By Staff Sgt. Matt Meadows
4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division
FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq – Local leaders, educators, government of Iraq officials, contractors and Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers gathered to celebrate the completion of a school renovation in the Rusafa District of eastern Baghdad, Dec. 23.
Al'aa Dagher, Rusafa District Council chairman, cut a ribbon draped across the entrance of Motasum primary school to mark the happy occasion. Following the cheers and applause, ceremony attendees toured the school and celebrated with cake and refreshments.
"As the [district council)]of the Rusafa sector and ... the Al Jumhuriya neighborhood, we are very happy," expressed Dagher. "We are not only renewing this school but we are [revitalizing] the people who live in this area."
Jamal Kalaf, of the Muhammad Jibal Al Iraq Company, was the contractor in charge of the school renovations, which took approximately 30 days to complete. During this time, Motasum students attended another, nearby school.
Refurbishments included retiling floors on both levels of the two-story school, replacing all of the school's doors, installing electrical lighting and air conditioning, repairing leaky structures and painting the facility. In addition, the 30 to 40 contract professionals provided new furniture for the school, replaced broken glass and installed new water fountains.
"I am very happy, [and] I am very proud," said Kalaf, who has helped renovate about 30 schools in partnership with coalition forces. For the Motasum school project, Soldiers from 3rd Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, and the 401st Civil Affairs Battalion worked with local leaders to support the renovation. They attended the ceremony and celebration along with Soldiers from 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, who will soon assume responsibility for coalition forces operations in Rusafa.
Yumna Mostafa, who has been an educator for 16 years, serves as the headmaster of Motasum primary school. She said the school's 456 students and 20 teachers are extremely pleased with the contractor and the renovations.
"It's a very happy day for us and for the students," said Mostafa. "This will help the students to study. The classes now have lights, and they are very happy with the new look of the school."
Maysoon, the Iraq interior ministry engineer, who supervised the Motasum school renovation, attended the ceremony. She said the renovations went well and everyone involved in the project came together in the spirit of cooperation.
"These schools educate the new generation of Iraq: the people who will become our engineers, our doctors – the ones who will build Iraq," said Maysoon. "So probably the most important thing is education here in Iraq."