Iraq 

JumpStart International's activities in Iraq have assisted the local people through employment generation programs focusing on cleaning and clearance of massive amounts of rubble, the demolition and clearance of buildings for reconstruction, street and sewage clearance, construction and renewal projects, and housing reconstruction.

Accomplishments:

• Provided over 550,000 days of employment by hiring a local workforce of over 3,500 Iraqis, including 130 engineers and foremen by the end of 2004
• Cleared over 500 facilities, demolished over 300 damaged buildings, constructed more than 160 buildings, and painted a million square feet of public buildings in Sadr City
• Rebuilt 70 homes destroyed in fighting in Fallujah in 2004, and cleared rubble from major sectors of the city
• Provided immediate response for clean-up and rebuilding of individual properties destroyed or damaged by car bombings
• Provided clearance services to various public and governmental organizations in Baghdad, Fallujah and Najaf
• Provided design, engineering and labor to build 50 homes in 2005 for local Iraqis in Baghdad who contributed the materials and land for construction.

Clearing and Clearance Projects

Initially funded with $2 million in private commitments, JumpStart was later awarded a $5 million grant through the Coalition Provisional Authority to provide building reconstruction and employment opportunities for Iraqis.

Construction and Renewal Projects

In 2004-2005, JumpStart workers also performed contract work for the reconstruction of public and private buildings, new construction projects, and revitalization projects including sewage clearance and painting of public buildings and schools in Sadr City.

Housing Construction Projects

In 2005, JumpStart launched a pilot housing construction program in Iraq to address two big problems – the acute housing shortage and high unemployment – into one solution. JumpStart provided the labor and oversight for the construction of homes, while future homeowners secured the land and building materials. The building supplies were purchased locally from manufacturers and suppliers in Iraq, stimulating the local economy and the creation of entrepreneur businesses. The objective of the program was to provide on-the-job training opportunities for construction skills for laborers as well as an entrepreneurial model for project managers and supervisors.

JumpStart implemented a series of six cycles of housing construction and built 50 homes for Iraqi families, generating over 11,000 days of work for both skilled and unskilled Iraqi laborers.

In December 2005, the program was suspended due to ongoing security issues and lack of funding.