Summer heat encourages swarms of flies
and insects, which carry with them the danger
of disease. Falluja also has other problems
to concern its citizens.
Rising
Unemployment
Unemployment in the town continues to rise,
and as a consequence hunger is becoming
more visible. Current estimates put unemployment
and under-employment in Falluja at 60 percent.
Restoring
Hope
As
a sign of hope and regeneration, Islamic
Relief initiated a clean-up and tree planting
project in Falluja, and created a small
park using local labour.
"This is a pioneering project,” announced
Najah Bashir, IR-Iraq Falluja Project Manager.
“As well as improving the environment, the
project will provide income for 240 unskilled
labourers,” he explained.
Over
the summer this year Islamic Relief recruited
an average of 220 men each day, from the
poorest levels of society. In addition,
garbage collection trucks, tankers, cars
and equipment were hired or bought locally
in order to benefit local businesses.
Local women were also
employed to cook lunch for the workers,
which helped to spread the benefits and
include the whole community in the effort.
Project
Success
"Workers
are happy with what they earn at the end
of the day and are competing to keep their
names on the labourers list for the next
day," Bashir stated.
The hard work of staff and locals has ensured
the success of the scheme. Falluja city
hall members expressed their gratitude in
a letter of thanks sent to the IR-Iraq office,
and also suggested that the project be expanded
into other areas.
A Place to
Play
The
central areas of the streets were bare,
creating dust in the summer and mud in winter.
However, Islamic Relief's team of planters
have transformed these areas into oases
of green shade.
After weeks of cleaning up and planting,
residents now have a beautiful little park
to enjoy. A well has also been dug nearby
to ensure that the plants and trees can
be regularly watered.
One Falluja resident expressed his approval
of the work, saying, "Now our children
can go out to play on the grass and under
trees nearby."
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