Shelter Assistance for Refugees in Northern Iraq
The Problem: One of the most urgent priorities of the returning population in Erbil Governorate is their access to housing. Many of these families have lived in Iran for almost 20 years and then returned from 1998 to 2002, frequently under force from the Iranian Authorities. Since 1998 the economic situation has remained so poor that no savings have been generated. In turn, returnee families have faced the impossibility of building their own homes.
The Solution: To reduce homelessness and increase community capacity in the Soran District of Northern Iraq, our team implemented a life-sustaining shelter intervention that utilized aims to fill the gap created in the repatriation and reintergration process of the returnees and enhance the construction skills of returnee communities. This involved the construction of functional, durable, starter homes; generating opportunities for community development and planning; and vocational and health awareness training.
The Impact: 140 returnee families (528 people) provided with starter homes; 50 community members provided short-term employment; 75 individuals provided vocational and health awareness training.
Funder: U.S. Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (BPRM)
Duration: 2006
