January Update 2

This week in Iraq has been especially violent leading up to yesterday's start of Eid al-Adha, a holy Muslim Holiday celebrating the Feast of Sacrifice. On one day alone, 200 Iraqis were killed and in one incident suicide bombers made their way to within a close distance of the US Ambassador. These are difficult times in Iraq as the government is struggling to secure its newest positions.

During this period USAID has released a plan to work in 10 strategic cities and lay the foundation for peace - the proposal is worth nearly $1.3 Billion. War Kids Relief is excited about the opportunity that this proposal brings since it has a definite focus on youth programming and employment generation for youth.

Currently there are 3.5 million youth out of school as they either fear the dangers surrounding the schools or are working in the streets. War Kids Relief is developing a alternative education program for these students focusing on the existing Youth Centers. The original plan was to incorporate computer classrooms into these locations, but we have progressed in the programming to looking at a bigger picture.

Yesterday I held meetings with personnel from the Ministry of Youth and Sports who are visiting Washington and attending a youth conference. Through discussions we worked up a plan to incorporate vocational training and employment generation into the mix. We hope to make the Youth Center a place to engage the children and keep them out of the hands of the insurgency...a real fear for the ministry.

I am extremely excited about this opportunity for War Kids Relief. We have been very successful in advocacy and other realms, but have not yet done enough on the ground. This is the break we have been waiting for.

For more information on War Kids Relief, please visit the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF) homepage, (http://vvaf.org/).