Qandil has retained its role as the UNHCR’s largest implementation partner in northern Iraq. Cooperation with UN agencies started in 1995.
The refugee programme operated by Qandil for UNHCR is directed at two target groups: Iranian-Kurdish refugees living in the provinces of Erbil and Sulaymaniyah and Turkish-Kurdish refugees living in the province of Mosul.
|
| The Barika project |
|
| Iranian-Kurdish refugees living in Barika continue to receive assistance. Qandil has built another 100 new homes for refugees and constructed water and sewerage systems, and has also cooperated with local authorities in the construction of power networks and local roads for the new housing area. When housing construction was completed, vulnerable Iranian-Kurdish refugee families, who had been living in the province for |
some time, were selected by UNHCR, local authorities, Qandil, REACH and offered housing.
A sewerage system was also built for the 250 shelters that had previously been built, and maintenance work and minor repairs were carried out on the houses. The water supply in Barika comes from the Bestana Soor wastewater treatment plant. This plant not only supplies Barika with drinking water but also other towns such as Arbat and Said Sadiq. Qandil carried out minor maintenance as well as conducting regular quality controls of the drinking water in cooperation with the local authority. |
| |
| Newly arrived Iranian-Kurds to Sulaymaniyah |
| During the year, Qandil completed the registration of newly arrived Iranian-Kurds from the Al Tash refugee camp near Ramadi. The total number of people who arrived and settled in Sulaymaniyah Province was approximately 1,200. These groups of refugees had to be integrated themselves into the local community as the authorities did not consider it necessary to put them together in one refugee camp. The integration process was recognised as successful, particularly in the districts of Kalar and Darbandokeh. Qandil arranged for financial support for the newly arrived refugees. |
Kawa refugee camp
Qandil has continued to identify a permanent solution for the 1,287 Iranian-Kurdish refugees, who have now been living temporarily in Kawa since 2005, by constructing 144 shelters; these will be completed by next year. The intention is to gradually phase out this refugee camp. A new primary health care clinics and a primary school with six classrooms have been built. It is intended that these be used not only by the refugees but also by other residents in the community. This will be a step in the integration that the local authority and UNHCR wish to achieve. Furthermore, infrastructure was constructed for water in the community. Qandil also worked to improve the water supply by building distribution pipelines, replacing water pipes, repairing water tanks, renovating four pump rooms and building three platforms for water towers. The water project has been co-financed by UNHCR and Sida. A power distribution network for 190 houses was subsequently put up. Qandil has arranged for payment procedures for medical staff at the new clinic; they are employed by the Ministry of Health. The clinic has been provided with essential equipment. Other basic services were performed, such as waste management, fuel allowance and other support for vulnerable refugee families. These activities have been coordinated from Qandil’s office in Kawa.
|
| Makhmur refugee camp |
|
| UNHCR has continued to support the 12,000 or so Turkish-Kurdish refugees living in the Makhmour District, affiliated with Mosul Province. Minor maintenance has been carried out, including work at four primary schools and a women’s centre. Qandil has also maintained and repaired the existing water infrastructure and sewerage systems, conducted quality controls of drinking water, continued to conduct waste |
| management activities and arranged for payment of medical staff at the primary health care clinic as well as security staff at the refugee camp. Financial support has been distributed to vulnerable groups of refugees. |
|
