USAID activities in northern Kosovo build connections among communities and work with the municipalities to help them provide improved services to their citizens.  On August 9th, Mission Director Jim Hope and his team spent the day in northern Kosovo, and had the chance to meet with several business beneficiaries and civil society representatives and to see first-hand the impact of USAID projects in the region.  Mr. Hope first received a live demonstration of an e-kiosk in North Mitrovica, which allows citizens to obtain routine documents like birth certificates without long waits and the opportunity for corruption.  During the day he also met with two growing businesses that are committed to finding markets and partners beyond northern Kosovo, and made a return trip to the Laki Farm, which is a member of the Multi-ethnic Network of Women Entrepreneurs (MNWE).  Finally, the team had a long discussion with an impressive group of young people who are working hard to represent the interests and concerns of their peers with local governments.  The youth are part of the Local Youth Action Council, which works to identify community development priorities in the municipality.  They noted that one of the biggest challenges that northern Kosovo faces is the continued departure of so many of their brightest and most ambitious citizens, but they acknowledged that this trend will be difficult to reverse without significant job creation.