Microgrants enable tailors to tackle tall order

Courtesy Photo | Jawdet Hussein Abdul operates his new sewing shop in the Yusifiyah market made possible through a microgrant. (U.S. Army photo/Sgt. 1st Class Dale Kramer)  

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

03.19.2008

Courtesy Story

3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (AA) Public Affairs

By Capt. Allison Flannigan
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – Three residents of Yusifiyah, Iraq, are about to receive an order for 400 Iraqi flags.

The three men, who all own separate tailor shops in the Yusifiyah market, formed a consortium to pool their tailoring talents to complete an order none of them could finish alone.

"They've seen the light about the strength through association and they hope to continue on to more success," said Lou Lantner, embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team leader for the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).

Two of the three men received microgrants funded by the U.S. State Department. Both used their $2,500 microgrants to fix up their small shops and give their businesses a boost.

Sgt. 1st Class Dale Kramer, from the ePRT at Patrol Base Yusifiyah, recommended approval of the tailors' microgrants.

"Our small microgrants of $2,500 won't put a hundred people to work in a factory but it is giving the little guy a chance to get into the game and build an independent business that he can grow," Kramer said.

Kramer, a native of Grand Rapids, Mich., is responsible for 70 microgrants in Yusifiyah and has nearly 200 grant applications pending. He specialized in small business development in his civilian job and has a knack for selecting promising grant applicants.

"We never, never fail to follow what Kramer advises; he's right all the time," said Lantner, who works for the State Department and is the approving authority for Kramer's grant requests.

Kramer talks to each one of the microgrant recipients at least a twice a month. One of the tailors in the consortium, Jawdet Hussein Abdul, is an older man who reminds Kramer of his father.

"When we started talking about this project I saw a spark come to the man's eyes," Kramer said of Abdul. "After five years of conflict and watching his business crumble, he was going to get back into the game."

Kramer has met with all three tailors on several occasions to discuss formation of the consortium and the flag contract. The men agreed that Abdul should be the manager of the group.

"I invited all three of them to come in and gave them a low-down about the possibility of a project," Kramer said of the 400 flag order. "The three of them decided to pool their talents and work together."

The contract for the flags is worth about $4,000. The flags are being purchased with quick-reaction funds for the 3rd BCT, 101st Abn. Div. (AASLT) and will be distributed during Rakkasan operations and events.

"There is that spark of entrepreneurism, the desire to earn their living by working hard (to) provide a better life for their families," Kramer said. "Most don't want a handout but rather a hand up."

• Date Taken: 03.19.2008
• Date Posted: 03.19.2008 13:18
• Story ID: 17546
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ