In this edition
Women’s Bazaar helps local Iraqi families
Market Relieves Congestion, Generates Cash
Video story: Women-owned business expands in Iraq (Baghdad)
Ministry of Interior graduates 91 from Inspector General course
Drawing Pictures
Women’s Bazaar helps local Iraqi families
BAGHDAD – Women of the Mahmudiyah Qada filled tables with homemade products and Iraqi souvenirs during a special bazaar on Forward Operation Base Mahmudiyah, south of Baghdad, Feb 17.
Sponsored by Soldiers of Task Force 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 63rd Armor Regiment, the innovative event gave troops stationed on the southern base the opportunity to purchase items and assist neighboring Iraqi families at the same time.
“This is a great way for local women to improve their small businesses and take care of their families,” said Capt. Sara Woods, with the 445th Civil Affairs Battalion. “It also allows our Soldiers to purchase authentic Iraqi souvenirs and gifts.”
Many of the women in the Mahmudiyah area lost their husbands to insurgent violence and struggle to provide for their families; making them easy targets for insurgents. The bazaar served as a way to show them they can create a better future for their families.
“This is a good project that is helping widows and people who need the money. I am so happy to be a part of it,” said Madiha Gumar, one of the small business owners, and a member of the Mahmudiyah Women’s Group.
This is the second bazaar Soldiers of TF 1-63 CAB have had the opportunity to be involved with and was much larger and had more participants than the first. Those who took part in the bazaar felt, not only they were walking away with something to take home, but also giving back to the local Iraqi community.
“It was very beneficial in what we’re trying to do for Iraq. From a personal stand point it was really gratifying to know we were helping the widows and their children,” said Dale Hamilton, a civilian law enforcement professional attached to TF 1-63 CAB.
Although the bazaar was considered a success at the end of the day, it also presented a foundation for each woman present to continue and expand her business.
“They came in and they sold these products to the Soldiers, and I think each one of them walked out with a couple hundred dollars,” said Lt. Col. Anne Resty, a Women’s Initiative coordinator. “So now afterwards they can buy more fabric and other materials to make more products that they can sell in the local markets as well.”
The event also helped to increase the good relationship between the people of Mahmudiyah and the MND-B Soldiers stationed on FOB Mahmudiyah.
“The more they see us as helpful Americans and they get to know us, they get to know that we have children, they get to know that we have spouses, and they get to know that we’re just normal people…and the benefits are multi-faceted,” said Resty. “They’re going to think of us as normal people and that we can help them.”
Market Relieves Congestion, Generates Cash
SAFWAN — Yellow lampposts and decorative iron fences line paved walkways through a new covered market area that was officially opened during a dedication ceremony here, Feb. 18.
In attendance were Basrah Provincial Councilman Khalof Alsharaa, Safwan Mayor Sabah Mohammad, members of Safwan’s town council, Iraqi Police and Coalition project managers.
The new 100-stall market is expected to fill with stall holders during the next two weeks, relieving congestion in the old market and bringing revenue to the city.
“The new market will make our city better,” said Sabah. “The revenue generated from the new market will allow us to reinvest and make further improvements with our community.”
One block away, residents walk on the road through the old market shopping for fish, fruits and other goods. They walk through the streets because the sidewalks overflow with makeshift storefronts as there is not enough room for all the vendors.
U.S. Army Civil Affairs officials said that the new $232,000 market, funded by the U.S., will be leased by the city to some of the additional businessmen as well as new vendors.
Good Neighbors
Video story: Women-owned business expands in Iraq (Baghdad)
By Rick Haverinen
Gulf Region Division
BAGHDAD – Gulf Region Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has released a short video feature story, “Women’s Business Day,” about its Women’s Advocate Initiative.
Women’s Advocate Initiative works with Iraqi companies that are at least 51 percent owned by women and through seminars and networking activities, helps the Iraqi businesswomen learn how to compete for U.S. government contracts in Iraq.
The Women’s Advocate Initiative is one of several programs operated by multiple U.S. agencies to help Iraq’s economy spring back to life, by employing the power of women. The women’s programs operate under Iraqi First, an initiative to allow eligible local national companies to have preference in bidding on U.S. contracts. Iraqi First was launched by Multi-National Force – Iraq in October 2006.
Iraqi-born Azza Humadi, who manages the Women’s Advocate Initiative for Gulf Region Division, under contract with Stanley, Baker, Hill, regularly runs seminars to explain the program to Iraqi women.
The video is available with or without titles, or “font.” The running time is 4 minutes, 27 seconds (33 seconds for the version with built-in graphics.) There is no narrator or reporter, as the participants tell their own story about doing business in Iraq with American customers.
http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/video/playvideo.asp?ReleaseID=147
If you would like a copy of the video with graphics, go to: http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=video/video_show.php&id=54562 where you may download the video directly in a compressed preview version, or you may contact DVIDSHUB, the Digital Video and Imagery Distribution System, to obtain a high-resolution MPG2 file, a videotape dub or a satellite uplink, call (877) 384-3724.
If you prefer the version without graphics, go to:
http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=video/video_show.php&id=54555
DVIDSHUB will identify the video by the last five figures in the link: 54562 with graphics; or 54555 without graphics.
Note: Rick Haverinen is a public affairs specialist with the Gulf Region Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Iraq. For more information, contact public affairs at 540.665.5339 or email requests to cegrd.pao@usace.army.mil . For more information on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Iraq, visit www.grd.usace.army.mil.
The Gulf Region Division, headquartered in Baghdad, is a joint effort comprised Civilians, Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Contractors. GRD provides quality and sustainable engineering in support of civil/military construction in Iraq. GRD and its Iraqi partners are building a strong foundation for Iraq's future. BUILDING STRONGSM is the official slogan of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Ministry of Interior graduates 91 from Inspector General course
BAGHDAD – Graduation day is always special, but for the 91 members of the Iraqi Minister of Interior Inspector General Basic Course, this event marks the beginning of a new professional life. According to Col. Khalid Abbas, Dean of the Inspector General Directorate Training Center, the class that graduated Feb. 19 was markedly different from the previous three.
“We began these courses in October 2008. The previous three classes contained older, more experienced officers. This class was a mix of newly-hired IGs and more experienced inspectors. Having the two groups in the same class added depth for the new IGs,” said Abbas.
Abbas explained the IG training programs have matured in recent years because of the support and experience of the Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq advisors.
“Before 2003, the Interior Ministry IG was a specialized system with little authority. Essentially, there was an IG for each division or occupation group, but the role then was mostly advisory. What we have developed is a comprehensive Inspector General system that not only performs evaluations, but has the authority to enforce laws and rules and monitor performance through formal inspections.”
“Our mission is to find corruption in the administrative and financial systems, as well as to protect human rights, discover and eliminate misuse of authority and office, and assure all Iraqi people that government funds are used wisely,” Abbas added.
U.S. Air Force Maj. Benny Landfair, the Ministry of Interior Transition Team mentor to the Interior Ministry IG, noted the materials in the course are not only new to the students, but represent a major change in the way the IG conducts business.
“The materials in the basic course are derived from the U.S. federal inspector general systems, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Defense inspector general training materials, and are then specifically adapted to meet Iraqi Ministry of Interior needs,” said Landfair.
“We worked on building the curriculum for nearly two months to create an overview course that acquaints the students with the U.S. system and the emerging MoI Inspector General system. The course is designed to demonstrate best practices and help these new IGs develop a picture of what their program should look like.“
In addition to introducing new ways of doing business, the teaching-learning methods were also new to the students. Traditionally, an instructor would stand in front of the class and read from a book or present a lecture. “We incorporated modern audio-visual methods and practical exercises. We challenged the students to ask questions and become involved in active learning, which generally does not happen in traditional Iraqi training situations,” Landfair added.
“Feedback from current and former students and their managers has been very positive. When students leave this course, they know the material and they have a whole new attitude about the IG’s mission,” said Landfair.
Col. Mohammed Mustafa, Director of Inspections, agreed the course is having an impact on the organization. “With each course, the quality of the inspectors and of inspections improves. We have learned much from the American advisors and are trying to incorporate applicable parts of their experience into our processes,” said Mustafa.
Landfair emphasized the rapid growth of the IG training program. He said this training is part of the MoI Inspector General ‘5000 Plan’. The goal is to increase the IG workforce to 5,000 people, including administrative and support personnel, during a three-year time frame. This will allow the Iraqis to build the infrastructure they need to train and support a force of 5,000 IG employees.
The goal is to have all IG personnel attend this course, so MoI will continue to hire new employees as training is available. Thus far, nearly 500 IG inspectors have completed the course.
There are currently advanced courses in Inspections, Investigations and Evaluations. There are plans to expand the school, develop additional courses and other advanced topics, and eventually build a career professional development system. As the number of courses expands, the program aims to link up with other Iraqi government organizations to utilize skilled instructors in areas such as finance, law, technology and administration.
“Our plan is to develop a centralized school system that emphasizes decentralized execution of IG responsibilities. This way, the IG system can be migrated to each of the provinces, with each office staffed by experienced and school-trained professional inspectors,” said Abbas.
“The goal of all this training,” he added, “is to teach proper use of authority and a sense of duty so the inspectors will know what their duty to MoI and the country is and fulfill that duty. We’re trying to make our program the best it can be so that all in the MoI can meet our Minister’s goals for the Interior Ministry.
“We are going to make the Ministry of Interior transparent and accountable so that when we find bad or improper conduct, we can show the people the right way—or we will show them the door,” added Abbas.
MNSTC-I’s crucial assistance in the development of this training program for the Iraqi IG Directorate is a key step forward in professionalizing the Iraqi ministries. This is a vital step towards ensuring Iraq’s self-sufficiency during the critical transition from Coalition to Iraqi-led operations in support of the Security Agreement between the Government of Iraq and the United States.
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