Southfield said, “The commitment of the United States Government, through USAID, to reduce the destructiveness of poor solid waste management has been done in partnership with local communities and the private sector and we think it is a beacon of hope for a sustainable future in Lebanon… By supporting ‘ReList,’ USAID is not just embracing innovation; we are contributing to the larger goal of environmental sustainability, economic growth, and job creation.”

“ReList” was developed by Nadeera, a Lebanese startup company specializing in solid waste management. Nadeera won USAID DAWERR’s Clearinghouse Challenge, which worked with innovative startups and small- and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) to develop an online marketplace for source-separated recyclables. The company received a $40,000 grant from USAID, along with tailored technical assistance during the six-month incubation period to develop the “ReList” mobile application. With its user-friendly interface and robust features, the application has already made a significant impact since its soft launch.  

Rabih El Chaar Founder and CEO of Nadeera said, “Looking forward, Nadeera envisions a future where the ReList application becomes an integral part of waste management strategies in Lebanon, promoting responsible waste practices and driving meaningful change.”

By 2025, DAWERR anticipates diverting 56% of waste in the target municipalities and improving the quality of life for 300,000 people served by sustainable solid waste management systems in roughly 24 municipalities. The project will also establish 40 public-private partnerships to support improved solid waste management, create 100 sustainable full-time equivalent jobs in recycling value chains, and generate additional financial returns from composting and recycling.

“DAWERR is testament to the power of working with local organizations, the private sector, and communities. Together, we are achieving real change and fostering innovations that will improve recycling and solid waste management in Lebanon for years to come,” said ECODIT President Roula Attar.

ECODIT is a U.S.-based women-owned small business with 30 years of experience working with governments, businesses, and local communities to advance environmentally and socially responsible development around the world. To learn more about ECODIT, visit www.ecodit.com and follow the firm’s social media accounts on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

ECODIT to Support USAID in Strengthening Gender Integration
9/27/2023

ECODIT is delighted to announce that USAID has selected its team to implement the Gender Leadership, Equity, and Advancement for Development (LEAD) program. LEAD will work with the Agency’s Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Hub (GenDev) to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment across USAID’s program cycle. Specifically, the program will provide technical assistance, forward-leading programmatic support, thought leadership, and knowledge dissemination in gender integration to USAID Missions and Bureaus across sectors and focus areas. This work will support the implementation of the 2018 Women’s Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment Act and USAID’s Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Policy. 

Over the next five years, ECODIT and its partners - Iris Group, Making Cents International, Population Reference Bureau, and the University of California San Diego Center on Gender Equity and Health - will provide comprehensive, adaptable, intersectional, trust-based, and locally led assistance options for expanding gender integration at USAID. Our team is deeply committed to realizing a more gender equitable future and brings specialized crosscutting and cross-sectoral expertise and strong capacity to implement LEAD. 

“ECODIT is excited to partner with GenDev and all of USAID to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment. Our work with the Agency across sectors has long integrated gender to optimize development impact and sustainability. We applaud USAID’s commitment to gender integration and look forward to supporting Missions and Bureaus to turn this commitment into real action for sustained development results” said ECODIT President Roula Attar. 

LEAD is a task order under the GSA
OASIS Small Business Pool 1 IDIQ
, a Best-In-Class solution for professional services that is available to all U.S. Federal Agencies. 

ECODIT is a U.S.-based women-owned small business with 30 years of experience working with governments, businesses, and local communities to advance environmentally and socially responsible development around the world. To learn more about ECODIT, visit www.ecodit.com and follow the firm’s social media accounts on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X.


ECODIT to Develop Tool to Calculate Greenhouse Gas Emissions from AFOLU
9/18/2023

ECODIT is pleased to partner with USAID and the Natural Climate Solutions Division to develop a user-friendly, publicly accessible online tool to calculate Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and carbon storage associated with Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use (AFOLU). The tool, which will replace the AFOLU calculator USAID developed in 2012, will facilitate reporting on standard USAID climate indicators, assist with activity planning, and align with the priorities of the USAID Climate Strategy 2022-2030. ECODIT will develop the AFOLU Calculator in partnership with major subcontractor Mathematica under a five-year task order from USAID. 

The AFOLU sector is responsible for just under a quarter of GHG emissions globally. The USAID Climate Strategy has ambitious targets, including mitigating 6 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) through USAID activities and country partnerships to support the conservation, restoration, or management of 100 million hectares with a climate change mitigation benefit. The new AFOLU calculator will help USAID achieve this and other targets by enabling staff and partners to plan, design, and track the impact of its programming on climate change more effectively.

The new AFOLU Calculator Tool will be flexible, usable, and accessible, with the potential of becoming a leading GHG emissions calculator resource for the wider AFOLU community. It will include geospatial user-interface and will have advanced reporting, monitoring, and planning capabilities. It will enable users to add, display and manipulate site- or activity-specific data and environmental characteristics, leveraging geospatial datasets. Users will be able to regularly report on, update, and monitor their projects and activities over time and at different scales. They will be able to estimate the future GHG emissions impacts of their projects and plan for future AFOLU interventions based on estimated projections of impact. ECODIT will use human-centered design to ensure that the tool comprehensively addresses the needs of its users.

To develop the AFOLU Calculator, ECODIT will draw on its long history of developing tools and programs to mitigate climate change. For example, ECODIT previously supported USAID in implementing the Agency’s Adaptation Plan and Executive Order 13677, developing resources that are now used throughout USAID to assess, evaluate, and address climate-related risks to USAID’s strategies, programs, projects, and related funding decisions through the USAID Climate Change Integration Support Activity. Through the USAID Green Annamites Activity, ECODIT worked with provincial governments, communities and the private sector in Vietnam to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 11.6 million tCO2e, boost incomes for more than 15,000 people, and mobilize more than $59 million in private sector funding for the environment. Also, under the USAID Lebanon Diverting Waste by Encouraging Reuse and Recycling (DAWERR) Activity, which aims to divert organic waste away from landfills through composting, ECODIT developed a user-friendly, Excel-based calculator to estimate GHG emissions avoided (in tCO2e) thanks to the Activity.

“ECODIT is pleased to partner with USAID and the Natural Climate Solutions Division to create the new AFOLU Calculator tool to enable data-driven planning and help future AFOLU initiatives maximize their contribution to GHG emissions reductions,”  said ECODIT Executive Vice President Joseph Karam. 

ECODIT is a U.S.-based women-owned small business with 30 years of experience working with governments, businesses, and local communities to advance environmentally and socially responsible development around the world. To learn more about ECODIT, visit www.ecodit.com and follow the firm’s social media accounts on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.


USAID Resilience ANCHORS and Zimbabwean NGO LEAD Launch Partnership to Enhance Climate Smart Agriculture
8/17/2023

On August 17, 2023, the USAID Resilience through Accelerating New Community-Based Holistic Outcomes for Resource Sustainability Activity (Resilience ANCHORS) launched a partnership with Zimbabwean NGO Linkages for Economic Advancement of the Disadvantaged (LEAD) to support smallholder farmers in the implementation of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) technologies; horticulture crop production and value chain development; and Non-Timber Forestry Products (NTFPs) commercialization in the Southeast Lowveld (SEL) landscape. This partnership will enhance Resilience ANCHORS’ work to improve sustainable natural resource governance, safeguard biodiversity, and build community resilience.

LEAD will develop value chains for a range of cash crops and liaise with private sector companies to support farmers’ access to markets and to strengthen rural agro-enterprises. The partnership will build on Resilience ANCHORS’ ongoing efforts in community-based natural resource management and climate change adaptation across the drought-prone districts of Chipinge, Chiredzi, Bikita, Hwange and Binga. It will support the project’s efforts to coordinate farmer groups within the same locality to form clusters that will participate in training and marketing. In addition, the partnership will facilitate interaction between farmers and private-sector partners. Nearly 7,000 farmers will benefit from the partnership, which also promotes locally led development in Zimbabwe.

USAID Resilience ANCHORS Chief of Party, Jeremy Swanson, welcomed the new collaboration, paying tribute to LEAD’s experience in increasing agricultural yields and livelihood opportunities for rural households and promoting farmers and private sector engagement for sustainable market-responsive economic activities.

“We are thrilled to partner with LEAD to enable greater numbers of farmers to overcome the challenges associated with climate change. Their adoption of climate smart agriculture strategies will lead to greater resilience among communities,” he said. 

LEAD will establish demonstration plots where farmer groups will learn by doing. LEAD Chief Executive Officer, Eliot Takaindisa, explained that the partnership is in line with the organization’s vision to build resilience, enhance food security, and advance enterprise development.

“We have an outstanding team ready to roll out activities and ensure that we promote village-level resilience along selected value chains,” he said. 

USAID Resilience ANCHORS is a five-year activity implemented by ECODIT focused on increasing the capacity of communities to sustainably protect and manage community-based natural resources and the wildlife economy. ECODIT is a U.S. women-owned small business (WOSB) with 30 years of experience working with governments, businesses, and local communities around the world to advance inclusive environmentally- and socially- responsible development. LEAD has nearly 20 years of experience in transforming farmer groups into viable enterprises across Zimbabwe, and in strengthening their leadership and governance capacities. 


USAID Cambodia Green Future Empowers Youth as Change Agents for the Environment
3/3/2023

In Cambodia, ECODIT is working with a diverse coalition of actors—monks, celebrities, indigenous groups, journalists, private sector organizations, and more—to catalyze a dynamic youth movement in support of the environment. Specifically, for the USAID Cambodia Green Future Activity, ECODIT has launched and is implementing a countrywide social and behavior change communication (SBCC) campaign—the first of its kind in the country—that promotes positive behaviors related to biodiversity conservation, forest protection, and sustainable natural resource management (NRM).

This campaign is critically needed in Cambodia, where much of the land is covered by biodiversity-rich forests that are home to countless plants and animals, including endangered species. Hundreds of thousands of people make these forests their home, including many members of indigenous groups. But the forests and the animals, and the people who rely on them for their homes and livelihoods, are in jeopardy due to illegal logging, climate change, and other factors. The future of Cambodia’s significant biodiversity and its indigenous communities hangs in the balance. 

The USAID Cambodia Green Future Activity works to empower Cambodian citizens and civil society with the knowledge and skills to use evidence-based communication systems to influence positive actions to support biodiversity conservation, forest protection, and broad sustainable NRM. The project’s three-phased SBCC campaign seeks to raise awareness of small, doable actions that could make a big impact in protecting Cambodia’s environment. 

The campaign’s first phase focused on reducing demand for unsustainable luxury wood furniture, while its second phase focused on reducing bushmeat consumption, and its third phase focused on stopping littering. The Activity created SBCC toolkits for each target behavior with communications tips for conversations with family and friends, key message matrixes, and social media content, and trained youth on how to effectively use them. The Activity also organized events, coordinated social media and other outreach, and trained and supported journalists, youth leaders, and social media influencers to communicate with their audiences on these topics.

The campaign’s biggest impact to date has perhaps been the empowerment of youth as agents of change in their communities. ECODIT facilitated the formation of youth “Green Groups” across the country and supported and trained them to lead conversations and plan their own outreach activities on environmental issues. For example, the team conducted study tours for Green Group members to Cambodia’s biodiversity hot spots, where they visited wildlife sanctuaries and connected with local indigenous communities. During these visits, young people learned about the illegal logging trade and spoke with law enforcement officers, who showed them evidence seized from forest crimes. 

The Green Groups have made a significant impact on the environmental sector in Cambodia, and the youth have become outspoken voices on these topics, both online and offline. Recently, they participated in a forum with Mr. Michael Schiffer, Assistant Administrator of the USAID Bureau for Asia, and USAID/Cambodia Acting Mission Director Craig Hart, where they brainstormed and identified specific actions that youth can take to promote biodiversity conservation and forest protection. 

The efforts of these youth and other Activity stakeholders have had a ripple effect, and Cambodia has seen a marked increase in environmental knowledge, and in behaviors to protect natural resources. Moreover, based on the success of these initiatives, USAID and other donors are now exploring the launch of additional environmental SBCC programs in Cambodia—ushering in a sea change with the potential to protect Cambodia’s future and safeguard its progress.

This story originally appeared in the Council of International Development Companies newsletter.

USAID DAWERR Promotes Innovative Local Solutions for Solid Waste Management
3/3/2023

Lebanon is famous for its Mediterranean views, sprawling mountains, and miles of countryside. But one problem threatens the natural resources, health, and prosperity of the country and its people: trash. Lebanon’s trash crisis began in 2015 when a large landfill site closed and dumping and burning waste on the streets became widespread, leading to civil unrest. Unfortunately, the country still lacks an integrated solid waste management (SWM) strategy. The situation became even more dire on August 4, 2020, when a tragic explosion at the Beirut port generated massive amounts of broken glass and other solid waste. To solve this problem sustainably, local governments, communities, civil society, and the private sector will need to come together to design and implement integrated SWM solutions. That is where USAID and ECODIT come in. 

In July 2020, USAID/Lebanon awarded ECODIT the Diverting Waste by Encouraging Reuse and Recycling (DAWERR) Activity, a five-year, $15 million project that will establish sustainable and replicable integrated solid waste diversion and valorization solutions in rural areas of Lebanon. The DAWERR activity is part of the USAID/Lebanon Initiative to Deliver Essential Assistance and Services (IDEAS) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), a funding mechanism that addresses the challenge of improving essential service delivery through clusters of municipalities in partnership with the private and not-for-profit sectors.

ECODIT is implementing DAWERR with three local partners: (1) ECODIT Liban, ECODIT’s sister company in Lebanon, which implements environmental projects with development partners; (2) Compost Baladi, a social enterprise that enables the recovery of organic waste and its valorization via composting; and (3) Berytech, an NGO that helps develop and nurture startups. These organizations actively engaged in the project’s design phase and participated with ECODIT in the co-creation process under the IDEAS BAA. 

The DAWERR Activity is now working with local authorities and communities in seven municipalities to devise and pilot novel SWM solutions, and to enhance these by engaging private and public sector entities. For example, the Activity facilitated public-private partnerships (PPPs) between several municipalities and FabricAid, a Lebanese social enterprise that collects, sorts, upcycles, and redistributes clothes to disadvantaged communities. 

In addition to municipal pilots, the Activity is working to mobilize young entrepreneurs to contribute fresh perspectives and new solutions to SWM. The project launched a five-day “Ideathon” that convened Lebanese entrepreneurs and startups to learn more about SWM challenges in Lebanon, receive support from mentors and experts, and pitch creative SWM ideas to a jury of experts. The winners, Lebanese University Environment, a team of students that will make biochar from organic waste by pyrolysis to be used as fertilizer, and EcoFriendlyConcrete, an enterprise focused on replacing concrete constituents with recycled materials, will receive grants and technical support from DAWERR. 

The DAWERR Activity also worked with the Lebanese private sector and startups to develop the DAWERR Clearinghouse, an online platform for source-separated recyclables to match demand and supply while ensuring transparency across the solid waste Recycling Value Chains.

To launch the Clearinghouse, encourage participation, and foster innovation, the Activity held a four-day bootcamp in which private sector companies had the opportunity to network, receive coaching from local specialists, explore the market, and develop a valid business model for an e-commerce platform. At the end, entrepreneurs pitched ideas for online businesses to a jury that selected Live Love Recycle, a mobile application that connects people to recycling collection services; Nadeera, a social enterprise that designs rapid, fit-for-purpose, and citizen-centric SWM masterplans and deploys technology to support their implementation; and VerdeTech, Lebanon’s first full-service licensed recycling company, which will campaign to raise awareness on the problem of electrical and electronic waste. The Activity will provide financial and technical support to these winners to help them launch and sustain their products and services, while building up the Clearinghouse as a dynamic online platform.

“We are pleased with the results that our partnerships with local organizations are producing, both in terms of increased local capacity for effective SWM and positive impact on communities and livelihoods,” said DAWERR Chief of Party Jad Sakr. “What we have here is the potential for empowered communities and determined innovators to revolutionize SWM in Lebanon, and that is truly exciting.”

This story originally appeared in the Small Business Association for International Companies newsletter.

USAID DAWERR Helps Lebanese Municipalities Improve Solid Waste Management
12/1/2022

The USAID Lebanon Diverting Waste by Encouraging Reuse and Recycling (DAWERR) Activity announced its second round of support to three new groupings of municipalities to improve solid waste management (SWM) services, thus diverting significant proportions away from landfills. USAID/Lebanon Mission Director Mary Eileen Devitt, Minister of Environment Dr. Nasser Yassin, Dr. Joelle Jandry representing Minister of Industry George Boujikian, and heads of municipalities of three selected groupings and DAWERR’s initial pilot projects, along with DAWERR partners Berytech, Compost Baladi, and ECODIT Liban, and representatives from international organizations in Lebanon and the private sector attended the event. 

The participating municipalities -- (1) Ansarieh, Loubieh, Saksakiye, Sarafand, (2) Ras El Matn, Deir El Harf, Qortada, (3) Anfeh, Bichmezzine, Fih, and Kfarhazir, in addition to DAWERR’s pilot projects in the municipalities of Baskinta, Batloun, Chanay/Majdel Baana, Jezzine, Qaraoun, and Rachaya El-Wadi --, along with their communities and their partners (e.g., non-governmental organizations, social enterprises, private sector entities) will receive tailored technical, financial, and business support to design, implement, and manage their activities. 

In her remarks, USAID Mission Director Mary Eileen Devitt stated, “A year ago, we launched partnerships with seven municipalities to promote user-friendly waste management approaches that balance the needs of the community and the environment. This year, we are building on this support by collaborating with 11 new municipalities to encourage better stewardship of Lebanon’s environment while generating much-needed income to support other essential municipal services.”

The event also marked the launch of the RELIST Application by Nadeera, the winner of the DAWERR Clearinghouse, a program that challenged innovative startups and small and medium enterprises to develop an e-commerce digital platform for source-separated recyclables. RELIST is an online recyclables marketplace that allows users to buy and sell directly. The winning startups of the DAWERR Ideathons 2021 and 2022 “Reconcrete”, “LU Biochar”, “RBNTech”, “Pulp” and “Eplastr” also showcased their winning prototypes and ideas at the event. Both Ideathons allowed young entrepreneurs and startups to compete in bootcamps and incubation programs to develop and present innovative solid waste management solutions. In addition to business support through workshops and clinics, the winners received USAID funding to support them in creating a prototype or enhancing a minimum viable product. 

DAWERR is a five-year, $15 million Activity implemented by ECODIT, which supports USAID/Lebanon’s work to develop sustainable processes for composting organic waste, reduce the amount of solid waste that goes to landfills, and improve existing recycling efforts throughout rural areas in Lebanon. By 2025, DAWERR anticipates diverting 55% of waste in the target municipalities and improving the quality of life for 300,000 people served by sustainable SWM systems in roughly 50 municipalities. The project will also establish 40 public-private partnerships to support improved SWM, create 100 sustainable full-time equivalent jobs in recycling value chains, and generate additional financial returns from composting and recycling. 

ECODIT is a U.S.-based women-owned small business with 29 years of experience working with governments, businesses, and local communities to advance environmentally and socially responsible development around the world. To learn more about ECODIT, visit www.ecodit.com and follow the firm’s social media accounts on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.


ECODIT Awarded the USAID WADI II IDIQ
10/5/2022

ECODIT was awarded a prime contract for the Water and Development II IDIQ (WADI II), issued by USAID’s Center for Water Security, Sanitation and Hygiene (the Water Center) of the Bureau for Resilience and Food Security. The IDIQ will provide critical technical services in support of the U.S. government’s Global Water Strategy (GWS) and the USAID Water and Development Plan. The IDIQ has a ceiling of $400 million and a five-year ordering period, with a seven-year period of performance. Under the Small Business Set-Aside clause of the contract, all Task Orders (TOs) valued at $5 million or less must be set aside for small businesses, but small businesses are eligible to bid on unrestricted Requests for Task Order Proposals (RFTOPs) and Task Order Contracting Officers may set aside any task order of any scope or size to the small business holders of the IDIQ. More information on the IDIQ is available here.

 

ECODIT, a U.S.-based women-owned small business (WOSB), is an established USAID partner in the water sector and previously held a prime contract for the WADI IDIQ (WADI II’s predecessor). For example, in the Middle East, ECODIT implemented legacy USAID water projects like the Jordan Public Action Project (PAP), Jordan Small Communities Project (SCP), and Morocco Water Resources Sustainability (WRS) Project, and conducted a program evaluation of 17 regional USAID water, environment, and agriculture activities funded by USAID’s Middle East Bureau. More recently, from 2016-2021, for the USAID Water Communications and Knowledge Management (CKM) Project, ECODIT supported the Agency’s Water Center to raise awareness of its water programming and priorities and promote learning, harnessing creative communications tools to reach audiences around the world.

 

ECODIT’s team for the WADI II IDIQ includes DAI as a major subcontractor as well as 11 other subcontractors with demonstrated institutional capabilities implementing programs across the IDIQ’s statement of work and target geographic regions. Our team is currently working or has recently worked (over the past five years) in all 18 high-priority countries and the two strategic-priority countries identified by USAID for assistance in safe water, sanitation, and hygiene, in addition to all eight GWS-aligned countries. ECODIT alone has worked in 19 of these 28 countries.

 

“Water is vital to the health, well-being and livelihoods of all people, and water considerations impact nearly every sector of USAID programming. ECODIT is thrilled to continue to partner with USAID’s Water Center to safeguard this precious resource by drawing on its capable team and leveraging co-created and integrated approaches, diverse and effective partnerships, and continuous and iterative innovation,” said Joseph Karam, ECODIT’s Executive Vice President and WADI II IDIQ Manager.

 

To learn more about ECODIT, visit www.ecodit.com and follow the firm’s social media accounts on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

ECODIT to Implement USAID Sri Lanka and Maldives MODEL Activity
10/5/2022

USAID/Sri Lanka and Maldives has awarded ECODIT the Monitor, Document, Evaluate, and Learn (MODEL) Activity. MODEL is a five-year, $7.2 million project that will advance USAID/Sri Lanka and Maldives’ learning agenda through inclusive, fact-based monitoring, evaluating, reporting, and outreach.

Through MODEL, ECODIT and its subcontractor, the Institute for Development Impact (I4DI), will provide services and build capacity in a wide range of monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) functions for USAID/Sri Lanka and Maldives, including documentation for reporting and outreach. MODEL will facilitate learning, disseminate key development results and best practices, and recommend opportunities for programmatic adaptation.

“ECODIT is pleased to partner with USAID/Sri Lanka and Maldives to strengthen the Mission as a learning organization and to build local capacity to provide MEL services. We are excited to support USAID to enhance development results and to contribute to Sri Lanka’s development as a democratic, inclusive, and self-reliant Indo-Pacific partner,” said ECODIT President Roula Attar.

ECODIT is a U.S.-based women-owned small business with 29 years of experience working with governments, businesses, and local communities to advance environmentally and socially responsible development around the world. To learn more about ECODIT, visit www.ecodit.com and follow the firm’s social media accounts on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

ECODIT Certified as a Women-Owned Small Business
9/9/2022

ECODIT has recently been certified as a Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for the Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Program.

This certification follows the appointment of Roula Attar as ECODIT’s new President starting in February 2022. Ms. Attar is a senior international development professional with more than 20 years of experience in project design, management, and implementation. She first joined ECODIT in 2011 and has since led business development, quality, communications, and outreach initiatives for the firm. Under her leadership, ECODIT was awarded new contracting mechanisms and projects that directly contributed to its notable growth in recent years, and successfully obtained ISO 9001:2015 certification in recognition of its strong quality management system.

Prior to joining ECODIT, Ms. Attar was the Lebanon Country Director for Search for Common Ground (SFCG), where she designed and implemented programs with Lebanese youth, the media, and the public sector, to help transform the next generation’s approach to conflict. Previously, she founded the field office in Jordan and managed programs for the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) across the Middle East and North Africa region, leading multi-million-dollar democracy assistance programs in legislative strengthening, political party development, electoral support, civil society strengthening, and women’s and youth’s political participation. Ms. Attar holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Wichita State University and is fluent in Arabic, English, and French.

“ECODIT is delighted to join the impressive pool of WOSBs that are contributing to sustainable development around the world. We look forward to leveraging our WOSB certification to forge new partnerships and make greater impacts across countries and regions,” said Ms. Attar.

ECODIT is a U.S.-based small business with 29 years of experience working with governments, businesses, and local communities to advance environmentally and socially responsible development around the world. To learn more about ECODIT, visit www.ecodit.com and follow the firm’s social media accounts on FacebookLinkedIn, and Twitter.

ECODIT Announces New President Roula Attar
02/01/2022

We are excited to announce the appointment of Ms. Roula Attar as President of ECODIT. As President, Ms. Attar will focus on developing and leveraging the ECODIT team’s formidable talent base and extensive partnerships to grow the firm and increase its impact and global reach. Ms. Attar will expand the firm’s legacy of locally driven development and affirm its culture of internal and external collaboration that emphasizes mutual respect, accountability, and learning. “I am honored to work alongside amazing colleagues that uphold ECODIT’s mantra of ‘empowerment with quality’ and proud of the rich and productive partnerships that we have developed globally, regionally, and locally,” said Attar. “I am thrilled to be stepping into this new role as ECODIT President and look to the future with optimism and excitement.”

ECODIT co-founder and former President Joseph Karam will continue to play a leadership role as Executive Vice President, providing strategic support and overseeing administration, finance, and operations. “Roula has been a driving force behind ECODIT’s growth over the past decade. I have full confidence in her ability to take ECODIT to a new level on its exciting journey and look forward to working closely with her in her role as President.”

Ms. Attar is an international development professional with more than 20 years of experience in business development and in project design and implementation. She joined ECODIT LLC in 2012 and most recently served as its Vice President for Business Development and Outreach, developing and executing strategies to grow the firm’s business and overseeing quality assurance processes, knowledge generation and dissemination, and internal and external communication. Ms. Attar is a democracy and governance specialist with extensive experience in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, including as Chief of Party (COP) for USAID projects. Previously, she founded the Jordan field office of the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) and led multimillion dollar democracy assistance programs in legislative strengthening, political party development, electoral support, civil society strengthening, and women’s and youth’s political participation. Ms. Attar holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Wichita State University and is fluent in Arabic, English, and French.  

ECODIT is a U.S.-based small business with 29 years of experience working with governments, businesses, and local communities to advance environmentally and socially responsible development around the world. To learn more about ECODIT, visit www.ecodit.com and follow the firm’s social media accounts on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.


DAWERR Activity Organizes Field Visit for USAID/Lebanon Delegation
11/02/2021

On November 2, 2021, the USAID Lebanon Diverting Waste by Encouraging Reuse and Recycling (DAWERR) Activity hosted a delegation from USAID/Lebanon for a site visit. The delegation included USAID Regional Contracts and Agreement Officer Amy Mc Quade, USAID/Lebanon Local Development Office Director Claude Zullo, and USAID/Lebanon Program Development Specialist Sana Saliba. During the visit, the delegation met the DAWERR team, learned more about the project, toured a solid waste processing facility, and connected with DAWERR beneficiaries.

For the first part of the visit, the USAID/Lebanon delegation met with the three winners of the recent DAWERR Ideathon competition, entrepreneurs and startups that are now being supported to develop innovative solid waste management solutions across Lebanon. These entities are (1) LU Environment, which is making biochar from organic waste by pyrolysis, which will be used as fertilizer to reduce the production costs for agriculture; (2) Eco-Friendly Concrete, a startup focused on partial replacement of concrete constituents with recycled materials; and (3) Eco Match, which is developing a platform for materials to promote a circular economy by turning the waste of some into resources for others. These winning groups  will each receive an in-kind grant of up to $6,500 , as well as technical support through a two-month incubation phase at Berytech, a core member of the DAWERR team. 

In the second part of the visit, the delegation traveled to Batloun, a village in Mount Lebanon, where they toured the Batloun Material Recovery Facility and met with the mayor of Batloun and representatives of the Batloun Municipal Solid Waste Management Committee. DAWERR supported the establishment of this Committee and is collaborating with them, the Municipal Council of Batloun, and other stakeholders to implement a sustainable solid waste management pilot. 

“Batloun has a vision for improving its waste management, and the town has already launched initiatives for sorting at the source,” said Batloun Mayor Marwan Kays at the meeting. “With the help of the USAID DAWERR Activity, the municipality has developed an action plan for improving solid waste management. Our aim is to become a zero-waste town,” he added.

The USAID delegation valued the interactions with DAWERR beneficiaries and thanked the team for a well-organized visit. “USAID is a key partner in the pursuit of innovative and sustainable solutions for solid waste management in Lebanon, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to showcase the impact that USAID’s investments are already having in this sector,” said DAWERR Chief of Party Jad Sakr. 

USAID DAWERR is a five-year activity designed to improve the social, environmental, and economic well-being of Lebanese citizens through sustainable solid waste recovery and diversion programs. To learn more about DAWERR, view its page on the ECODIT website and follow it on Facebook and Instagram


ECODIT Awarded the USAID ACES IDIQ to Support Good Governance
10/1/2021

ECODIT was awarded a prime contract for the Active Communities - Effective States (ACES) IDIQ, issued by USAID’s Center of Excellence on Democracy, Rights, and Governance (The DRG Center) of the Bureau for Development, Democracy and Innovation (DDI). The IDIQ will provide technical assistance, advisory services, training, and direct program implementation to support host country good governance, transparency, and accountability. The IDIQ has a ceiling of $250 million and a five-year ordering period, with a seven-year period of performance.  ECODIT is one of ten prime awardees, including five small businesses. Under the Small Business Reserve clause of the contract, all task orders (TOs) valued at $5 million or less must be set aside for small businesses. Moreover, under the Small Business Exception, USAID may directly place TOs with any category of small or small disadvantaged business that received one of the IDIQ awards.

The ACES IDIQ will work to strengthen systems of accountability, increase linkages between formal and informal actors on specific issues, and support the integration of good governance into USAID programs in other sectors including health, education, and economic growth. Activities will focus on the following technical areas: (1) Good Governance and Anti-Corruption; (2) Strengthening the Legislative Function/Legal Framework; (3) Decentralization and Local Governance; (4) Rule of Law and Security Sector Reform; and (5) Strengthening Oversight Mechanisms.

ECODIT has always integrated good governance considerations across its work in the water, energy, and environment sectors. We have extensive experience working with governments, civil society, the private sector, and communities, to implement reforms, increase operational effectiveness, boost accountability, and better serve constituents’ needs. We appreciate that USAID is making democracy and anti-corruption efforts a priority and look forward to partnering with the Agency to strengthen good governance around the world,” said Roula Attar, ECODIT Vice President for Business Development and Outreach.

ECODIT is a U.S.-based small business with 28 years of experience working with governments, businesses, and local communities to advance environmentally and socially responsible development around the world. To learn more about ECODIT, visit www.ecodit.com and follow the firm’s social media accounts on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

ECODIT to Implement New USAID Liberia Land Management Activity
07/30/21

USAID has awarded ECODIT the Liberia Land Management Activity, a four-year, $9.4 million project that will advance effective and inclusive management of communal land through land tenure processes and promote the formalization of land rights in Liberia, with special consideration for customary land rights and the rights of women, youth, and marginalized groups. The Activity was procured under the Strengthening Tenure and Resource Rights II (STARR II) Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ), a funding mechanism that allows for the provision of technical assistance to improve land and resource governance and strengthen property rights.

The Liberia Land Management Activity has the following four primary objectives: (1) to help communities obtain deeds to their customary land; (2) to help communities plan and manage customary land for productive use; (3) to help women, youth and other marginalized populations participate in and benefit from customary land management; and (4) to ensure land disputes and grievances are resolved appropriately through alternative dispute resolution.  Activities will include building the capacity of the Liberia Land Authority, civil society, and the private sector to support communities to secure land rights; facilitating the establishment and implementation of land use plans; developing the leadership capabilities of women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other marginalized groups; engaging traditional leaders and men for improved and peaceful power-sharing; and promoting alternative dispute resolution for land disputes.

“ECODIT is excited to partner with USAID to further advance the Mission’s work to formalize land rights in Liberia and improve the lives of Liberian citizens, particularly those that are most marginalized,” said ECODIT President Joseph Karam.

ECODIT is a U.S.-based small business with 28 years of experience working with governments, businesses, and local communities to advance environmentally and socially responsible development around the world. To learn more about ECODIT, visit www.ecodit.com and follow the firm’s social media accounts on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.


USAID DAWERR Project Signs MOUs with Lebanese Municipalities to Promote Sustainable Solid Waste Management
07/22/2021

On July 22, 2021, the USAID Diverting Waste by Encouraging Reuse and Recycling (DAWERR) Activity, a five-year, $15 million activity implemented by ECODIT, signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with six municipalities to improve solid waste management (SWM) through a set of pilot interventions. The MOU signatories included the mayors of the municipalities of Batloun, Baskinta, Chanay, Jezzine, Qaraoun, and Rachaya El Wadi, as well as DAWERR Interim Chief of Party Rachel Mallah.


The MOU signing ceremony was held in the presence of USAID Lebanon’s Local Development Office Director, Claude Zullo and Program Development Specialist, Sana Saliba, aas well as ECODIT President Joseph Karam and ECODIT’s partners Berytech, Compost Baladi, and ECODIT Liban. DAWERR and its partners committed to developing sustainable processes for composting organic waste and to improving existing recycling efforts. The Municipalities have already formed Municipal Solid Waste Management Committees to support the municipalities in implementing the pilot projects.


DAWERR is a five-year activity designed to improve the social, environmental, and economic well-being of Lebanese citizens through sustainable solid waste recovery and diversion programs with municipal unions, and/or clusters of municipalities throughout rural areas. DAWERR promotes the reuse, recycling, and monetization of solid waste as a sustainable way to reduce landfill use. Participating municipalities are selected through a rigorous evaluation and selection process. These municipalities, along with their communities and their partners (e.g., non-governmental organizations, social enterprises, private sector entities) will receive tailored technical, financial, and business support to design, implement, and manage the pilots. Eventually, DAWERR will replicate successful pilots and expand Integrated SWM solutions into other municipal unions. 


“Today we are signing the MOUs to reaffirm the partnership with the selected municipalities and engage with their local communities to design, implement and sustain solid waste diversion and valorization solutions that balance the need of the community and the environment with long term financial sustainability,” said DAWERR Interim Chief of Party Rachel Mallah at the event. “We will do everything we can to ensure that DAWERR will leave a legacy of enhancing local governance and SWM services, improving the health and quality of life of the Lebanese people, and creating sustainable jobs and livelihoods,” added Mr. Karam.


By the project’s end in 2025, DAWERR anticipates its activities will improve the quality of life for 300,000 people served by sustainable SWM systems in 18 municipalities and three unions of municipalities. The project will also establish 40 public private partnerships to support improved SWM, create 100 sustainable full-time equivalent jobs in the recycling value chains, and generate additional financial returns from composting and recycling.


ECODIT is a U.S.-based small business with 28 years of experience working with governments, businesses and local communities to advance environmentally and socially responsible development around the world. The firm has implemented several a number of environmental, water, energy, and livelihood projects, both in Lebanon and around the world. To learn more about ECODIT, visit http://www.ecodit.com and follow the firm’s social media accounts on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. (Photo Caption: From left, ECODIT President Joseph Karam, DAWERR Interim Chief of Party Rachel Mallah, George Alam (Mayor of Baskinta), and USAID Lebanon Local Development Office Director, Claude Zullo; Photo Credit: USAID DAWERR)


USAID Lebanon DAWERR Activity Solicits Lebanese Innovators to Find and Develop Innovative Solid Waste Solutions
07/07/2021

The USAID Lebanon Diverting Waste by Encouraging Reuse and Recycling (DAWERR) Activity is now accepting applications from Lebanese engineers, scientists, environmentalists, architects, creatives, innovators, entrepreneurs, and young professionals for anIdeathon”.  The Ideathon will engage these innovators to devise and launch novel sustainable solid waste management (SWM) solutions and business models that place a premium on recycling, reusing, and reducing, and protect human health and the natural environment. Such solutions are greatly needed in Lebanon, where SWM has been addressed mostly through a series of temporary fixes and emergency plans, often marked by illegal dumps, open burning, and unsanitary landfills.

Applicants with potentially promising ideas will be invited to a five-day event, with workshops in which they will learn more about SWM challenges in Lebanon, clinics where they will receive support from mentors and experts, and one day of pitching to a jury of experts. At the conclusion of the five-day event, participants with the most promising ideas will be invited to participate in a subsequent incubation program, which will help the teams validate and launch their business ideas. They will receive robust support including in-kind grants of up to $6,500 to finance first steps such as market research, branding, product design, website development, and legal registration. Initiatives that prove viable after this initial incubation phase will receive additional business and technical support and grants of up to $25,000 to pilot and scale their solutions.

USAID DAWERR is a five-year, $15 million activity implemented by ECODIT that is establishing sustainable and replicable integrated solid waste diversion and valorization solutions in rural areas of Lebanon. Through DAWERR, ECODIT and its partners—Compost Baladi, Berytech, and ECODIT Liban—are supporting USAID/Lebanon to introduce financially sustainable solutions that increase the reuse, recycling, and monetization of solid waste and reduce the amount of “residual” solid waste that goes into landfills. ECODIT is building the capacity and commitment of municipalities to provide improved SWM services, empowering communities to sort at the source and participate actively in various stages of the recycling value chains, and developing successful business models with the private sector through initiatives such as the Ideathon, that create green economic opportunities. The results will be improved health and social welfare and expanded economic horizons.

“ECODIT has a long history of working with USAID Lebanon to protect the country’s environment and enhance local livelihoods. We are looking forward to working with a range of Lebanon’s best minds to find innovative, new SWM solutions that will put the country on the path to sustainable solid waste recycling and management practices,” said ECODIT President Joseph Karam.

ECODIT is a U.S.-based small business with 27 years of experience working with governments, businesses and local communities to advance environmentally and socially responsible development around the world. The firm has implemented a number of environmental, water, energy and livelihood projects, both in Lebanon and around the world. To learn more about ECODIT, visit www.ecodit.com and follow the firm’s social media accounts on Facebook,LinkedIn, and Twitter.

USAID Water Communications and Knowledge Management Project Reaches Millions with Original Content
05/04/2021

In April 2021, ECODIT successfully closed out the five-year $15 million USAID Water Communications and Knowledge Management (CKM) Project. Since 2015, Water CKM has been supporting USAID’s Center for Water (formerly Water Office) and its partners to increase internal and external water sector program knowledge sharing and data collection, and to enhance communication and outreach to increase awareness of USAID water program activities and results. The project reached millions of people and increased water sector knowledge through original stories, case studies, evaluations, podcasts, social media, photo essays, and much more. 

Water CKM helped raise the profile of USAID’s water programming. Accomplishments included managing the @USAIDWater Twitter account, helping it more than triple its followers; publishing 142 articles and photo stories that garnered more than 114,000 views; and launching the Global Waters Radio podcast series. This pioneering series highlighted USAID’s thought leadership and technical expertise on a variety of topics including water security, WASH financing, sustainable sanitation, handwashing hygiene, and COVID-19, and brought in listeners from 120 countries.

One of the project’s top achievements was building the globalwaters.org platform. This website contains information on past and current USAID water projects, USAID water priority countries, and a host of resources including webinar recordings, reports, factsheets, blogs, and more. It became a recognized and sought-after platform among USAID water, sanitation, and hygiene and water resources management (WASH/WRM) practitioners, partners, and stakeholders for conveying and sharing information.  The project also completed a number of activities which facilitated knowledge sharing and learning among USAID stakeholders, including conducting a series of ex-post evaluations of USAID water projects, creating a database of all USAID water projects, producing a newsletter featuring the latest water research, and working with more than 20 partner organizations to produce 25 webinars on cutting-edge water topics with thousands of attendees. Through activities such as these, the project helped stakeholders engage with each other, learn from each other’s experiences, and work more effectively. 

“ECODIT is proud of its partnership with USAID on Water CKM,” said ECODIT President Joseph Karam. “The project’s impact will be felt for years to come as its tools and resources go on to inform  USAID and its partners’ work in the water sector.”

ECODIT is a U.S.-based small business with 27 years of experience working with governments, businesses and local communities to advance environmentally and socially responsible development in more than 50 countries. To learn more about ECODIT, visit www.ecodit.com and follow the firm’s social media accounts on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.


USAID Green Annamites Project Leaves Legacy of Conservation, Resilience, and Prosperity in Central Vietnam
3/1/2021

In February, ECODIT closed out the USAID Green Annamites Project, USAID/Vietnam’s flagship environmental project in central Vietnam. Since 2016, this $24 million project has worked with provincial governments, communities, and the private sector in Vietnam to reduce emissions and deforestation; conserve biodiversity; boost incomes for local forest-dependent communities; and mobilize investment from the private sector for environmental initiatives. Activities included building the capacity of institutions and provincial governments to protect forests, reduce climate change, and manage biodiversity; supporting forest-dependent communities to engage in sustainable alternative livelihoods; establishing carbon markets; and facilitating partnerships with the private sector. The Project met or exceeded all of its targets, laying the groundwork for Vietnamese governments, communities, and businesses to continue working together to protect Vietnam’s natural resources. 

As a result of the project, Vietnam has reduced its emissions and conserved its unique and precious biodiversity. More than half a million hectares are now under improved management, and 11.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent have been reduced, sequestered, or avoided. Moreover, the country saw a lot of biodiversity achievements not captured by data alone. For example, in an event that was celebrated throughout the country, the country’s Elephant Habitat and Species Conservation Area saw the birth of its first baby elephant since its establishment—a sign that the environment there is now healthy enough to support the gestation and rearing of new baby elephants. 

The project also enhanced the prosperity of local communities by teaching them how to better manage natural resources and supporting them to adopt new environmentally friendly alternative livelihoods such as eco-tourism and handicrafts. As a result, more than 15,000 people saw their incomes rise.

However, the project’s most enduring legacy may be that it established a firm foundation for Vietnamese governments, nongovernmental organizations, businesses, and communities to continue working to increase resilience, incomes, and biodiversity far beyond the life of the project. Nearly 100 institutions now have increased capacity in climate change adaption and sustainable landscapes, and with project support, the government has designated areas of high biodiversity as protected areas or national parks. Moreover, the project succeeded in mobilizing more than $59 million in private sector investment from both large companies such as Ikea supplier Scansia Pacific and small agricultural and handicraft cooperatives—nearly three times its target. 

“The USAID Green Annamites Project is a strong example of ECODIT’s approach to sustainable development in action,” said ECODIT President Joseph Karam. “We team up with a broad range of partners to lay the groundwork for durable, long-lasting change. You can see the impact of our work around the world.”

ECODIT is a U.S.-based small business with 27 years of experience working with governments, businesses and local communities to advance environmentally and socially responsible development in more than 50 countries. To learn more about ECODIT, visit www.ecodit.com and follow the firm’s social media accounts on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.


Andriy Mitskan to Serve as ECODIT’s Director of Energy
10/13/2020

ECODIT is delighted to announce the appointment of Mr. Andriy Mitskan to oversee the firm’s energy practice. As Director of Energy, Mr. Mitskan will provide strategic direction and leadership to ensure ECODIT provides high-quality technical assistance and management consulting in the energy sector worldwide. With more than 20 years of professional experience in the energy industry, Mr. Mitskan has a proven track record of successfully designing, implementing, and marketing sustainable energy solutions in Central and South Asia, Caucasus, Eastern Europe, France, and the USA.

Mr. Mitskan most recently served as Chief of Party (COP) of the USAID Cybersecurity Project in Ukraine. Between 2017 and 2020, he served as COP of the ECODIT-implemented USAID Central Asia Energy Links Project— a $23 million program that strengthened regional energy, security, and cooperation in the region. In these roles, he was instrumental in delivering complex and politically sensitive technical assistance, managed international and local experts, advised government officials working in the energy sector, and built the capacity of key stakeholders.

“I am honored to return to ECODIT and join its senior leadership team,” said Mr. Mitskan. “I am excited about the opportunity to assist the firm at a strategic level and advance its energy portfolio, promoting social and economic development in the communities we serve.”

ECODIT is an American firm that fosters environmentally and socially responsible development around the globe. For 27 years, ECODIT has worked with governments, businesses, and local communities in more than 50 countries in the areas of water, energy, natural resource management, and governance.  To learn more, follow us on TwitterFacebook, and LinkedIn.

ECODIT’s Clean Energy Work in Niger Spotlighted by Power Africa
8/19/2020

On August 11, the U.S. Government’s Power Africa initiative highlighted ECODIT’s work to expand electricity access in Niger in a blog post. The post detailed ECODIT’s work to bring electricity to one of the least developed countries in the world, through the Niger Mini-Grid Feasibility Study (MGFS).  MGFS is an important part of Power Africa’s work, which fosters partnerships among technical and legal experts, the private sector, and governments from around the world to increase the number of people with access to power. Power Africa aims to add 60 million new electricity connections and 30,000 new and cleaner megawatts of power generation to sub-Saharan Africa by 2030.

From January 2019 to August 2020, MGFS worked with the Nigerien Agency for the Promotion of Rural Electrification (ANPER) to bring solar energy to roughly 100 villages in rural Niger. Niger has one of the lowest electrification rates in sub-Saharan Africa (14%), and less than 4% of rural Nigeriens have access to modern electricity services through the national utility. The Study assessed the viability of building and operating 69 mini-grids that utilize existing telecom towers in Niger as “anchor tenants” for electricity services. ECODIT led a consortium of partners, in coordination with ANPER, to perform a wide range of technical, economic, environmental, and regulatory analyses to facilitate the financing, construction, and operation of mini-grids and allow key partners to strategically leverage resources from bilateral, multi-lateral, and private sector actors for the development of mini-grids that could help electrify up to 20,700 households.

“ECODIT is delighted to be recognized by Power Africa for its efforts to bring clean energy to Niger,” said ECODIT President Joseph Karam. “We look forward to a continued partnership with Power Africa to positively transform the energy sector in sub-Saharan Africa.”

ECODIT is an American small business with 27 years of experience working with governments, businesses, and local communities to advance environmentally and socially responsible development around the world. The firm has implemented a great variety of energy projects, including the ongoing Power Africa Data and Technical Support Activity, that aims to improve data collection and reporting to enable Power Africa to better achieve its energy goals. To learn more about ECODIT, visit  www.ecodit.com and follow the firm’s accounts on FacebookLinkedIn, and Twitter.

 

ECODIT Awarded the GSA OASIS SMALL BUSINESS Pool 1 IDIQ
8/17/2020

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has awarded a prime contract to ECODIT for the One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services (OASIS) Small Business (SB) Pool 1 Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ). This IDIQ allows for the provision of complex professional services to the various agencies that comprise the U.S. federal government.

The OASIS SB Pool 1 IDIQ has an ordering period from 2020 to 2024. The program spans many areas of expertise and mission space and multiple professional service disciplines, and allows flexibility for all contract types. Core disciplines of this IDIQ include program management services, management consulting services, scientific services, engineering services, logistics services, and financial management services. Areas of expertise include communication, compliance, defense, disaster, energy, environment, financial, health, intelligence, security, and transportation. To learn more about the OASIS SB Pool 1 IDIQ and ECODIT’s capabilities for it, please click here.

“ECODIT has extensive experience managing complex projects around the world,” said ECODIT President Joseph Karam. “We are thrilled at the opportunity to leverage this experience to support flexible and innovative solutions for the U.S. federal government.”

Since 1993, ECODIT has worked with governments, civil society, the private sector, and local communities in more than 50 countries to promote environmentally sustainable development. To learn more about ECODIT, visit www.ecodit.com and follow the firm’s accounts on FacebookLinkedIn, and Twitter.

ECODIT Supports USAID’s Emergency Response to Beirut Explosions
8/13/2020

On August 12, ECODIT President Joseph Karam and Kamil Wanna, Chief of Party of the ECODIT-implemented USAID/Lebanon Diverting Waste by Encouraging Reuse and Recycling (DAWERR) Activity, accompanied USAID Acting Administrator John Barsa, USAID Lebanon staff and other USAID Implementing Partners on a tour of Beirut, Lebanon. During the tour, they surveyed the aftermath of the two calamitous explosions that took place at the Port of Beirut on August 4, killing more than 160 people, injuring thousands more, and devastating a large swath of the city.

ECODIT is assisting USAID in its emergency response to the explosions. Through DAWERR, ECODIT is supporting the safe collection and storage of broken glass and other solid waste that resulted from the explosions. “ECODIT is coordinating closely with the Chemonics-implemented USAID Community Support Program. The response will support the collection and sorting of broken glass and other recyclables in order to channel them through current or future recycling value chains in the country,” said Mr. Wanna.

DAWERR is a recently awarded five-year, $15 million activity that will work to establish sustainable and replicable integrated solid waste diversion and valorization solutions in Lebanon. The Activity will introduce financially sustainable solutions that increase the reuse, recycling and monetization of solid waste and reduce the amount of “residual” solid waste that goes into landfills. The results will be improved health and social welfare and expanded economic horizons for the people of Lebanon.

“ECODIT is privileged to support USAID Lebanon in its rapid response efforts to help the Lebanese people in the wake of the Beirut explosions last week,” said Mr. Karam.

ECODIT is a U.S.-based small business with 27 years of experience working with governments, businesses and local communities to advance environmentally and socially responsible development around the world. The firm has worked extensively with USAID/Lebanon to support clean water, rural tourism, environmental sustainability, and improved governance. To learn more about ECODIT, visit www.ecodit.com and follow the firm’s social media accounts on FacebookLinkedIn, and Twitter.

ECODIT Awarded $15 Million USAID/Lebanon Solid Waste Management Project
7/16/2020

USAID/Lebanon has awarded ECODIT the Diverting Waste by Encouraging Reuse and Recycling (DAWERR) Activity, a five-year, $15 million project that will establish sustainable and replicable integrated solid waste diversion and valorization solutions in rural areas of Lebanon. The DAWERR activity is part of the USAID/Lebanon Initiative to Deliver Essential Assistance and Services (IDEAS) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), a funding mechanism that addresses the challenge of improving essential service delivery through clusters of municipalities, in partnership with the private and not-for-profit sectors.

An integrated, sustainable solid waste management (SWM) strategy that encourages the reduction, reuse, recycling and management of waste to protect human health and the natural environment is greatly needed in Lebanon, where SWM has been addressed mostly through a series of temporary fixes and emergency plans, such as rudimentary dumpsites, open burning, and non-sanitary landfills. Improper management of solid waste can affect water sources and cause adverse health impacts. Moreover, land disposal of solid waste has led to episodic disputes between communities over landfill site location, which has fueled intercommunal tensions in some cases and brought waste management projects to a halt.

Through the DWERR activity, ECODIT and its partners—Compost Baladi, Berytech, and ECODIT Liban—will support USAID/Lebanon to introduce financially sustainable solutions that increase the reuse, recycling and monetization of solid waste and reduce the amount of “residual” solid waste that goes into landfills. ECODIT will build the capacity and commitment of municipalities to provide improved SWM services, empower communities to sort at the source and participate actively in various stages of the recycling value chains, and develop successful business models with the private sector that create green economic opportunities. The results will be improved health and social welfare and expanded economic horizons.

“ECODIT has a long history of working with USAID to promote a more prosperous, healthy and environmentally sustainable Lebanon, including partnering with communities to establish the Lebanon Mountain Trail—Lebanon’s national long-distance hiking trail and a hub for rural tourism,” said ECODIT President Joseph Karam. “We are thrilled at this opportunity to deepen our partnership with USAID/Lebanon to help improve livelihoods, health, and the environment.”

ECODIT is a U.S.-based small business with 27 years of experience working with governments, businesses and local communities to advance environmentally and socially responsible development around the world. The firm has implemented several SWM and livelihood projects, both in Lebanon and around the world. To learn more about ECODIT, visit www.ecodit.com and follow the firm’s social media accounts on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

 

Baby Elephant Spotted in Vietnam Nature Reserve
4/13/2020

In March 2020, a team from the USAID Green Annamites Project spotted a healthy 9- to 12-month-old baby elephant during a routine biodiversity inventory at the Elephant Habitat and Species Conservation Area, an elephant reserve set up by the Project in 2017. Green Annamites is USAID’s flagship environmental project in central Vietnam. It is implemented by ECODIT, in partnership with local government bodies, businesses, and NGOs.

Biodiversity conservationists and the Vietnamese people celebrated this development as a sign that the newly established reserve is leading to real change. This is the first baby elephant identified since the reserve was established in 2017, at which time the elephant herd consisted of just seven adult elephants. Elephants have a gestation lasting almost 2 years (22 months). Thus, this development shows that the reserve, which consists of 18,977 hectares, has provided a safe habitat for the endangered Asian elephant to successfully give birth to and raise a baby. 

This milestone is particularly important because of the status of elephants in Vietnam. Threatened by habitat loss and degradation, illegal wildlife hunting, and ivory trading, the Asian elephant population is declining steadily and is listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. For many years, Vietnam’s Nong Son District in Quang Nam (QN) province has seen a dramatic decline in these majestic creatures. Today it is estimated that Vietnam has less than 100 wild elephants.

“ECODIT is devoted to preserving biodiversity around the world, especially in Vietnam,” said Jeremy Swanson, ECODIT’s Senior Manager for Natural Resource Management (NRM). “The new baby elephant serves as a beacon of hope for endangered elephant populations and is a testament to our commitment to building resilience and managing future conservation challenges.”    

The USAID Green Annamites Project works with provincial governments and local communities in Vietnam to protect wildlife populations, reduce forest degradation, strengthen conservation planning, and improve the livelihoods of forest-dependent people. The project has helped create alternative livelihoods for local communities, promoted a landscape approach to biodiversity conservation, built the adaptive capacity of government stakeholders and vulnerable communities to effectively adapt to climate change impacts, and mobilized more than $20 million in private investment toward the environment, sustainable landscapes, and NRM.

ECODIT is an American firm working with governments, businesses, and local communities to advance environmentally- and socially-responsible development around the world. For 26 years, ECODIT has provided professional services through more than 250 projects/contracts to diverse clients in more than 50 countries in areas of energy, water, environment and NRM, as well as urban and local governance.

ECODIT Sponsors Society for International Development-Washington’s 2019 Annual Dinner
12/16/2019

On December 12, ECODIT staff members joined more than 700 development practitioners, consultants, academics, and federal employees in Washington, DC for the 2019 Society for International Development Washington Chapter (SID-W) Annual Dinner. ECODIT was a Silver sponsor for this event, which is one of SID-W’s largest. The event opened with a networking reception, followed by a dinner and award ceremony, which spotlighted exceptional achievements in the field of international development. The evening culminated with an after-party for young professionals in development.

This year, Paul Polman, former CEO of Unilever and Co-Founder/Chair of Imagine was presented with the award for Outstanding Leadership in International Development.  Polman has made a significant impact in the areas of corporate social responsibility, human rights, and sustainable development, and his achievements include contributing to the creation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Currently, as Co-founder/Chair of Imagine, Polman continues to address the global challenges of poverty and climate change.

“ECODIT is an institutional member of SID-W and a staunch supporter of the annual dinner,” said ECODIT President Joseph Karam. “This event is a great opportunity to meet with like-minded people, explore new business opportunities, and learn about remarkable individuals driving transformative change in the international development sector.”

ECODIT is an American firm that promotes environmentally sustainable development around the world.  For 26 years, ECODIT has worked with governments, NGOs, the private sector, and local communities in more than 50 countries. To learn more about ECODIT, visit www.ecodit.com and follow the firm’s accounts on FacebookLinkedIn, and Twitter.

ECODIT Crosses the Finish Line at the Walk & 5K to End HIV
10/28/2019

On October 26, 16 ECODIT team members laced up their running shoes and joined thousands in Washington, DC to rally around Whitman-Walker Health’s (WWH) annual Walk & 5K to End HIV. WWH is a non-profit community health and wellness center which offers a broad range of services including mental health counseling, addiction treatment, and legal services to all in the DC metropolitan area, with a special focus on HIV/AIDS and LGBT healthcare. The health center was founded in 1978 to promote equality and inclusion, and to encourage everyone to love openly and lead healthy lifestyles.

For more than 33 years, the Walk and 5K to end HIV has raised funds in support of the center’s mission to “provide dependable, high-quality comprehensive and accessible health care to those infected or affected by HIV/AIDS.” This year’s walk and timed run took place between 7:00 AM – 12:00 PM, and began and ended at Freedom Plaza in Washington, DC. The event opened with an energetic program of warm-up exercises and culminated with a post-walk celebration with food, prizes, and more.

This year’s fundraiser has raised more than $400,000 to date, and supporters can continue to donate until December 31, 2019, to help WWH reach its overall goal of $650,000. The annual fundraiser is a critical component of WWH’s work to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Washington, DC, where roughly one in every 20 adults are infected with HIV.

“A cornerstone of our work at ECODIT involves bringing people and ideas together to create a positive lasting impact on communities and their environments,” said ECODIT Vice President for Business Development Douglas Kerr. “We are proud to participate in this unique event that brings together individuals, NGOs, and corporations to ensure more members of our community have access to quality health services.”

ECODIT is a U.S.-based small business with experience working in more than 50 countries in the energy, water, environment, urban and governance sectors. For 26 years, ECODIT has worked with governments, businesses, and local communities to advance environmentally and socially responsible development worldwide. To learn more about ECODIT, visit www.ecodit.com and follow the firm’s accounts on FacebookLinkedIn, and Twitter.

ECODIT Awarded Power Africa Data and Technical Support Activity
10/18/19

USAID has awarded ECODIT the Power Africa Data and Technical Support Services Activity, a five-year project that will provide technical and data support to Power Africa, the U.S. Government initiative aimed at supporting economic growth and development by increasing access to reliable, affordable, and sustainable power across Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Data and Technical Support Services Activity is being implemented under the Power Africa Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ), which ECODIT holds as a prime contractor. The IDIQ allows for the provision of technical assistance and transaction advisory services to implement USAID’s energy activities across the continent.

Through this activity, ECODIT will support Power Africa to improve data collection and reporting, assess progress toward its goals, identify and vet new partners, build capacity, and advise on technology, power transactions, and other topics, in order to advance Power Africa’s 2.0 strategy. This support will enable Power Africa to better achieve its goals of bringing 30,000 Megawatts of clean new energy and 60 million new electricity connections to Sub-Saharan Africa.

“ECODIT is proud to be a Power Africa partner,” said ECODIT Vice-President for Energy Richard Edwards. “We look forward to supporting Power Africa to bring power to millions of people across the continent who currently lack electricity access.”

ECODIT is a U.S.-based small business with 26 years of experience working with governments, businesses, and local communities to advance environmentally and socially responsible development around the world. The firm has implemented a number of USAID energy projects around the globe. To learn more about ECODIT, visit www.ecodit.com and follow the firm’s social media accounts on FacebookLinkedIn, and Twitter.

ECODIT Awarded the USAID Energy II IDIQ
10/7/2019

USAID has awarded a prime contract to ECODIT for the Energy II Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract (IDIQ). This IDIQ will promote sustainable energy development in the countries in which USAID works. ECODIT’s Consortium for the Energy II IDIQ includes eight subcontractors who will bring a strong and diverse array of capabilities to address the greatest energy challenges worldwide. ECODIT was one of three U.S. small businesses to receive this award.

The Energy II IDIQ has a five-year ordering period and an aggregate maximum ceiling of $500 million. The program will provide USAID Missions, regional Bureaus, and host country stakeholders and partners with technical assistance and capacity building to manage the legal, regulatory, policy, governance, operational, financial, economic, and transactional components of improved energy sector performance, and to strengthen the enabling environment for private sector investment. It also will include energy activities in the areas of agriculture and food security, economic growth and trade, democracy, rights and governance, education, climate variability and change, human population and health, social development and gender equality, disaster mitigation and response, reconstruction, environmental and natural resource management, and urban development.

“ECODIT has extensive experience managing complex USAID energy projects and providing training and technical assistance to governments, utilities, regulators, and businesses,” said ECODIT Vice President for Energy Richard Edwards. “We are looking forward to leveraging this experience to support USAID to increase access to clean, reliable energy around the world.”

ECODIT has a proven record supporting USAID’s energy programs worldwide, including in the Caribbean, Central America, Central and South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa. ECODIT’s work in the sector has led to increased energy trade, improved legal and regulatory frameworks, increased financing for clean energy, and improved enabling environments. To learn more about ECODIT, visit www.ecodit.com and follow the firm’s accounts on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.


ECODIT President Joseph Karam Speaks at the 2019 Lebanese Diaspora Energy Convention
10/4/2019

ECODIT President Joseph Karam presented at a panel on tourism at the Lebanese Diaspora Energy (LDE) North America convention held in Washington, DC during September 20-21,2019. Mr. Karam was speaking in his capacity as the President of the American Friends of the Lebanon Mountain Trail (AFLMT). AFLMT is a non-profit organization that promotes educational programs, environmental protection, natural and cultural heritage conservation, and rural economic development around the Lebanon Mountain Trail (LMT), Lebanon’s first and longest long-distance hiking trail. The LMT was established by ECODIT with support from USAID from 2006 to 2008.

After showing the 2018 short movie “Hike It, Protect It” produced by the LMT Association (LMTA), Mr. Karam spoke about the amazing values of the trail, particularly its importance in connecting the Lebanese Diaspora with the homeland, saying, “The Lebanon Mountain Trail offers you an opportunity to reconnect with your origins, to discover or rediscover the heart of Lebanon! You will gain experiences that will stay with you for the rest of your life. And you will want to return again and again, and tell your children, family and friends to go to Lebanon and walk on the LMT!” He invited the audience to consider joining the LMT Thru Walk that takes place each year in April, or the annual Fall Trek in October. LMT events like this bring sustainable job and income opportunities to marginalized mountain regions of Lebanon and encourage local communities to conserve their natural and cultural heritage.

Mr. Karam initially conceived of the idea for a long-distance trail when he returned to his home country Lebanon after the civil war. He was inspired by his time living in America and hiking the Appalachian Trail to establish a similar trail in Lebanon, with the aims of promoting rural tourism, empowering rural communities, rebuilding the country in the aftermath of the war, and promoting healing and reconciliation. He subsequently received funding from USAID to establish the trail and later on the LMT Association (LMTA), a Lebanese NGO that protects, maintains, and promotes the trail. The trail is now lauded as a success story for public diplomacy and a symbol of post-war reconciliation. It attracts more than 25,000 visitors each year and provides livelihoods to guesthouse owners, tour guides, and other entrepreneurs in the 76 villages and towns along the trail.

During the convention, the AFLMT exhibited LMT materials, including pins, flyers, magazines, and books at a dedicated booth manned by Mr. Karam and the Ambassador of the LMT in Canada, Ms. Wafaa El-Osta. Convention participants dropped by the booth and inquired about the AFLMT’s programs and activities, including Lebanon’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Gebran Bassil, who spoke about the positive ripple effects of the LMT, including the beautiful trails and guesthouses that are coming to light in his own home province of Batroun. Mr. Karam’s participation in the LDE North America conference reinforces Lebanon President Michel Aoun’s embrace of the LMT last March as a national trail for the Lebanese people and Lebanon.

ECODIT continues to be an avid supporter of the LMT. In addition to its support to the AFLMT, the firm has provided thousands of hours of pro-bono expert advice and technical support to the LMTA, including for coaching and mentoring of LMTA staff; assisting with networking efforts at national, regional and international levels; and providing technical assistance to proposal writing and events organizing.

ECODIT Awarded USAID Cambodia Green Future Activity
10/2/2019

USAID has awarded ECODIT the Cambodia Green Future Activity, a five-year project aimed at mobilizing communities to conserve biodiversity and protect natural resources. The activity is a key component of USAID’s work to protect Cambodia’s unique and endangered natural resources, which include a variety of forests, valuable plants and trees, and a number of threatened wildlife species.

 

Cambodia Green Future will provide Cambodian citizens and civil society with the knowledge and skills to influence positive actions to support biodiversity conservation, forest protection, and broad sustainable natural resource management (NRM). 

 

ECODIT and subcontractor FHI 360 will employ best practices from their pioneering work in NRM, community engagement, and social and behavior change communications (SBCC). The Cambodia Green Future team will increase awareness and catalyze action via strategic campaigns in social media, radio, television, community events, and other methods. Cambodia Green Future will collaborate with a wide range of partners, including women, youth, and indigenous groups, and civil society organizations (CSOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and government bodies with environment-related mandates.  

 

While national in scope, Cambodia Green Future will continue the legacy of USAID’s efforts to strengthen capacities among the communities around the Prey Lang forest and Eastern Plains, areas that have a number of active critical projects, such as the USAID Greening Prey Lang Activity. ECODIT will foster a community of practice for those active in Cambodia’s environmental sector and mobilize funding for environmental advocacy from the private sector. 

 

“ECODIT is proud to deepen its partnership with USAID while working to safeguard Cambodia’s biodiversity and improve its prosperity,” said ECODIT President Joseph Karam. “We look forward to harnessing our years of expertise in NRM and SBCC to advance USAID’s goal of strengthening sustainable and resilient pathways out of poverty in Cambodia.”

 

ECODIT is a U.S.-based small business with 26 years of experience working with governments, businesses, and local communities to advance environmentally and socially responsible development around the world. The firm has implemented a wide range of complex NRM and communications and knowledge management (CKM) projects, including the ongoing USAID Vietnam Green Annamites Project, which works with provincial governments to protect Vietnam’s significant biodiversity, improve land use practices, help local ethnic minority communities to diversify and improve their livelihoods, and mobilize private sector resources for conservation and livelihood initiatives. To learn more about ECODIT, visit www.ecodit.com and follow the firm’s accounts on FacebookLinkedIn, and Twitter.

Afar Magazine Spotlights ECODIT’s Work on the Lebanon Mountain Trail
8/26/2019

On August 15, 2019, Afar Magazine, one of the top travel magazines in America, spotlighted the Lebanon Mountain Trail (LMT). ECODIT established the LMT– and its side trail the Baskinta Literary Trail (BLT) – with support from USAID during 2006-2008.

The article describes how ECODIT President Joseph Karam returned to his home country Lebanon during and after the country’s civil war and was inspired by his time living in America and hiking the Appalachian Trail to establish a similar trail in Lebanon, with the aims of promoting rural tourism, empowering rural communities, rebuilding the country in the aftermath of the war, and promoting healing and reconciliation. It further describes how ECODIT managed to receive funding from USAID to realize the LMT and establish the LMT Association (LMTA) to protect, maintain and promote the trail. The magazine calls the trail a “national treasure” and quotes Gilbert Moukhaiber, an ecotourism pioneer and also a former member of the ECODIT LMT project team, as saying that “through the trail, we are rebuilding what the civil war tore apart.”

The LMT is a 293-mile trail that connects shepherd and agricultural routes with ancient Phoenician and Roman footpaths. It comprises 70 culturally diverse mountain towns, two biosphere reserves, four nature reserves, and five protected areas. As part of the project, ECODIT recruited and trained staff, volunteers, and champions, established 11 family-owned guesthouses, upgraded two historic town squares, and built several other facilities for visitors, including three picnic areas, a campsite, and an open-air amphitheater/cultural park as part of the Baskinta Literary Trail (BLT). The trail now sees tens of thousands of visitors each year and is a source of livelihoods for local communities and a point of local and national pride. Earlier this year, the LMT was officially endorsed by Lebanese President H.E. General Michel Aoun at a ceremony at the Presidential Palace.

ECODIT is proud of its lifetime partnership with the LMTA, and Mr. Karam serves as the President of the American Friends of the Lebanon Mountain Trail (AFLMT). ECODIT has provided thousands of hours of pro-bono expert advice and technical support to the LMTA, including for coaching and mentoring of LMTA staff; assisting with networking efforts at national, regional and international levels; and providing technical assistance to proposal writing and events organizing.









 

CNN Spotlights Band-E-Amir National Park
6/26/2019
On June 26, 2019, CNN spotlighted Band-e-Amir, Afghanistan’s first national park. ECODIT worked with the Afghanistan National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) to establish this park in 2009 through the USAID Afghanistan Biodiversity Support Project (BSP).

The article describes the park as "Afghanistan’s Grand Canyon" and includes a slide show that touts the park’s "deep blue lakes," "picturesque red-hued cliffs," and "rocky natural dams." It quotes Richard Paley, the Wildlife Conservation Society's Afghanistan Country Director from 2013 to 2018, who said, "[Band-e-Amir] serves as one of the most notable places in Afghanistan where people from different parts of the country, different ethnicities, and different religious denominations can have family fun in an oasis of peace and tranquility. It's a very heartwarming sight to see."

The USAID Afghanistan BSP was a three-year (2007-2010), $6.3M project implemented by ECODIT, which worked to improve natural resources management (NRM) and environmental policy throughout Afghanistan. In addition to facilitating the establishment of Band-e-Amir, ECODIT provided legal and regulatory technical support for environmental laws, managed a $1M small grants program supporting watershed management and soil and water conservation projects, and trained more than 5,000 government officials and community members on a range of environment-related topics.

Since its establishment, the park has grown in popularity. It now attracts approximately 169,900, mostly Afghan, visitors each year. The park is yet another example of ECODIT’s legacy projects in the NRM, water and energy sectors, and a testament to the company’s successful efforts to realize the sustainability of USAID investments.
ECODIT Spotlighted as Small Business Success Story at USAID Conference
6/3/2019
On May 14, USAID recognized ECODIT for making a lasting impact in the development sector at the 12th Annual USAID Small Business Conference, which was hosted by USAID’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) in Washington, D.C. The event was a unique opportunity for small businesses to build relationships, share lessons learned, network, and gain insight about working with USAID and its partners. 

The conference’s theme centered around small businesses partnering to promote self-reliance, underscoring USAID’s commitment to ensuring that its development programs are supporting a country’s ability to implement solutions to its own development challenges.  The conference featured panel discussions and a networking reception hosted by the Small Business Association for International Companies (SBAIC), for which ECODIT served as a Bronze-level sponsor. ECODIT President Joseph Karam attended as a panelist in a discussion entitled “Overcoming Challenges- Small Business Success Stories.” 

“It is an honor to be recognized as a small business committed to creating a lasting impact in the lives of communities around the world,” said Mr. Karam. “Since its founding 26 years ago, ECODIT has partnered with USAID to address some of the world’s most pressing development challenges. Together, we’ve promoted clean energy, built the resilience of local communities, expanded energy access, and improved water, sanitation and hygiene services.” 

ECODIT was co-founded by Joseph Karam in 1993. At the time, the firm conducted environmental assessments, audits and training programs for such clients as the World Bank, UNDP, UNIDO, EU, Medcities, and USAID. In the years that followed, ECODIT’s business grew, and so did its impact.  Today, ECODIT is a trusted USAID contractor and leader in advancing environmentally- and socially-responsible development around the world, employing more than 100 professionals in the U.S. and abroad. To learn more about ECODIT, visit our website at www.ecodit.com and follow the firm’s accounts on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

ECODIT and USAID Make A Splash on World Water Day 2019
04/09/2019
ECODIT teamed up with USAID to launch a multi-platform media blitz in honor of World Water Day 2019 on March 22. This innovative campaign brought information about USAID’s water programming to social media users worldwide, thanks to 25 country-level USAID Missions participating in online outreach across Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. 

The campaign was engineered by the ECODIT-implemented USAID Water Communications and Knowledge Management (CKM) Project, which creates outreach materials and facilitates learning on behalf of the USAID Water Office. The Water CKM Project created a communications and social media toolkit highlighting USAID water-themed content and messaging, which included pictograms, photos, podcasts, videos, articles, and case studies. This toolkit was then distributed to USAID Missions, Bureaus, and Offices to facilitate their social media outreach in support of World Water Day. Thanks to robust posting and sharing from not only USAID but also implementing partners, development professionals, and other U.S. government agencies, social media content affiliated with this campaign reached maximum potential audiences of more than four million Facebook users and more than six million Twitter users, surpassing 2018 levels by 39 percent on Facebook and 450 percent on Twitter. Meanwhile, on @USAIDWater, the Water Office’s official Twitter account and primary social media channel, content affiliated with World Water Day received more than 165 retweets and 340 likes, while the account gained 150 new followers, bringing its total follower count to more than 7,230.

In addition to the social media campaign, the project produced special editions of USAID’s Global Waters Stories magazine and Water Currents newsletter, a special World Water Day photo essay, and a World Water Day-edition Global Waters Radio podcast. This content collectively reached audiences in more than 25 countries.

“World Water Day 2019 was a great opportunity to bring attention to the critical work USAID is doing around the globe to lay the foundation for a healthier and more water-secure future,” said Mary Renwick, Water CKM Project Chief of Party. “ECODIT is proud of its strong partnership with USAID and our joint work to increase awareness of USAID water programs and facilitate learning through innovative communications and knowledge management approaches.”

For 25 years, ECODIT has worked with governments, businesses and local communities to advance environmentally and socially responsible development around the globe. To learn more, visit our website and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

President of Lebanon Embraces the LMT
04/01/2019
On Thursday, March 28, Lebanese President H.E. General Michel Aoun hosted an event at the Presidential Palace in Baabda during which he publicly voiced his support for the Lebanon Mountain Trail (LMT) and its protection. The event was attended by ECODIT President Joseph Karam and colleagues from ECODIT LLC and ECODIT Liban, several ministers and parliamentarians, representatives of foreign embassies and agencies, and a large number of members, supporters and beneficiaries of the Lebanon Mountain Trail Association (LMTA). 

The LMT was established in 2007 by ECODIT, with support from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); it is 470 kilometers long, spanning the length of Lebanon from north to south. The LMTA is a non-governmental organization (NGO) that was set up at project conclusion more than 10 years ago to ensure the LMT’s sustainability. Mr. Karam’s inspiration for establishing the LMT came from the Appalachian Trail in the U.S., and from memorable childhood walks with his father in his Lebanese hometown of Baskinta.  

For years, supporters of the LMT have advocated for  official protection of the trail, to prevent it from being damaged by unregulated development. In his opening remarks at the event, Mr. Karam emphasized the state’s responsibility towards protecting the LMT and noted that President Aoun’s support “breathes new energy and renews hope for a Lebanon that is brighter for our children and for generations to come.”  For his part, President Aoun appropriately summed up the LMT’s journey, stating that ““everything starts with a dream, and the dream turns into a word that is heard by people with initiative and determination, who then make the dream a reality.”  

Douglas Kerr Joins ECODIT as Vice President for Business Development
01/04/2019
ECODIT is pleased to welcome Douglas Kerr as its new Vice President for Business Development, effective January 2019. Mr. Kerr has worked around the world on international development projects and has served in senior business development roles for various organizations for more than 15 years. Mr. Kerr will lead ECODIT’s business development efforts, foster partnerships, and provide strategic input and guidance to inform ECODIT’s growth and enhance organizational development and management.

Mr. Kerr most recently served as the Senior Director of New Business Development at the National Cooperative Business Association, Cooperative League of the USA (NCBA CLUSA). Prior to that, he was Managing Director of New Business Development at the Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA), the Vice President for Business Development and Communications at the University Research Co. Center for Human Services (URC-CHS), the Vice President for Business Development at Social Impact, and the Director of New Business Development at Abt Associates. In these positions, he helped lead the growth of these organizations, bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars in new international development projects. 

“I am thrilled to be joining such a fast-growing and dynamic company,” said Mr. Kerr. “I look forward to working with the ECODIT team and its partners to help ECODIT continue to grow, and to advance its work to improve natural resource management, foster clean energy, increase access to water and sanitation, and promote good governance across the developing world.”

ECODIT is an American firm with 25 years of experience working with governments, businesses and local communities to advance environmentally and socially responsible development around the globe. To learn more, visit our website and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

ECODIT to Support USAID to Expand Energy Access in Niger
01/02/2019
USAID has recently awarded a prime contract to ECODIT to determine the viability of building and operating 69 mini-grids to support energy access for 100 villages in Niger. These efforts aim to achieve 20,700 new mini-grid connections with existing telecom towers, and increase the number of people with access to power in rural areas of Niger, which is one of the least developed countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. 

The project is part of Power Africa, the U.S. Government initiative aimed at supporting economic growth and development by increasing access to reliable, affordable, and sustainable power in Africa. ECODIT is a prime holder of the Power Africa Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract (IDIQ), which allows for the provision of technical assistance and engineering consulting services to implement USAID’s energy activities across the continent.

ECODIT will develop a framework for implementation to support the mini-grid investment by assessing potential energy demand, population size, and distance from the telecom tower for all 69 mini-grid sites. The feasibility study will be conducted over a period of 18 months. This initiative supports Niger’s ambitious goal of reaching universal electricity access by 2035, at a time when a mere 11.2 percent of its population now has access to electricity. To date, Power Africa has helped add more than 28,000 new off-grid connections to the country.  

“ECODIT is proud to partner with USAID to ensure Sub-Saharan Africa meets its critical energy needs, said President Joseph Karam. “ECODIT is a recognized leader in supporting energy programs worldwide, and we look forward to helping Power Africa advance its goal of bringing  electricity access to millions of people.” 

ECODIT is an American firm with 25 years of experience working with governments, businesses, and local communities to advance environmentally-and socially-responsible development around the world. The firm currently implements USAID energy projects worth more than $30 million in Sub-Saharan Africa, Central and South Asia, and the Caribbean and Central America. ECODIT’s Consortium for the Power Africa IDIQ includes a quality group of energy experts and development partners that bring exceptional capabilities and experience in advancing sustainable development.

ECODIT Sponsors Society for International Development-Washington 2018 Annual Dinner
12/18/2018
On November 29, 2018, thirteen ECODIT team members attended the Society for International Development-Washington’s (SID-W) Annual Dinner, held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC. ECODIT was a Gold Sponsor of the dinner, which brought together academic institutions, nonprofits, the private sector and international development firms to recognize the extraordinary contributions of individuals who are improving lives around the world.
 
This year’s 2018 Annual Dinner honoree was Henrietta H. Fore, Executive Director of UNICEF and former Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Director of United States Foreign Assistance. Ms. Fore received SID-W’s award for Leadership in Development for championing public service, health, economic growth, education, and disaster relief for over four decades. The event also paid tribute to the late Kofi Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations, founder of the Kofi Annan Foundation and co-recipient of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize. Mr. Annan’s exceptional leadership and life legacy of mobilizing peace and advocating for human rights were commemorated. 

“ECODIT is proud to sponsor SID-W’s Annual Dinner,” said ECODIT President Joseph Karam. “As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, we are happy to join our colleagues in promoting partnerships and collaboration between key players in the sector, and facilitating the exchange of ideas and best practices to ensure sustainable development worldwide.”

ECODIT is an American firm working with governments, businesses, and local communities to advance environmentally- and socially-responsible development around the world. For 25 years, ECODIT has provided professional services through more than 250 projects/contracts to diverse clients in more than 50 countries. The firm is an institutional member of SID-W.

ECODIT Hosts Gala Celebrating 25 Years of Partnerships for Sustainable Development
11/9/2018
On November 9, ECODIT celebrated 25 years of working with governments, businesses, and local communities to advance environmentally- and socially-responsible development around the world with a gala held at American University’s Constitution Hall. ECODIT staff and development partners attended the event, at which they recounted key milestones from ECODIT’s history and celebrated its success at transforming the lives of vulnerable people globally.

At the event, ECODIT Co-Founder and President Joseph Karam and USAID Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization Deputy Director Kimberly Ball delivered remarks underscoring ECODIT’s commitment to sustainable partnerships for development. “You know that [ECODIT is] a wonderful company when you see so many of their peers and sometimes competitors sitting in the audience to come and celebrate their success,” said Ms. Ball at the event. “You’ve done an extraordinary job and we hope to see you continue that.”

To date, ECODIT has conducted more than 250 short-term assignments and implemented a dozen complex long-term multi-million dollar development projects for donors, governments and other development partners, in the water, energy, environment, and governance sectors in more than 50 countries.  These efforts have improved the lives of millions of individuals around the world. 

“We are proud of our legacy of empowering communities, enabling economic growth, and promoting the stewardship of natural resources,” said Mr. Karam. “As ECODIT celebrates 25 years in business, I am confident that our growing team will sustain and amplify ECODIT’s successes and accomplishments over the next 25 years!”

ECODIT is an American international development firm that works around the world to create lasting positive impacts on communities and their environments. Throughout its history, ECODIT has prided itself on its commitment to quality, learning, innovation, and partnership. The firm boasts a seasoned and mostly home-grown leadership and management team, and a talented pool of more than 100 professionals working from its Home Office in Arlington, Virginia and its three project offices in Africa and Central and Southeast Asia.  

To learn more about ECODIT and its legacy, please visit the firm’s website and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

ECODIT Receives Accreditation for Quality Management Systems
11/14/2018
ECODIT is proud to announce that it has received ISO 9001 certification. ISO 9001 is an international standard used by organizations who strive to ensure their products and services meet customers’ requirements and that quality is continually improved.

In order to obtain this certification, ECODIT underwent a comprehensive audit of its human resources, contracts, quality, and project management systems. Companies receiving this certification are verified to have robust procedures that cover all key practices in the business; monitoring structures to ensure these procedures’ effectiveness; strong record-keeping systems; and a continuous quality assurance and improvement program, including processes for improvement of the system and the assurance of conformity to customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements. The certification is verified every year and renewed every three years. 

“Since its founding in 1993, ECODIT has prided itself on its commitment to quality, and the ISO 9001 certification is testament to this unwavering commitment,” said Roula Attar, Vice President of Quality, Learning, and Communications. “Our strong quality assurance procedures and standards have enabled us to establish trusted partnerships and to transform millions of lives worldwide. We look forward to continuing to refine and improve our quality management systems as we grow.”

ECODIT is a leading American international development firm with 25 years of experience working with governments, businesses, and local communities to advance environmentally- and socially-responsible development around the world. To learn more, visit www.ecodit.com.  

CASA-1000 Inter - Governmental Council Announces Award of $330 million High Voltage Transmission Facility Contracts
9/21/2018
The CASA-1000 Power Transmission Project countries, through the project’s Inter-Governmental Council (IGC), are pleased to announce the placement of an order of around US$330 million to ABB of Sweden and Cobra Instalaciones y Servicios of Spain to build two high-voltage direct current (HVDC) converter stations in Tajikistan and Pakistan. These converter stations will enable the efficient transmission of renewable hydropower from generation sites in the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan to consumption centers in Pakistan via Afghanistan through the CASA-1000 electric power transmission system. These contracts are the largest component of the $1.2 billion CASA system. Line routing activities began on three of the eight transmission line corridors that comprise the CASA-1000 system earlier this year.

The CASA-1000 Project will have initial capacity to transmit 1,300 megawatts of electricity through its 800 km - long HVDC transmission line in Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and 500 km of interconnecting High Voltage Alternating Current (HVAC) transmission lines in the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan. The overhead lines in CASA-1000 have been designed with capacity to almost double the power transmitted.

The CASA-1000 Project supports a Pakistan government strategy to manage an increasing demand for electricity, and will also allow the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan to better utilize their hydropower generation, with Tajikistan ranking eighth in the world for hydropower potential. The two countries have excess supply during the warm summer months, which cannot be utilized locally, while Pakistan has an increasing demand for electricity to support its growing economy. CASA-1000 further demonstrates Afghanistan’s role as an important energy transit country. This new, mutually beneficial transmission infrastructure will help create an economic and political bond between these neighboring countries and represents one of the first substantial economic ties between Central Asia and South Asia.

Signing of the contracts took place under the authority of the CASA IGC in the presence of Energy Ministers, Deputy Ministers and other representatives of the National Transmission Companies of the four CASA countries, as well as representatives of the International Financial Institutions providing the project’s financing.

Financing is being provided by a consortium of international organizations, including the World Bank Group, Islamic Development Bank, USAID, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, European Investment Bank and UK Department for International Development. IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has advised the CASA countries and supported the IGC in structuring and competitively tendering the HVDC converter station tender package.  The CASA Secretariat is provided by ECODIT through the USAID Central Asia Energy Links project.

For this project, ECODIT is working to help increase intra- and inter-regional energy trade, improve legal and regulatory frameworks and investment climate, improve corporate governance, operations, and commercialization of energy companies, and increase energy efficiency across countries in Central Asia, in order to move countries in the region toward an integrated, competitive regional energy market.  One of the project’s key components is providing a fully-staffed, high-performing CASA-1000 Secretariat, facilitating the drafting and execution of necessary documents for the planning, construction, and implementation of a new CASA-1000 electricity transmission system. 

CASA-1000 aims to facilitate electricity trade between the countries of Central Asia and South Asia by putting in place the commercial and institutional arrangements and the transmission infrastructure required for this trade. The four countries participating in the project are Afghanistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan and Tajikistan.

Water CKM Holds Webinar on Rural Water Infrastructure
8/28/2018
On August 23, 2018, the USAID Water Communications and Knowledge Management (CKM) Project hosted a webinar on “Preventative Maintenance Models for Sustainable Rural Water Service.” The webinar was led by the USAID Sustainable Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Systems Learning Partnership (SWS), which seeks to improve the sustainability of WASH services in rural areas and underserved communities through a systems-based approach that involves employing research and increasing understanding of local systems to overcome challenges to existing WASH infrastructure and services. 

Nearly 90 international development practitioners, water experts, and researchers participated in the webinar. Ella Lazarte, Senior Water and Sanitation Advisor at USAID’s Bureau for Economic Growth, Education and Environment’s (E3) Water Office, moderated the webinar, which featured presentations by Duncan McNicholl, General Manager of Whave Solutions Ltd., and Rob Hope, Associate Professor at the School of Geography and the Environment and Director of the Water Programme at the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment. 

Recent studies, including USAID post-evaluations conducted by the Water CKM Project, have shown that investments in WASH programming often have not led to long-term sustained improvements. The webinar shed light on the importance of using preventative maintenance approaches to improve the sustainability of USAID WASH interventions. The webinar also highlighted recent learnings from preventative maintenance models used in Uganda and Kenya, which can inform future USAID WASH planning and investments. For example, Whave Solutions, a Ugandan non-profit social enterprise, provides local maintenance services in partnership with the Government of Uganda and local communities. Whave Solutions works to provide a financially sustainable water service system in rural communities and also leverages local partnerships to improve the reliability of rural water access in Uganda. 

The USAID Water CKM Project organized the webinar to boost information sharing on water sector programs. The project is implemented by ECODIT and supports the USAID/E3 Water Office and its partners to increase water sector program knowledge sharing and data collection, both internally and externally. The Water CKM Project regularly conducts research, analysis, and collaborative learning events to improve the sustainability of WASH programming. 

ECODIT is a trusted USAID partner with 25 years of experience working with governments, businesses, and local communities to advance environmentally- and socially-responsible development around the world. More information is available at www.ecodit.com. (Photo credit: Whave Solutions Ltd.)

USAID Awards ECODIT STARR II IDIQ
7/20/2018
USAID has awarded a prime contract to ECODIT for the Strengthening Tenure and Resource Rights II (STARR II) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract.  The STARR II IDIQ allows for the provision of technical assistance to USAID’s Office of Land and Urban (LU) in the Bureau for Economic Growth, Education, and Environment (E3). These services will support LU to improve land and resource governance and strengthen property rights for all members of society, especially women.

The STARR II IDIQ has a five-year ordering period and an aggregate maximum value of $650 million, shared among a total of four large business and three small business awardees, one of which is ECODIT. Projects under the contract will take place worldwide and focus on the following four technical areas: (1) Securing Resource Rights and Improving Resource Governance; (2) Evidence and Learning; (3) Training; and (4) Knowledge Management and Communications.

“Strong and secure land and resource governance is a necessary precondition of inclusive and sustainable economic growth,” said ECODIT President Joseph Karam. “These issues are at the heart of our work and we are excited to be collaborating with the LU Office to achieve development objectives worldwide.” 

ECODIT is a trusted USAID partner with 25 years of experience working with governments, businesses, and local communities to advance environmentally- and socially-responsible development around the world. With this new award, ECODIT now holds seven prime IDIQ contracts with USAID in the energy, water, environment and governance sectors. 

Water CKM Project Hosts Webinar on the Sustainability of Water Projects in Indonesia
6/27/2018
On June 27, 2018, the USAID Water Communications and Knowledge Management (CKM) Project, implemented by ECODIT, and USAID’s Bureau for Economic Growth, Education and Environment’s (E3) Water Office hosted a webinar entitled “Sustaining Urban Water Utility Services: A Look Back at USAID’s Indonesia Environmental Services Program (ESP) Activity.” 

The webinar featured a presentation by Leslie Green Hodel, Senior Technical Specialist at Social Impact and Senior Advisor for the Water CKM Project, on findings from an ex-post evaluation of ESP, implemented from 2004 to 2010. ESP partnered with the Government of Indonesia, NGOs, the private sector, and other stakeholders to increase access to clean water and strengthen the responsible management of water resources in Indonesia. The ESP evaluation is the second in a series of six independent evaluations of closed USAID-funded water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) activities, conducted by the Water CKM Project. The series of evaluations will help inform future development programming, sustainable project design, and implementation.

The webinar discussed the evaluation’s findings regarding the sustainability of the water utility capacity building, microcredit, and financial stability initiatives supported by ESP in eight former intervention areas. The evaluation used a mixed-methods design, integrating qualitative interviews and quantitative data collection and analysis to assess which interventions were maintained since 2010.  Seven years after the close of ESP, findings show water utility access progressed in most areas, however, financial and microcredit outcomes were generally mixed. The findings also reveal that financing local water utilities remains a challenge. 

Webinar attendees, who consisted of USAID staff and other water and development practitioners, found the evaluation and associated webinar helpful for informing and boosting the sustainability of future programming. "The completed webinar marked an end to a very good process of ex-post ESP evaluation,” said USAID/Indonesia Senior WASH Program Specialist Trigeany Linggoatmodjo. “USAID/Indonesia is learning from ESP to design and implement follow-on WASH projects in urban areas in Indonesia. We are hopeful that the results from this evaluation will be useful for colleagues at USAID and other development partners to design and implement more sustainable WASH activities.”

ECODIT has implemented the USAID Water CKM Project since 2015. The five-year project supports USAID’s E3 Water Office to enhance data collection and information sharing on water-related programs. The project works to increase awareness of USAID water programs and strengthen research and analysis to improve development interventions and outcomes. (Photo Credit: USAID ESP Project)
 

ECODIT Sponsors Annual Society for International Development-Washington Conference
5/31/2018
On May 31, 2018, nine ECODIT team members attended the annual Society for International Development-Washington (SID-W) conference in Washington, D.C. ECODIT was a Silver Sponsor of the conference, which brought together top development practitioners from the government, nonprofit, and private sectors to network, learn from each other, and exchange ideas.

The theme of the conference was “The Future of Development in a Rapidly Changing World.” ECODIT staff attended all panel sessions, which focused on such topics as private sector models of development, harnessing technological innovation to foster development, and requirements of the future international development workforce. Speakers included senior government officials, academics, and private sector leaders. In addition to attending the panel sessions, ECODIT was present at the Exhibition Hall where staff engaged with conference attendees about the firm’s work to improve management and use of water, energy, and environmental resources worldwide.

“ECODIT is committed to continuous learning,” said ECODIT Vice President of Quality, Learning, and Communications Roula Attar. “We are proud to sponsor the SID-W conference, and greatly value this opportunity to exchange ideas and best practices with colleagues throughout the development sector.” 

ECODIT is a leading firm in the sector with 25 years of experience working with governments, businesses, and local communities to advance environmentally- and socially-responsible development around the world. The firm is an institutional member of SID-W. 

ECODIT to Serve as Core Partner for the USAID CEL Project
5/23/2018
On May 23, 2018, USAID awarded the five-year Communications, Evidence, and Learning (CEL) Project to a consortium led by Training Resources Group, Inc. (TRG). ECODIT is a core member of this consortium, which also includes the Urban Institute, Landesa, Forum One, and NORC at the University of Chicago. 

The new CEL Project supports the USAID Office of Land and Urban (LU) to create, expand, and disseminate evidence-based knowledge in land tenure, property rights, and resource governance, as well as in urban development, urban-based programming, and sustainable cities. It will do so through such activities as impact and project evaluations, scientific research, assessments, pilots of new technologies, and communications, outreach, and knowledge management. Project outputs will inform USAID program design and implementation, monitoring and evaluation, policy discussions and decisions, and help to optimize resources to advance USAID's core development objectives.

“ECODIT is proud to be a part of the outstanding TRG-led CEL Project consortium,” said ECODIT Director of Governance Steve Anlian. “We are looking forward to contributing our expertise in urban issues, land governance, evaluations and assessments, and communications and knowledge management to help USAID foster sustainable development in rural and urban areas.”

ECODIT is a trusted USAID partner with 25 years of experience working with governments, businesses, and local communities to advance environmentally- and socially-responsible development around the world. ECODIT is currently implementing the USAID Support of the Urban Policy (SOUP) Project, which provides training, research and analysis, and communications and knowledge management support on urban issues to USAID. The CEL Project will expand on work conducted under the SOUP Project to date.

ECODIT Wins USAID Power Africa IDIQ Award
2/16/2018
USAID has awarded a prime contract to ECODIT for the Power Africa IDIQ (Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract).  The Power Africa IDIQ allows for the provision of technical assistance and engineering consulting services to implement USAID’s activities in support of Power Africa, the U.S. Government initiative focused on increasing access to electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa. The IDIQ will facilitate the achievement of Power Africa’s targets of increasing installed power capacity by 30,000 megawatts and creating 60 million new electricity connections, to double electricity access in the region.

The Power Africa IDIQ has a five-year ordering period and an aggregate maximum value of $900 million, shared among a total of four large business awardees and five small businesses (including ECODIT). Projects under the contract will take place throughout sub-Saharan Africa and focus on the following 14 service areas: 1. Generation, Transmission, and Distribution Transactions; 2. Finance; 3. Legal; 4. Engineering; 5. Planning; 6. Electric Utility Reform and Restructuring; 7. Electricity Access; 8. International Power Exchange and Power Trading; 9. Demand-Side Management and Energy Efficiency; 10. Cleaner Energy Technologies; 11. Gas; 12. Governance; 13. Legal and Regulatory Framework; and 14. Coordination and Cooperation.

“We could not be more thrilled to have the opportunity to support the U.S. Government in its crucial work to electrify Africa,” said ECODIT President Joseph Karam. “ECODIT is proud to be a trusted USAID partner, and excited to deepen this partnership through capacity building, innovation, and effective technical support to help Power Africa reach its targets and accelerate growth and development.”

ECODIT has a proven record supporting USAID’s energy programs worldwide. The firm currently implements USAID energy projects worth more than $40 million in Sub-Saharan Africa, Central and South Asia, and the Caribbean and Central America. ECODIT’s Consortium for the Power Africa IDIQ includes seven U.S. and regional partners that bring robust and complementary capabilities and experience in the IDIQ’s service areas. 

ECODIT Appoints Dick Edwards as Vice President for Business Development
12/21/2017
ECODIT is pleased to welcome Dick Edwards as its new Vice President for Business Development. Mr. Edwards has more than 30 years of experience in business development and in managing, designing, and implementing major energy and environment programs in more than 25 countries. In his new role, Mr. Edwards will lead ECODIT’s business development efforts and provide strategic input and guidance to inform ECODIT’s growth and enhance organizational development and management.

Mr. Edwards previously served as a USAID Foreign Service Officer. In this capacity, he held a number of positions in which he managed complex programs, cultivated relationships with local partners, and oversaw multicultural teams. He has served as Director of the Office of Energy at USAID/India, Director of the Offices of Environment and Education at USAID/Egypt, and the Director of the Office of Economic Growth and Tsunami Reconstruction at USAID/Sri Lanka. From 2015-2017, he served as Director of USAID’s Regional Pacific Islands Office.

Mr. Edwards first encountered ECODIT in 1996, when he was the Environment Officer at USAID/Morocco, where ECODIT was implementing the USAID Water Resources Sustainability Activity. “I was impressed at how ECODIT embraced innovation and worked with Moroccans to develop cutting-edge, locally appropriate water and sanitation solutions,” he said.
In addition to his work at USAID, Mr. Edwards previously served as Vice President responsible for business development, strategy, and clean energy at Nexant, Inc. He has also worked with the World Wildlife Fund, the Peace Corps, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 
 
“Over the years, ECODIT has cemented its reputation as one of the most forward-thinking purveyors of development solutions in the world, and I could not be happier to join the team,” said Mr. Edwards. “I look forward to helping ECODIT build on its success, expand its reach, and create an even greater global impact,” he said. 

Vietnam Opens Country’s First Elephant Reserve
9/7/2017
Vietnam has a new nature reserve, created to protect the few remaining Asian elephants in Vietnam. These “gentle giants” face the threat of extinction, and have become so rare that few Vietnamese have ever seen them. Fortunately, seven elephants were recently found in Quang Nam Province, and in September the province’s Forest Protection Department opened Vietnam’s first elephant reserve to protect them, with support from the USAID Green Annamites Project, which is implemented by ECODIT. 

The USAID Green Annamites Project helped organize a celebration on opening day. More than 100 local people from Phuoc Ninh and Que Lam communes in Nong Son district, where the reserve is located, attended the event. Dignitaries in attendance included the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee (PPC), Mr. Le Tri Thanh, and the U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, His Excellency Mr. Ted Osius. 

“Improving the lives of local communities, conserving biodiversity, and supporting provinces to implement sustainable economic growth programs is an important part of the U.S. commitment to Vietnam. We are proud to partner with the Quang Nam provincial leadership to provide a critical habitat for the endangered Asian elephant, while finding ways to improve the incomes of local farmers,” said Ambassador Osius at the launch.

During the day-long launch event, the PPC and leaders from USAID/Vietnam and the USAID Green Annamites project led activities to introduce local people to their new elephant neighbors. A mobile tent included a Terrestrial Giant exhibit to educate people about the elephant’s life history. School children joined a painting contest, a “magical hat” event, and other games to learn about elephant conservation. 

The elephant reserve advances the larger goals of the USAID Green Annamites project. The project works with local governments, the private sector, and communities in Vietnam’s Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam Provinces to reduce deforestation, increase conservation, and to increase the incomes of vulnerable people, including ethnic minorities, through improved farming practices. The project will work with communities surrounding the nature reserve to engage them in conservation efforts and help them find sustainable ways to boost their incomes. In addition, the project will work with reserve staff to protect the elephants and to educate visitors from throughout the country about the importance of elephant conservation. 

Read more about the USAID Green Annamites Project here.

USAID Water Launches new website
7/26/2017
ECODIT is proud to announce the launch of GlobalWaters.org, USAID’s new knowledge-sharing and collaboration website. The site was created through the USAID Water Communications and Knowledge Management (CKM) activity, which is implemented by ECODIT.

Globalwaters.org is a global knowledge resource for USAID staff, implementing partners, and the broader community working in the water sector. Supported by the USAID Water Office, this site is about sharing knowledge and ideas to solve global water and sanitation challenges.

The site offers water and development practitioners a wide array of learning materials, technical resources, project evaluations, and multimedia content covering the depth and breadth of USAID water supply, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs and related topics—water resources management, water for food, cooperation over shared waters, drought, and resilience. The objective is for Globalwaters.org to become a place for development practitioners to help identify and refine better practices, and to inform USAID’s technical direction in areas of information gaps.

USAID Awards First Grant for Clean Energy in the Caribbean and Central America
2/4/2017
USAID awarded the first grant as part of the Clean Energy Finance Facility for the Caribbean and Central America (CEFF-CCA) project to Rekamniar Capital Limited! The grant will support start-up costs to build Eight Rivers Energy Company, a 37-megawatt (MW) solar farm in Jamaica. When it is up and running, the solar farm will connect to the national grid to provide clean energy at a lower cost to Jamaicans all over the island. Learn more about the Clean Energy Finance Facility implemented by ECODIT and how to apply for grants at www.ceff-cca.org.
USAID Releases Water Report
1/28/2017
ECODIT is proud to announce the release of Safeguarding the World's Water for Fiscal Year 2015, USAID’s annual report about its water-related activities and accomplishments. ECODIT produced the report for the Agency through the USAID Water Communications and Knowledge Management Project.

Safeguarding the World's Water for FY 2015 describes a wide range of programs consistent with USAID's Water and Development Strategy’s focus on maintaining human health and growing food through water. It is organized by region and shares Fiscal Year 2015 achievements and investments as well as illustrative examples of country-specific programs related to these key issues and other Agency priorities.

The Agency invested more than $499,995,179 towards water-related programming in 54 countries in FY 2015. These programming investments were driven by two strategic objectives defined by USAID’s Water and Development Strategy (2013-2018). Those objectives are first, to improve health outcomes through the provision of sustainable drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); and second, to manage water for agriculture sustainably and more productively to enhance food security.

USAID Energy Links Builds Standards for the Energy Sector in the Kyrgyz Republic
11/1/2016
On November 1, 2016 Energy Links team participated in the meeting of the Science and Technical Commission of Intergovernmental Council on Metrology, Standardization and Certification and presented the Energy Links achievements in introduction of the IEC standards in the Kyrgyz Republic. To increase energy security for the region, ECODIT currently implements the USAID/Central Asia Energy Links Project, which addresses key challenges facing the energy sector. The Kyrgyz participants recommended adoption of international data exchange standards in energy sector by other countries in Central Asia region to simplify the data exchange between the energy systems and to support regional cooperation. 

In total, 40 representatives from respective agencies from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbekistan, Belorussia, Moldova, and Russia, participated at this regional meeting. Energy Links (EL) team facilitated the session’s discussion on adoption of international data exchange standards by countries-members of the CIS Intergovernmental Council on Metrology, Standardization and Certification. EL representative described the process of acceptance of international data exchange standards in Kyrgyz Republic energy sector and outlined achieved results. Kyrgyzstandart and JSC Severelectro made presentations on their roles in this process. JSC NEHC and JSC Severelectro representatives described the importance and practical benefits of adoption of data exchange standards. The introduction was followed by more than an hour-long discussion with active participation of all delegations which demonstrated the strong interest from the parties for the subject. As the result of discussion, the meeting attendees committed to conduct consultations in their countries and reflected their intentions in the meeting minutes. National standardization agencies agreed to do the following:
Inform Ministries and companies of all stakeholders in their respective countries about success in implementation of international data exchange standards adopted in Kyrgyz Republic
Conduct a survey in their countries on the interest to implementation of international data exchange standards adopted in Kyrgyz Republic
Notify Kyrgyzstandard by February 2017 on the activities related to the standardization of data exchange processes in their countries and the interest to the adoption of the standards implemented in KR as intergovernmental standards.

Preliminary feedback from the national standardization agencies inspires on positive acceptance of the IEC standards in their respective countries and lays hope for adoption of these standards as CIS interstate standards.