TIKRIT, Iraq — Iraqi security forces have been making gains in the overall safety of the Iraqi people, but on Dec. 16, the mission for them was slightly different.

An Emergency Response Battalion in northern Iraq had the opportunity to bring several computers to a youth center in Mujamma, Iraq, to replace those that were confiscated during a recent warranted security operation.

Approximately one month ago, personnel from the ERB served arrest warrants for individuals thought to be utilizing the youth center's facilities for terrorist activities. Included in the evidence collected were several computers from the youth center meant to further the education of local families and children within the community.

Today, the ERB personnel were able to replace the confiscated computers. As several families and children looked on with curious faces, the computers were hand-delivered to the center with the youth center manager standing ready to receive the much needed hardware.

The computers were used to give teachers experience with the systems and to help young Iraqis learn to read, as well as teach them to learn English, said Zuhair Raajb al-Kilidaar, the youth center manager.

"We want people to learn English," he said. "In this time, the English language is very important. The children start learning from the third grade in grammar school."

The ability to learn English at the youth center gives the children opportunities they may not have had before. It also gives local teachers access to the children in the area to educate them and have positive interaction in the community.

"[We] had a meeting with teachers and they said they could support the classes and were ready to teach," Zuhair explained. "We will have our people take courses in grammar and punctuation and then we will have them read."

Local Iraqis get more than just an education at the center. They can choose from a variety of classes which range from crafts to sports, and for some, it is also a place to socialize.

"Actually, we are working with them to use computers, [play] sports, lift weights and to be tailors," said Zuhair. "We try to get people over to participate in sporting events."

For some, the help does not stop with education and sports, but continues as other aspects of life.

"[The center] takes care of people," said Zuhair. "For example, we had a guy who started at the youth center when he was three. When he was older and wanted to marry, we helped to support them. Everything is good for the Iraqi people in this area."

The mission of the Mujamma Youth Center is often furthered with aid from outsiders as well.

"We even receive support from kids in America with toys," Hasim said. "So when school starts here, we give them to our students."

Hasim said the goal of the youth center is to educate the Iraqi children and take care of them. The center is there to help, not to hinder progress within the country.

"We have no relationships with any political movements here," expressed Zuhair. "We don't have any relationships with [them]. Everything [here] is good for the Iraqi people and we continue to work on it."

The replacement of these computers will allow the center to get back to work in the upcoming days. ERB personnel took the computers during their mission along with other evidence approximately a month ago, but they replaced them to keep the center running.

The operation sought out those who would impede the safety and security of Iraq. When the opportunity presented itself, however, the ERB found a way to continue serving the families and children of the Mujamma community by providing replacement for the equipment they collected.

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