On Friday, a new kindergarten was inaugurated in Baje village - the first of many Government–to-Government (G2G) activities to be developed between USAID and Kosovo’s local and central government institutions.

“I hope the lessons learned through this project will empower this municipality to set the example for local governance in Kosovo: one that is independent, transparent, and above all, actively engaged in improving the lives of Istog’s citizens,” USAID Director Maureen Shauket told the gathering of Istog municipality representatives, school administration officials, and 60 students already served by the school. The kindergarten will add an additional 60 students in the next year.

Construction of the kindergarten was funded jointly by USAID and the municipality of Istog, who benefited from assistance in both the procurement and construction phases of the project. The G2G initiative marks a change for the USAID Mission, which will continue to seek partnership directly with Kosovo’s government institutions for implementation of community projects.