Posted on 01/20/2009 3:01:58 PM PST by SandRat
COB ADDER — Amidst cell phone rings and conversations, 17 Iraqis from Dhi Qar province received micro-grant instruction from Coalition forces at a small-business conference here Saturday.
Ten Iraqi women and seven men attended a joint seminar hosted by the Dhi Qar Provincial Reconstruction Team, finance personnel from the 4th Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division and the members of the 287th Sustainment Brigade Civil Military Operations cell. The purpose of the event was to help stimulate economic growth in southern Iraq by educating potential business owners on using micro-grants to start and expand small businesses.
The $5,000 micro-grants are primarily awarded for starting a new business or to expand existing ones.
Lt. Col Clint Moyer, 287th Sustainment Brigade Civil Military Operations Chief, contacted Dhi Qar Provincial Reconstruction Team business leader Rick Schroeder to develop the conference. Schroeder coordinated with nearby Nasiriya’s Small Business Development Center to locate potential applicants.
Wijdan Majid Hasan, a 40-year-old Iraqi woman from Nasiriya, said she came to learn how to develop her women’s clothing store. She said she wants to buy some land to build a house with the profit.
“We’ll need to save 20- to 30-thousand (Iraqi Dinars) for the land,” said Hasan.
Tatheer Farsal, a 25-year-old soccer player and grocery store owner in Nasiriya said he hoped he would receive be one of the grants.
“I would like to expand the building, offer more variety for my customers and hire more employees,” Farsal said. “This program will help me grow my business.”
After applications are completed, they are translated to English. A Coalition Forces pay and procurement officer uses the information to fill out a memorandum of agreement that details the applicant’s request -- either a micro-grant or capital material, such as a sewing machine, oven or computer.
The original application, translation, MOA and a letter of recommendation from the Dhi Qar PRT completes a micro-grant.
Multi-National Division-Central then reviews the application. Once the application is certified, applicants receive the approved amount in Iraqi dinars or the requested capital material approximately one month after applying.
Iraq will soon have more free enterprise than the Socialist States Of The Obamassiah.
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