Iraq Community Stabilization Program
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,.. ...--,.. '"" IRD INTERNATIONAL RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY STABILIZATION PROGRAM- IRAQ Iraq Community Stabilization Program 2nd Quarterly Report October 1-December 31, 2006 Cooperative Agreement# 267-A-00-06-00503-00 Submitted by: International Relief and Development, Inc. 1621 N. Kent St., 4t1t Floor Arlington, VA 22209 USA Table of Contents Executive Summary .................................................................................................. 2 I. Summary of Program Outputs ................................................................................ .4 II. Public Works Projects ........................................................................................... 7 a. Achievements ......................................................................................... 7 b. Public Works Projects ............................................................................... 8 c. Key Challenges ....................................................................................... 9 d. Sector Outlook ....................................................................................... I 0 III. Vocational Skills Training and Apprenticeships ................................................................................................ 11 a. Achievements ....................................................................................... 11 b. Vocational Skills Training Programs ............................................................ 13 c. Key Challenges ...................................................................................... 14 d. Sector Outlook ....................................................................................... 15 IV. Micro-Small-Medium-Enterprise Grants and Business Skills Training ................................ 16 a. Achievements ....................................................................................... 16 b. MSME Grants ....................................................................................... 16 c. Business Skills Training ........................................................................... 17 d. Key Challenges ...................................................................................... 18 e. Sector Outlook ....................................................................................... 19 V. Youth Activities ................................................................................................ 19 a. Achievements ....................................................................................... 19 b. Key Challenges ...................................................................................... 20 c. Sector Outlook ....................................................................................... 21 VI. City Office Expansion ......................................................................................... 22 VII. Success Stories ................................................................................................... 23 VII. Attachments ..................................................................................................... 26 a. List of Sub-Grants Awarded ....................................................................... 26 b. Performance Indicator Table ...................................................................... 27 c. City Roll-Out Plan .................................................................................. 31 d. Program Support Organizational Chart .......................................................... 33 I Executive Summary IRD's Community Stabilization Program (CSP) expanded its activities both within Baghdad and into the three new Focused Cities of Kirkuk, Mosul and Fallujah. In Baghdad, CSP expanded into new neighborhoods encompassing all of Rusafa, Kadhamiya, Adhamiya, Mansour, and Rasheed (Doura) districts. Program offices were established in Kirkuk, Mosul and Fallujah with program activities expected to start in early January 2007. Central to IRD's success in achieving such a rapid expansion has been its ability to hire and train a cadre of over 130 local staff dedicated to the goals and principals of CSP. IRD continued to maintain close coordination with USAID, US Military maneuver command units, Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs), and most importantly, local Iraqi representatives at the community, neighborhood, district and ministerial levels. The figures below as well as more detailed descriptions found throughout this document highlight the importance of the Community Stabilization Program in bringing about a more stable and peaceful Iraq: • Quick impact public works programs employing, on average, 5, 783 young men daily • Over 19,870 Person Months1 of employment generated • Vocational skills training programs for 741 participants • Small business grants totaling $2,871,777 creating 544 long-termjobs • Small business skills training for 515 persons • Youth activities including soccer, theater, painting, and poetry reading that benefited 423 young people These achievements are significant in many ways. The level of involvement among young men and their willingness to participate in employment and skills training, as well as youth programs, suggests a strong desire to engage in non-violent activities when an alternative exists. These alternatives help to reduce the number of young men who might otherwise become involved in violent activities. It is important to stress that all CSP activities involve local government and community leaders as organizers, monitors, and evaluators. Placing an 'Iraqi face' on these achievements demonstrate to local residents these leaders' awareness of their communities' needs and willingness to invest resources into efforts that will address them. The community leaders have also proven vital to identifying young men needing jobs and appropriate skills training programs for young women. Furthermore, they have identified business owners in the community that would be reliable recipients of grants and who are interested in starting businesses, or who currently own small businesses but are in need of additional assistance. During the reporting period CSP received instructions from USAID to expand into the Focused Cities ofKirkuk, Mosul/Tai Afar, Fallujah and Basrah. Within three weeks of notification, IRD managed to make operational the CSP offices in Kirkuk and Mosul. Fallujah will be operational by January 2007. As of the end of this reporting period, Basrah is still on hold. In addition to expanding the scope of current activities CSP is also well positioned to extend its reach into additional focus communities in accordance with the Baghdad Security Plan. On December 6, additional Baghdad neighborhoods were added and USAID authorized all other Baghdad Governorate areas open for CSP implementation. In the report that follows, achievements for the period are presented by sector with data disaggregated by district. Important challenges encountered are also considered. Additionally, linkages between the sectors, for example how business skills graduates have been linked to the MSME small grants program, are discussed. As CSP continues to expand, the linkages between each sector will become more evident. Skills training graduates will be linked to apprenticeships, apprenticeships will receive MSME small grants, and long-term employment 1 One Person Month (P:tv1) is equivalent to one person working full-time for a 20 day period. 2 opportunities will arise. Finally, a brief overview of what CSP expects to achieve in each sector over the corning months is presented. In closing, the continued deterioration of the security envirornnent continues to impact CSP implementation. Curfews and ongoing military operations have restricted movement of both CSP staff and local goverrnnent officials who participate in, monitor, and evaluate activities. Skills training attendance and youth programs require travel across neighborhoods as does hauling garbage and debris collected through clean-up campaigns. Travel between focus communities or across districts continues to impact activities, including attendance at Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MOLSA) vocational training centers, other CSP skills training activities, and youth programs. In addition to maintaining close coordination with US Military maneuver commanders on the ground, IRD brings together and involves NAC and DAC officials as well as informal corrnnunity leaders to discuss and to take the lead in identifying appropriate project activities, ensuring safe passage of IRD staff, workers and contractors. IRD staff literally put their life on the line on a daily basis to ensure the success of CSP. An example of reported incidences during the reporting period include: six contractors kidnapped with 2 killed; twelve projects forced to stop or be temporarily suspended due to insurgent activities and/or death threats; IRD ex-pat and local staff have received death threats; IRD personal security details (PSDs) have been shot at; IRD staff have had several close calls with Vehicular Born Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIEDs) involving minor injuries and the destruction and damage to IRD vehicles; and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) have been placed near IRD staff housing and offices (in both cases they were hoax devices). However, the most significant impact to the program by far has been the continued sectarian violence throughout Baghdad. Approximately 35 local IRD staff has had to either temporarily leave or abandon