A Company with a Vision

Creative Associates International, Inc. (Creative) is a professional and technical services firm that has been working for almost 30 years to improve the lives of underserved populations. I n rapidly changing environments, such as countries striving to emerge from conflict, Creative specializes in building communities' capacities to direct their own development, while also helping governments, companies and nonprofit organizations improve their services to citizens.

Creative is women-owned and has multi-cultural staff with decades of hands-on, field-based experience. Creative has successfully completed numerous projects in over 68 countries worldwide and currently has established field presence in Afghanistan, Benin, Guatemala, Haiti, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Uganda, and Zambia. Creative clients have included the Organization of American States (OAS), the United Nations' High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations' International Children's Fund (UNICEF), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S Peace Corps, various UN Missions, and the World Bank.

Strengthening of Civil Society and Independent Media

Creative Associates International Inc. is working with Counterpart International Inc. to implement the media component of the three-year (2005-2008) USAID-funded Initiative to Promote Afghan Civil Society (I-PACS). Creative's role is to oversee all aspects of design and implementation of media programming for I-PACS. The Initiative to Promote Afghan Civil Society (I-PACS) is an integral part of USAID's larger civil society program. I-PACS is designed to increase the role and viability of civil society in Afghanistan by providing capacity building and small grants to civil society organizations with the potential of being sustainable and effective organizations. To ensure that the potential benefits of I-PACS will reach its clients, an effective communications and media outreach strategy that becomes an integral part of the project's overarching goal and objectives must be put in place. Creative initially drafted a media strategy, and is now implementing a broader communications strategy that will underpin all aspects of civil society development, moving from monologue to dialogue, from episodic intervention and "crisis management" to sustainable and strategic planning and implementation.

Field Contact:

Halim Fidai
Media and Communications Program Coordinator
fidai@counterpart-afg.org

Corporate Contact:

Alia Afshar
Program Manager
aliaa@caii.com

CAII website: www.caii.com