Iraq – Community Action Program II (CAP II)

Supporting Community Groups and Community Development, Providing Skills and Conflict Resolution Training

Building on the success of the 3-year, $50 million, USAID-funded Community Action Program (ICAP I), ACDI/VOCA is partnering with CHF International to implement the multiyear Community Action Program II (CAP II). CHF International is the prime implementing agency for the 2-year program, which is supporting 53 community action groups with funding to undertake essential social, infrastructural and economic projects in cities, towns and villages throughout the northern governorates of Iraq.

CAP II funding is provided on a matching basis with the Iraqi communities’ own contributions, thereby creating a genuine sense of ownership and engagement with the rebuilding of their country. ACDI/VOCA’s highly skilled staff provides community groups and individuals with a range of key community development skills as well as business development training and training on practical tools for conflict resolution. The program also focuses on working with youth on such issues as gang and drug prevention, business ethics, basic accounting, microfinance/small enterprise finance, market assessment, civil society interaction and advocacy with local government.

ACDI/VOCA's portfolio of community projects, comprising $14 million of USAID funding for 2006-2008, supports the building of a stable, democratic and prosperous Iraq by strengthening community-level mechanisms and building citizens’ capacity to participate in local decision making and development. To achieve this, ACDI/VOCA is meeting the following objectives:

• enhanced stability and social capital through stakeholder cooperation in implementing tangible projects that directly improve the community stakeholders’ socioeconomic circumstances
• strengthened community-level participation in support of a more effective, transparent and democratic subnational government
• increased opportunities for local economic development at the community level
• increased CAP II technical excellence through training, education and cross-learning
• assistance to civilian victims of conflict

In addition to the community-based projects that CAP II undertakes, ACDI/VOCA is also implementing the Marla Ruzicka Fund for the innocent victims of coalition forces’ violence. The Marla Ruzicka Fund assists those injured in the course of fighting in Iraq, or the families of those killed, to establish or expand a business after the injury or loss of a loved one, in many cases, the family breadwinner.

During a debate in the House of Representatives on June 21, 2007, Congressman Christopher Shays (R-Conn.) said the following of the program: "…CAP has successfully managed more than 6,000 reconstruction and development projects and created more than 2.7 million days of employment and 34,000 long-term jobs with 43 percent of those jobs going to women, Iraqi women." ACDI/VOCA, within its seven governorate area of responsibility where CAP II is also implemented, continues to surpass the ICAP I achievements. Shays went on to say, "This is the one program that is in fact working in Iraq. No one disputes it. We can dispute everything else, but not this."

For more information contact Daniel Wortman at dwortman@acdivoca.org.

Updated: 5/08

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