OPERATION DAGSVÆRK:Activities in Iraq

1. General Activities are going on as planned, despite the fragile security situation.
Initial steps have been taken to gather youths mobilized through the sports activities for association building and as this report will confirm (see par. 6) the program start to reach out to other activities than just sport.
2. Security The security situation remains fragile. Although ISIS is under defeat at the moment, ISIS is still active with random suicide bombing in market places, jammed traffic and etc. Important: CCPA has no indications whatsoever, that OD activities are within the targets of ISIS and their random suicide bombings. However, only a few days ago, Ainkawa, Erbil experienced a car bomb, where two of our volunteers were hurt, as they were dining in a café targeted.
3. Status and Staff The staff of CCPA in Iraq is remaining the same: Safa Mohammad Hadi is the program officer, the 7 people under the payroll remain the same, receiving their monthly wage accordingly to the contract and budget.
4. Establishment of Board From 9th to 11th of March, 10 OD volunteers from the whole country, were gathered at a workshop in Ainkawa, Arbil. The purpose of their meeting was to initiate an Iraqi Sport and Culture organisation. The organisation must serve four purposes:
1. Advocacy of its member organisations
2. Education of Volunteers,
3. Tournaments,
4. Funding of activities.
The working group are now in the process of drafting the first statues for Al-Salam Sports 4 All organisation.
5. Meetings and Seminars (Jan-Feb.)
– A "Charm" offensive started setting up meetings with 30 local politicians, tribal and religious leaders telling them about future activities and asking them permission to use "their girls" in our activities.Amongst the guests was the chief staff of Baghdad Police Department. (Field report available)
– Meetings with 30 women were implemented to get them familiar with the Novo-Life programme, which will serve as a sports/fitness program for women. (Field report available)
– 3 seminars for 74 instructors and coaches combined in Baghdad (central Iraq) and Ainkawa (north Iraq), was set-up to serve future association programmes in those respective areas, including guest instructors whom will do activities in Basra (south Iraq). (Seminar report available)
4. Travel The CCPA program officer, Safa Mohammad Hadi went to Baghdad and Arbil for a month to participate and monitor the before mentioned activities, from February 20th to March 15th. From March 15th to March 20th, the Baghdad team went to Zaatari Refugee Camp, to exchange information and working methods between them and their colleagues in Amman, Jordan.
5. Follow-Up Activity (Mar-Apr.).
– Baghdad (central Iraq): 200 children participated in an Association festival in Iskan where the office of the Ministry of Sports and Youth, Baghdad Province and the leadership of Baghdad, security apparatus participated in the festival.
– Baghdad (central Iraq): 180 children participated in an Association festival in Dora where the Tribal council and Women’s Rights Organisation participated in the festival.
– Baghdad (central Iraq): 60 coaches were educated to take over the association activities in Baghdad. · Activities are going as usual in the following refugee camps;
– Mishkhab (southern Iraq)
– Karbala (southern Iraq)
– Najaf (southern Iraq)
Nahrawan (central Iraq), Ainkawa (northern Iraq/Kurdistan) and Arbat (northern Iraq/Kurdistan) -> please follow-us on facebook for updates and reports on on-going activities.
6. Activities Planned (May-Aug.)
– The board meeting in Arbil led to the following activities.
– Baghdad (central Iraq): The establishment of a Music Association, where a weekly round will be held by 28 music students for people who sign up for the programme offering them to learn use of traditional Iraqi instruments.
· Baghdad (central Iraq): Our Women’s Rights Organisation will make a round throughout Baghdad visiting orphanages offering whatever help is needed, offering to be "a mother for a day"; cooking with the kids, helping them with homework, playing games and sports with them and etc.
– Baghdad (central Iraq): Building Bridges Organisation will visit the Church of Sintar, provide help to Christian refugees, attending mass with them and doing activities. Becoming a "Muslim big brother/sister" for the Christian children, trying to improve Muslim-Christian relations and welcoming them into Baghdad.
– Baghdad (central Iraq): Establishment of a Sewing Organisation, helping widows with entrepreneurship, setting up business for the women so they can provide for themselves through sewing.
– Baghdad (central Iraq): The Farmers Organisation consisting of young progressive students, whom will go to the provinces of Iraq, helping the farmers with their weekly work; Starting in the province of Babylon.
– Baghdad (central Iraq): The Workers Organisation also consisting of young progressive students will go to the industrial quarter of Baghdad and start a clean-up campaign in the factories.
Taking care of/getting rid off all hazardous activities, organising the workers and setting up meetings taking up issues put forward by the workers regarding their workplace.
– Ainkawa (northern Iraq/Kurdistan): An Assyrian Football Association will be set-up with a League and a FA Cup.
– Ainkawa (northern Iraq/Kurdistan): A photo gallery group will be set-up to sell pictures of the refugee camps in Iraq, the proceeds will go to the refugees. · Sulaymaniyah (northern Iraq/Kurdistan): Association that will do activities for children with cancer.
– Sulaymaniyah (northern Iraq/Kurdistan): Association that will make activities for sick children in a rehabilitation centre.
– Basra (sourthern Iraq): Theatre Association consisting of young aspiring actors/actresses who will do plays on Iraqi history for the younger generation.
7. Mass Media, TV and Radio. The sports show "The 12th Player" made a program on Al-Salam Football School; Al-Sharqiyah TV channel made a report, also Al-Forat and Al-Iraqiyah State Channel.
8. Office Equipment and Transport. N/A.
9. Sport Equipment and Inventory. N/A.
10. Administration and Finance. The yearly report is approved and CCPA received the money from OD.
11. Local Funding. Ainkawa is almost 90 % self-funded by donors consisting of Iraqi Christian businessmen living abroad.