3-82 FA Gives Orphanage a Lift

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

08.03.2004

Courtesy Story

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BAGHDAD -- Transcending the daily fare of security patrols and battery support, Soldiers of Battery A, 3rd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division broke from routine to lend a hand to some very special children.

Rolling up in front of the Dina Institute, an orphanage located in the Qadisiyah neighborhood of the Mansour District, the Soldiers brought both a truck and their willingness to help move the institute's furniture to its" new home, July 31.

Capt. Evans Hanson, 3-82 FA civil military operations officer said the move was the culmination of a joint effort between the Iraqi government and the Multi-National Forces to find a new home for 60 special-needs children who had been overlooked since the war.

"In late April the [Neighborhood Council] mentioned that there was an orphanage in our area of operation that had been overlooked, as far as support, by the government," Hanson said. "When we first saw their living conditions, which were very poor and unsanitary. We immediately got them a $3,000 grant through the Commander's Emergency Relief Program."

Hanson said they spent the money on blankets, beds and food. They were also able to pay the back rent on the facility. The battery also brought in food, which they could use as a stable source of nutrition over the next few months Hanson said.

Knowing that the money would only provide a temporary fix to a long-term problem, Hanson met with the Iraqi Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and the NC to find a permanent solution to the institute's problems.

"The ministry then sent in a representative, who along with Mr. Naji-shakir [NC member], myself, the institute director and the battalion commander sat down and talked about the future of the orphanage," Hanson said. "Together, we came up with two options. One, they could become a public school and get subsidized support from the Iraqi government; or two, they could stay a private school and the government would do the best it could to get non-governmental [NGO] support."

Since that meeting, the institute decided to remain a private school so it could raise its" own tuition even though half of the kids had been abandoned by their parents and the director has taken care of them without charge. The directors wanted the institute to remain private so that they could manage the school the way the saw fit, Hanson said.

"Normally, the government would have taken their decision as a slight, but because of the lengths in which the [neighborhood council] was willing to go to help them, the government worked with the [NC] to come up with a solution to keep the institute private," Hanson said. "So they decided to move them into a house owned by the former regime, and obtain support for them through a NGO called Muslim Hands based in the United Kingdom. The great thing about this is that their immediate needs have been addressed by the Americans but the long- term needs are being addressed by the Iraqi government without our assistance."

1st Lt. James Williamson, Battery A, 3-82 FA, executive officer, said the Dina Institute is named after the daughter of the headmistress, Um-Dina, and the great thing about the project was how supportive the NC was in coordinating the effort to get the children moved.

"The only thing they have asked for is an extra truck to move the big pieces of furniture," Williamson said. "They arranged for the Iraqi movers and a smaller truck, so we were just in the background offering a little extra assistance. Since the transition of authority, the [NC] taken over big time, especially taking care of these special needs children."

Williamson said what Um-Dina, the headmistress, is doing is amazing. "She has taken very good care of these children since the war with very little help," he said. "We are really happy to help her, and since we have gotten the word out to the people, the neighborhood has been very supportive by helping her with anything she needs."

Hanson said a lot of people don't understand why the Soldiers get involved in projects like this, where there is nothing in it for them. "After seeing the children, how could anyone ever turn their backs on them," Hanson said. "Once the orphanage has moved into it's new place, the [NC] and ourselves will be checking in on them periodically. We are not going to be here forever, but we want to make sure the [NC] is well suited to look after them when we are gone."

Hanson thinks projects like this show people that things are improving and that the Iraqi people are doing it on their own. "Our part in this is only that of a facilitator, and it's a very small part compared to what the Iraqis are doing for themselves," Hanson said.

As for the Soldiers of Battery A, helping out was an opportunity to participate in one more aspect of their deployment. "We don't usually do stuff like this," Sgt. Matthew Lowry, Battery A, 3-82 FA, said. "But, I think it was good for all of us to be able to come out here and help these children out."

• Date Taken: 08.03.2004
• Date Posted: 08.03.2004 16:21
• Story ID: 196
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ