Posted on 02/15/2009 1:02:48 PM PST by SandRat
BAGHDAD — Seven business owners in the Jisr Diyala area received a $500 micro-grant from the Commanders Emergency Relief Program, Feb. 12.
Since April 2008, Task Force 1-35 Armor has given numerous micro-grants to jump start and continue economic growth in Iraqi communities. The recipients underwent a rigorous application process by the Iraqi National Police and Multi-National Division - Baghdad Soldiers.
“These micro-grants are an opportunity for [Task Force] 1-35 to invest in the long term stability of the region’s economy,” said Capt. Andy Besser, from Raleigh, N.C., the civil military operations officer, TF 1-35 Armor.
These latest business owners to receive micro-grants began their journey in December 2008 at a micro-grant fair where officers of 3rd Brigade, 1st National Police and their partners from the 1st Armored Division first met, interviewed and recorded their businesses.
“We were looking for established credible businesses that could use the micro-grant to grow and develop,” said Besser.
From those interviews, a list of 50 possible businesses was created. Throughout the next two months, both the Soldiers and the NP officers assessed the business through on-site inspections and further interviews.
“I have been involved in many micro-grant operations, and every time I do them I see so many people that use these grants in the best way,” said Staff Sgt. Thomas Keller, of Blackfoot, Idaho. “This is not a charity, we expect a lot from them and for the most part, they deliver.”
The micro-grants are not paid just in money. Iraqi NP officers and MND-B Soldiers try to match local business owners and vendors to keep the supply-and-demand wheel within the nearby communities.
“We try to keep the money in the area to further help the economy,” said Besser. “We get them what they need to increase, repair and produce new jobs.”
These micro-grants are just another step in the ongoing mission to decrease violence and encourage the people of the Jisr Diyala Nahia to improve their livelihood, explained Sgt. William Reese, of Novinger, Mo.
“The micro-grant initiative has been very successful and has been met with a lot of enthusiasm from the local population. It has been a very effective non-kinetic means to encourage support from the population.”
Ask the Communist-in-Chief.
I wouldn’t ask that usurper to piss on me if I was on fire.
is there any place to donate sewing machines to the Iraqi women to start businesses?
I’d start here MNFI.Comments@GMail.com
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