Army’s microgrants have mega impact

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Walid Hamoud, who opened a chicken stand two years ago in Baghdad, has been helped by grants distributed by the U.S. Army.


Army’s microgrants have mega impact
By Geoff Ziezulewicz, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Wednesday, February 20, 2008

BAGHDAD — Walid Hamoud just wanted to make a buck for himself and his family. War got in the way.

A former metal worker here, he opened a chicken stand two years ago in Baghdad’s Sharibea district, a big commercial area with a mix of Sunni, Shiite and Kurd- ish shops, before the war.

But the violence that has infused the daily lives of Baghdad residents during the war eventually caused him to close up shop last year.

“When there’s any attack in the area, not just me, everybody in this area stopped work,” Walid said through a translator earlier this month.

But Iraqis and U.S. soldiers stationed around here said security in Sharibea improved about six months ago after the “surge” of troops set up shop throughout the city. Now that security is better, Walid is back to work, and he’s got a little help as well.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=52613