Emergency Food Distribution Project for IDPs / Community Assistance / Medical Assistance for Childhood cancer patients in Iraqi hospitals

?

Program background

US Forces in Iraq completed the withdraw of its combat troops from urban areas in the end of June 2009 saying that there had been significant improvement in security from the worst period during 2006 – 2007 under the situation described as `Civil War`.

However, there are still frequent incidents of explosions and the negotiations to form a new government after the national election in March, 2010 was in limbo as of this writing.

It appears that more time is needed until the situation is truly stabilized, so the continuous efforts by NGOs and International Organizations to provide humanitarian assistance is still needed.

Summary of activities

(1)Emergency Food Distribution for IDPs

Due to the deterioration of safety and security, approximately 5 million people forced to flee their homes are still living in and out of the country as either IDPs or Refugees, Additionally, the assistance from the government of Iraq to these people forced away from their homes is inadequate. Particularly, many of the IDPs are vulnerable to poverty and suffer from a shortage of water, food, medical treatment, and shelter necessary for living.

2009 Annual Report

In August, 2009, JVC delivered food items to the 450 households of the most vulnerable IDPs and host community members in the city of Fallujah in the Anbar Governorate, west of Iraq. The food items delivered were rice, beans, sugar and vegetable oil, These basic food stuffs are needed, but are in short supply by the government. Monitoring of this action showed the positive impact of the food delivered to satisfy the specific needs among these vulnerable people, but at the same time, JVC began to recognize the challenges required for creating a sustainable and independent life for these people such as job opportunities.

2010 Annual Plan

JVC will keep watching and monitoring the situation in Fallujah and prepare for an emergency response in case of an urgent humanitarian situation.

(2)Community Assistance (Conflict Prevention through Dialogue)

JVC is working together with the local NGO named “INSAN Iraqi Society”(INSAN) for a community assistance program in the northern city of Kikuk, where historically many kinds of people of different ethnic backgrounds (Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen, Assyrians) have been living together. The potential for conflict based on the differences of culture and customs is a serious concern.

INSAN has some projects to facilitate mutual understanding and recognition among those who have different ethnic backgrounds.

Supported by academics in a Japanese University, JVC provides necessary funds and ideas to INSAN to accelerate the project smoothly and keeps records for the projects so that their community assistance activities would become a reference of successful cases of conflict prevention through dialogues in broader contexts.

2009 Annual Report

1. Creating Peace in the Community through Children (Acceleration of Mutual Understanding by Co-operative Work)
JVC provided the community an opportunity to have 16 art workshop classes (2days a week for 8weeks) for 40 children of different ethnic backgrounds around the 6th grade of primary school.

2.Community Committee Activities (Finding solution to the problems in the community)
JVC provided suggestions to INSAN for improvement of keeping records of the problems and solutions discussed at the community committee meetings.

2010 Annual Plan

JVC will continue the art workshop for children to promote an environment of peaceful coexistence in the community. Suggestions to the community committee activities will be provided by the analysis of the meeting minutes and through interviews with the stakeholders.

(3)Medical Assistance for Childhood Cancer in Iraqi hospitals

Many children in Iraq are suffering from leukemia and cancers. Radioactive contamination by depleted uranium shells during the Gulf War (1991) and Iraq War (2003) are presumably the main cause of these diseases.

Since 2003, JVC has been supplying medicines and medical equipment. Furthermore in 2004, JVC organized an NGO network called JIM-NET (Japan-Iraq Medical Assistance Network) along with 7 other organizations in order to keep close cooperation and share information. Through this network JVC can provide medical aid more effectively.

2009 Annual Report

JIM-NET continues to provide medical aid for hospitals in Baghdad, Mosul and Basrah. JIM-NET was composed of 9 NGOs at the start of 2010.

JIM-NET provides drugs for cancer treatment to the hospitals:
Mosul. Ibn Al-Asheer Hospital
Baghdad, Children Welfare Teaching Hospital
Baghdad, Central Teaching Hospital for Children
Basrah, Maternity and Children Hospital
JVC focuses its assistance to the hospitals in Basrah and Mosul through coordination with JIM-NET.

2010 Annual Plan

JVC keep watching the medical situation in Iraq and continue the needed assistance to the hospitals as long as the necessity for NGO humanitarian assistance remains.