I think there's been a great realization that we've been doing this all along and that now we're doing it much, much better. The Canadian Forces have been doing much of the reconstruction outside Kandahar City. In many cases, we're using money provided and generally overseen by CIDA. We think this has worked well in risky areas, where civilians do not yet fit. But as a result of the Manley report, an immense amount of work has gone on amongst all the departments, with Foreign Affairs in the lead. They are focusing better and getting a greater effect.
I'll tell you from the heart that we're very excited about some of our recent commitments. There is one for 50 schools. There is the Dahla Dam, which is massive in its potential positive implications. This dam could end up changing the lives of tens of thousands of people in the Arghandab district right down to Kandahar City, to Pashmul. There is also the program to inoculate some seven million children against polio.
We are talking about a country with one of the highest child mortality rates in the world, and I think these programs are absolutely exciting. They will provide jobs for the boys, which is key right now. But there will also be things that show every Afghan in the south that there is hope—a different life from what the Taliban is planning. We in the Canadian Forces are absolutely delighted with this commitment, and we're going to bend our backs to make sure we can enable it to be as effective as possible.