USAID Awards Transition Grants in Iraq
WASHINGTON, DC 20523
PRESS OFFICE
http://www.usaid.gov/
Press: (202) 712-4320
Public Information: (202) 712-4810
2003-031
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 28, 2003
Contact: USAID Press Office
UMM QASR, IRAQ - The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced it has awarded three grants today in Umm Qasr, Iraq, based on a list of community priorities established by the new town council. The grants, provided through the U.S. Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) by the Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI), will establish a fully functional office for the Umm Qasr town council; create a telephone and Internet center; and increase sports and recreational activities for youth.
The largest of the grants, $41,000, will enhance the capacity of the town council to meet the town's needs. The grant will provide for a pre-fabricated unit of four partitioned rooms, equipped with water, electricity and furniture, for use as interim town council offices. The grant will also provide computers and other office equipment, as well as training to develop the council members' leadership skills and increase their knowledge of democratic principles. The grant also provides for technical assistance and materials for better communication with the media and a community newspaper to promote reconciliation and tolerance.
USAID is also awarding a grant of $30,000 to establish a community communications center consisting of several telephones and an Internet server with computers and printers to help in the reunification of families and to increase access to independent information for students and adults alike.
The third grant of $5,000 will provide sports and other recreational activities for the town's youth. Under this grant, USAID will refurbish existing facilities and provide sports equipment and other recreational supplies to keep children occupied.
Earlier this month, USAID approved a grant of $13,000 for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to rehabilitate a secondary school in Umm Qasr. These four grants represent the first OTI grants in Iraq.
Announcing these grants in Umm Qasr, DART Team Leader Michael Marx said, "In addition to responding to emergency water, health, and food needs, the DART is supporting the transition to longer-term reconstruction and self-governance in Iraq." USAID Assistant Administrator for Policy and Program Coordination Patrick Cronin, visiting the region to promote international donor coordination, added, "The community of Umm Qasr determined its own priorities. These grants reflect the U.S. commitment to helping Iraqis reclaim their country and rebuild it as their culture and their vision dictates."
The DART is an inter-agency U.S. humanitarian response team deployed by USAID in cooperation with other U.S. agencies including the Department of State and Health and Human Services. OTI's mission is to help local partners advance democratic change in conflict-prone countries, and support community development programs to bridge the gap between emergency relief and long-term sustainable development. For more information on USAID's work in Iraq, please visit www.usaid.gov/iraq/.
The U.S. Agency for International Development has provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for more than 40 years.
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