 |
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
 |
| USAID Information:
External Links:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Microfinance Helps Rebuild
Iraq’s Most War-torn Town
FrontLines - October 2010
By David DeVoss
|
Al Takadum loan officer Dia’a Ali Hadi (left) and Falluja policeman
Salah Mohammad Abdul-Razak became friends after Hadi approved
a $2,000 loan that allowed Abdul-Razak to buy a car and start
repairs on a house destroyed by terrorists.
|
FALLUJA, Iraq—The Salah
family was just sitting down to
lunch when a group of masked
Al-Qaeda gunmen burst into their
home. The family was shackled
and beaten because one of them
worked for the Falluja police.
The gunmen later dragged the
family from the house, ordered
them to leave the city, and then
blew up the house, crushing the
taxi Salah Mohammed Abdul-
Razak used to make a living.
The family did not leave
town. Abdul-Razak was so outraged
by Al-Qaeda’s actions that
he joined the police force like
his relative. But rebuilding his
life was a more arduous process
that only began to improve last
year when he met Dia’a Ali
Hadi, a 33-year-old loan officer
working for a microfinance organization
called Al-Takadum.
Al-Takadum is one of 14
microfinance institutions
supported by USAID’s Tijara
Provincial Economic Growth
Program, which continues to
rebuild Iraq one business at a
time. The loan capital is especially
appreciated in towns like
Falluja, which prior to the Sunni
Awakening in 2005, was repeatedly
plagued by terrorist attacks
and random violence that left
over half of the city’s 50,000
commercial buildings and a
quarter of its houses seriously
damaged.
When USAID established the
nationwide microfinance program
in Iraq back in 2003, the goal was
to help Iraqis rebuild homes and
small businesses damaged by
terrorist violence. As of June,
more than 212,000 Iraqis have
received a total of $487 million
in microfinance loans.
It only takes minutes walking
with Hadi along a busy
street to realize that he may be
the most popular man in town.
Tradespeople leave their shops
to shake his hand. Business professionals
embrace him to kiss
both cheeks. Grocers rush
toward him with handfuls of
proffered produce.
“Falluja today is a city where
one person can make a real difference,”
Hadi explains. “There’s
an Iraqi proverb that says ‘One
hand can’t clap alone.’ Those of
us working in microfinance are
the other hand—a helping
hand—that enables the people of
Falluja to improve their lives and
achieve their dreams.”
In two and a half years, Hadi
has approved more than 650
microfinance loans, allowing city
residents to start new businesses
and rebuild shattered homes.
One of these loans went to
Amer Sultan Muhammad, who
owns the Zarzoor Restaurant.
Famed for its Iraqi kebab, the
Zarzoor fell on hard times from
2004 to 2008, but Muhammad’s
recent investment of $248,000
to renovate the building and
buy new furniture and kitchen
equipment has paid off with a
300 percent increase in
business.
“Three years ago, the people
of Falluja hesitated to gather in
restaurants because of the prevalence
of IEDs [improvised
explosive devices],” explains
Muhammad. “Today, they are
confident enough to eat Iraqi
kebab with their families and
enjoy a normal life.”
Abdul-Razak’s life certainly
is better. A $2,000 microfinance
loan helped him to buy a car and
start rebuilding his house.
“I’m glad my family stood
firm and did not allow Al-Qaeda
terrorists to take control of the
city,” he says. “My police salary
allowed us to stay but it was the
microfinance loan that made it
possible to rebuild.”★
FrontLines is published
by the Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
U.S. Agency for International Development
To have FrontLines delivered
to you via postal mail, please subscribe.
Material should be submitted
by mail to Editor, FrontLines, USAID,
RRB, Suite 6.10, Washington, DC 20523-6100;
by FAX to 202-216-3035; or by e-mail to frontlines@usaid.gov
To view PDF files, download
the Adobe
Acrobat Reader.
Back to Top ^
|
