Some thoughts
1. If you haven't read the Ugly American read it, if you have read it again.
2. Talk to the locals again and again and really seek to understand how their economy functions and what their desires are.
3. Don't preach U.S. free markets, complex economic theories, or promise projects that are more than several months in the making (such a new dam for power production). You'll lose credibiility.
4. Manage expectations, and ensure that any economic quality of life improvements are well known throughout the target audience. You must create the perception of progress.
5. Find an economic development mentor who really understands development in developing nations. They probably don't need laptops and building a school won't put food on the table anytime soon. Identify where you can make real differences, "possible" examples include:
a. Bringing in small business/trade instructors to train the women on a craft that will allow them to make money for the family.
b. Send individuals off to trade school, and help them establish their business when they return (mini loans to stand up their business)
c. Bring in experts (agriculture, other as applicable) to share knowledge on how to improve upon what they're doing already.
6. Use economic development to influence a populace if at all possible. Identify a project of value (the people will tell you what it is, you don't determine it), ensure you can deliver, then tell them what the cost is (no IED attacks upon coalition forces for 2 weeks and we'll start on it (you better deliver), and as long as no IED attacks are the norm we'll continue to work on it.
Best of luck to you.
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