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Success Story

Photo: Anonymous

Iraqis earn a living while removing garbage and debris from streets in a city in Iraqi’s western Al Anbar province. USAID is funding temporary jobs for local residents to clean up and rebuild their neighborhoods, improving some of the hardest-hit communities in Iraq’s western Al Anbar province.

Violent conflict has taken a serious toll on many Iraqi families, communities, and neighborhoods. In order to help some of the hardest hit areas recover, USAID sponsored a program that would physically rebuild neighborhoods while providing income to local residents. The program has given many Iraqis a chance to earn cash while contributing to their community’s rebirth.

In several cities in Al Anbar province, in western Iraq, local residents have been hired to build parks and community gardens. First, they remove garbage and debris from areas that have been neglected, and then they plant trees or construct play areas where residents and families can gather and rebuild a sense of community.

In one city, the USAID program employed more than 450 local residents, six days per week, in three neighborhoods. The participating municipality provided the heavy equipment, including trucks and tractors, as part of its contribution to the project, and USAID’s partner provided shovels, brooms, wheelbarrows, and other clean-up equipment that was donated to the municipality once the campaigns were complete.

Program participants also constructed 30 garbage collection points in seven communities and rehabilitated compact water treatment units to serve these communities.In addition, USAID’s partner combined efforts with community leaders and local organizations to establish community parks. Local authorities officially zoned the selected sites, and USAID provided support for planting trees; installing benches, walkways, and fences; and constructing water network systems for each of the parks. Through the project, USAID hired 120 local residents for one month to complete the parks, infusing cash into the economy while helping to revitalize public spaces.

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