During the first months of 2010 the Danish Refugee Council has built 180 houses for former Iraqi refugees returning and resettling in the south of Iraq.

From January to March 2010 the Danish Refugee Council, DRC, has been running a shelter project in Iraq for displaced Iraqis living under dire conditions in Missan, a southern province of Iraq.

At the end of the project, DRC could hand over the keys to former refugees now taking over the 180 houses of 35 square meters with two rooms, a kitchen and a bathroom.

“The design of the houses was developed together with the people in the community, the authorities and housing experts from UNHCR,” says Christian Jacob Hansen, programcoordinator for DRC Iraq.

“The families and individuals have now settled down in their new houses, but the work of DRC does not stop here. We are still working closely with the authorities and other organizations to provide the entire community with basic infrastructure, such as water pipes and power lines,” explains Christian Jacob Hansen.

DRC further assists in supporting the community members in finding ways to support themselves, since unemployment is very high all over Iraq.

At present DRC is implementing activities in 12 out of 18 governorates in Iraq, and expects to expand this to all 18.  DRC implements assistance within the sectors: Protection, Self-Reliance/Livelihood and Shelter & Emergency NFI distributions.

Read the story of Suad jafar and her five grandchildren, who are among the beneficiaries of the DRC shelter project: http://www.unhcr.org/4bf53b636.html

Read about DRC in Iraq

 

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