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KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghan national security forces and International Security Assistance Force troops in Helmand province have been active in the town of Sangin, this time armed with crayons, pencils and sheets of paper.
On May 2 members of the Afghan national police and British soldiers of 2nd Battalion, The Rifles held a meeting with children at the local school.
The event was organised to allow soldiers working on development projects to meet the children and ask for their help to design a new play park consisting of swings, slides, and a football pitch.
"The aim of the gathering was to enable the local children to come up with a plan of what they wanted in their park rather than giving them what we believed they would want," said Staff Sgt. Andy Simpson of the Royal Logistic Corps.
Leaflets and radio broadcasts advertised the event, and despite initial concern that very few children would attend, more than 200 participated.
The meeting was organised by the Military Stabilisation and Support Team. The MSST a specialist team helping the local Afghan population with small scale economic and community regeneration projects. The team liaises with local Afghans to assist in funding community projects such as well-building and repair, mosque refurbishments and irrigation clearance and maintenance.
The MSST in Sangin, which is based with The Rifles at Forward Operating Base Jackson, is led by Navy Lieutenant Gary McCormack.
"The turnout was a complete success because such a number of children attended," said Lt. McCormack. "The Governor-backed initiative was aimed at attempting to involve the local children in the re-design of Eid Park, and in those terms was a resounding triumph."
Many of the children appeared more interested in playing with a couple of footballs that the MSST had brought along. However, armed with crayons and pencils, Lieutenant McCormack and the children provided several ideas for the park by event's end.
"We collected a number of drawings from the children which showed a number of recurring themes, including football, flowers and play parks and we are now in the process of putting these into a design to present to the Governor for his approval," said Lieutenant McCormack. "We then hope to start work as soon as possible and hope to achieve the finished park before our tour ends, which would be a great achievement for the team."
Despite a number of requests for helicopters and airplanes to be the main attractions in the park, the children also asked for the usual range of park-based attractions; with a football pitch coming high on the agenda.
"The success of the children's meeting demonstrates the continued improvement of security in Sangin, because of the hard work by the Royal Marines before us and continued by 2 Rifles," 2 Rifles Battlegroup, Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Rob Thomson said.
| Date Taken: | 05.06.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 05.06.2009 08:14 |
| Story ID: | 33252 |
| Location: | KABUL, AF |
| Web Views: | 273 |
| Downloads: | 263 |
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