Dear Friends,
It is with the greatest pride that IF announces our 18 year anniversary, which took place in October! We want to thank you all for 18 years of support and dedication. We are also pleased to announce the launch of a new anti-corruption and transparency project, called the Provincial Governance Project (PAG), which will focus on combating corruption at the provincial level. During October, IF's Executive Director traveled extensively throughout the region promoting our message and participated in the Global Women's Forum's conference in France. In addition to these exciting activities and events, we are happy to report the successful graduation of the second cycle of widow trainees in Baghdad as part of our efforts to empower Iraqi widows. Throughout October, IF has also conducted several capacity building workshops as part of our human rights promotion efforts as well as efforts to assist NGOs in the southern governorate. We are also implementing the small grant program and media campaign as part of IF's Human Rights Advocacy Initiative Project (HRAI). IF's HRAI team also produced its tenth newsletter during October, which reports on the human rights situation in Iraq.
In addition, we are pleased to report that the computer center, which IF established in the southern village of Mdaina as part of our Mdaina Education Project (MEP), is now attracting the youth of Mdaina as a homework and entertainment hub in the rural community.
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As always, please do not hesitate to contact us should you
have any questions about our projects or activities!
Sincerely,
Joseph Sandor
Communication Officer
Iraq Foundation
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IF Celebrates 18 years Anniversary in October!
 It
gives us great pleasure to announce that this October the Iraq Foundation (IF)
celebrated our 18th year anniversary! We would like to extend a heartfelt thank
you to all of our organizational partners, donors, and the Iraqi community for
18 years of teamwork, commitment, and support. We are proud of our work in Iraq
and our commitment to the Iraqi people. In the years to come with your
continued support, we pledge to honor our commitment and work to realize our
vision of a free and democratic Iraq! Today IF is a vibrant organization with projects that promote human rights, fight corruption, advance literacy and the welfare of disadvantaged minorities, uphold women's rights, enhance civil society instructions and Iraqi non-governmental organizations, and provide humanitarian assistance and outreach to widows and orphans. A full listing and description of our current projects are available online, please visit our Current Project page.Read Full Anniversary Letter!
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IF holds a Graduation Ceremony for Widows in
Baghdad
On October 10, 2009, IF held a graduation ceremony to honor
the 50 Iraqi widows who participated in the Widows Empowerment Project's second
training cycle in Baghdad. During this ceremony the participating widows
received certificates and small gifts to commemorate this accomplishment.
Joined by the women who completed WEP's first training cycle and an additional
50 widows, who will start the program's third training cycle in October, IF
used this occasion to highlight conditions facing the widows and the urgent
need for assistance and training programs.
Learn More about the Ceremony and See Pictures...
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IF Holds 5th Human Rights Coalition Building Meeting
 On October 11 2009, IF held the fifth Human Rights Advocacy Initiative (HRAI) coalition building
meeting in Baghdad. The meeting was attended by 17 coalition members and
enabled coalition members to go over the project's activities discuss
challenges, and plan for concerted activities to hold in the provinces during
the week of Human Rights Day.
Learn More about the Coalition Building Meeting...
IF Small Grant Awardees Implement Projects to Promote Human Rights | As part of the Human Rights Advocacy Initiative (HRAI) project, IF awarded three human rights groups in Iraq with Small grants in September. This was the third round of grants issued as part of the HRAI project. In October, IF grant awardees began implementing
their projects. IF monitored project
implementation through field visits in the provinces of Basra, Baghdad and Kut.
The Akad Organization, located in Baghdad, held two conferences on
"Promoting the right to practice one's own religion" on October 13 and 22. The Himam Institution for Civil Society Building- Basra-
held two workshops on "Promoting Children's rights" on October 20 and 26.
The Humane Organization for Human Rights- Kut- held two
conferences on "Preventing Violence in Schools" on October 19 and 28.
Learn More about HRAI Small Grants ...
HRAI Coalition Continues 4th Wave of Human Rights Media Campaign
 During October, IF continued its media campaign promoting civic and political rights. Launched on September 1st 2009, this is the fourth wave of the HRAI project's media campaign and comprises 70 TV and 90 radio spots
and 10 billboards. TV spots broadcast once to twice a day and the radio spots
broadcast twice to 3 times a day.
View All Media Campaign TV Spots...
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IF Holds Capacity Building Workshop in Nassiriya
From October 14-18, IF convened two back-to-back capacity
building workshop in Nasiriyya, as part of our Southern Governorate NGO
Capacity Building project. The first
training was on October 14 and 15, the second training was on October 17
and18. The workshop began by reviewing
the training of the previous workshop in Erbil, and continued to discuss and
build the NGOs' capacity and skills in proposal writing, proposal budgeting,
networking, project management, advocacy, identifying target beneficiaries,
project implementation, advocacy, and impact assessment. After
the conclusion of the Nassiriya workshop, IF team continued to follow up with
the NGOs for their feedback. IF will
forward the NGOs feedback to the regional trainers to assist in the planning of
the next workshop, scheduled in January 2010.
Learn More...
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Children Use Mdaina Center's
Computers for Homework and Entertainment
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IF is pleased to report that the educational programs in the
IF established comuter center are attracting the children of Mdaina! IF has
recently installed games and educational software to make the center draw in
more youth and teach the value of technology in the daily lives of the children
of Mdaina.
As these photos show, children are visiting the center after
school to take advantage of this new feature as well as use the internet and
other resources available.
Learn More... |
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Executive
Director Participates in the Global Women's Forum!
During
October, Ms. Al-Rahim traveled
throughout Iraq and the region promoting IF's vision for Iraq and monitoring IF's
project implementation. While traveling
to Baghdad, Iraq from Washington, IF's Executive Director, Rend Al-Rahim, made
a visit to the 5th Edition of the Women's Forum Global Meeting , which was held
in Deauville, France from 15-17 October.
Ms. Al-Rahim was part of the official Iraqi Country Delegation. | Learn more about the Global Women's Forum
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IF Publishes 10th Human Rights Newsletter!
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The Human Rights Advocacy Initiative (HRAI) published its tenth newsletter in October 2009. These newsletter reports on the
human rights situation in Iraq.
Formed in
May 2008 by the Iraq Foundation, the
goal of the HRAI project is to empower Iraqi
human rights leaders to be better advocates for
human rights. Published in
Arabic, HRAI's monthly newsletters are
available on our website.
Read Newsletter (October 2009)
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