Cash Intervention Provides Livelihood Opportunities And School Rehabilitation / Iraq

—

My school has never looked this good,” said Karwan, the young headmaster of the Hema School in Iraqi Kurdistan’s northernmost province of Duhok. “In the past, we used to flee to Duhok every time there was an attack from Mosul on the Kurds here,” explained Karwan, who grew up going to the Hema School. Three years ago, a longtime dream became reality when he was appointed head of the school. “Now, we are the ones hosting people escaping from suffering,” he said. Faida – where Hema is located – currently hosts some 6,000 displaced Iraqis from areas north of Mosul as well as 40,000 Syrian refugees who mainly reside in the nearby Domiz camps. While many families in the area present various unique needs, lack of access to cash and livelihoods is a commonly cited issue. DRC has conducted activities in Duhok since 2013 and with support from the European Regional Development and Protection Programme, DRC led a Cash for Work (CfW) project in Faida at the end of 2016, targeting the refugee and IDP population, as well as the host community. The Hema School was identified through a community-based approach of discussions and meetings as a location in the town that desperately needed rehabilitation. Fifty-one participants from the local IDP, refugee and host community helped fix up the school’s classrooms, courtyard, and garden – all of which had fallen into disrepair. Workers were able to earn money to help them meet basic needs, repay debts, and pay for healthcare services. Among the participants were the parents of some of Hema’s students. “Having my child go to a clean school makes our family happier,” the parent said. In addition to cash activities, the RDPP Livelihoods project supports vocational trainings, job placement, and business grants through two DRC Job Seeker Support Centers in Duhok and Erbil. The centers support refugees, IDPs, and host community members in increasing employability skills and finding income-generating activities.