Photo By Cpl. Daniel Blatter | Thomas Gillick, the deputy provincial manager for Helmand province United States...... read more read more
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NOW ZAD, HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Although the District of Now Zad was once known for being the largest producer of fruit in the Helmand province, in the past two years it has been an area riddled with destruction and was considered dangerous by its inhabitants.
However, since then Marines have been operating in the area, and now Now Zad is steadily growing into a district with a prosperous future of economic growth and stability.
At first glance, Now Zad looks to be filled with broken homes and shattered businesses, especially throughout the bazaar.
“The overall depth of destruction here is easily seen, just by walking through the bazaar,” said Thomas Gillick, the deputy provincial manager for Helmand province United States Agency for International Development. “Our goal is to rehabilitate over 400 shops in the bazaar within approximately 70 days, and we are currently on day 12.”
The rehabilitation of the Now Zad bazaar is a USAID-funded project.
“Specifically, this is a ‘cash for work’ project under the larger egis of the food insecurity response urban population, also known as ‘Fire Up,’” said Gillick. “The rehabilitation is going to consist of [hundreds of thousands of dollars] in tools and materials, 980,000 bricks, and it will employ 750 workers from not only Now Zad, but the outlining villages as well.”
As the population in Now Zad continues to grow at a rapid pace, it is important for the local bazaar to be able to house the new coming businesses as well as food and supplies for the people.
“Roughly 50 to 60 families are moving back into the Now Zad valley per week,” said Capt. Jeremy S. Wilkinson, company commander of Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 2. “The local economy will be able to support them after the rehabilitation of the bazaar. It will allow the people who move back in here to have jobs.”
There are more than 60 local Afghans currently working on the bazaar project, and, upon arrival of the tools needed, that number is predicted to grow to around 750.
“Overall, the Now Zad village community and elders have been supportive of this project, 110 percent,” said Gillick. “However, at this point without the tools we need, we are relying on the local nationals.”
The mission is to construct more shops, but also for the people to form a bond and grow within their lawful community. To live a life of honesty, not a life filled with drug smuggling and fear of insurgents.
“They won’t have to provide for the Taliban; they will be able to locally trade and sell in the market,” said Wilkinson.
Many fighting age males turn to a life of illegitimate activity because they have nowhere else to turn.
“The idea behind rehabilitating the bazaar is to promote commerce and to quickly get cash into the hands of fighting age males so they will be gainfully employed and less prone to planting improvised explosive devices, fighting or becoming disenfranchised from the government,” said Gillick. Currently, the project is in the clean up and excavation phase and will not be in the reconstruction stage until tools arrive.
With Forward Operating Base Cafferetta and Alpha Company positioned in close proximity of the bazaar, the security in the bazaar has not been an issue.
“One of the benefits that we have had with this project is the safety and security that we feel when going into the bazaar,” said Gillick. “There is no hostility whatsoever. The people embrace us and they are friendly.”
This is not the first project Alpha Company has undertaken, and will not be the last.
“This is an important foundation upon which to build a relationship in terms of further projects, and aiding the Marines in their quest to secure the area and promote peace and tranquility.”
After just a couple of months, the once dangerous District of Now Zad has turned the page and is beginning to rely on itself.
“When I got here in March, we had about 20 to 25 shops,” said Wilkinson. “Now, with the bazaar rehabilitation project and the shutting down of the illegal Salaam Bazaar, it has grown to more than 140 shops in just a month and a half.”
As the security in Now Zad continues to develop, it is the mission of the Marine Corps to rebuild and help the local people to provide and rely on themselves. This project is building a foundation for that very thing.
“The pace of work is going very well,” said Gillick. “We have made a huge difference already. The number of shops open now is an increase of 700 percent from what it was just a few months ago.”
A benefit of the Now Zad people coming together and uniting as a community is that they will no longer call for a life of corruption.
“One way the benefits will be manifested is, that fighting age males will have cash and they will be gainfully employed,” said Gillick. “They will be a part of the community and they will feel franchised. This will engage the local population and make them feel part of the community, and give them hope. It will be a foundation to which they can build to enhance their government’s capabilities.”
By expanding the bazaar, it will also expand the economic growth throughout the area.
“It will provide their commerce into their communities,” he added. “That trade from local [Afghan] to local [Afghan] will allow them to infuse their money into their local economy and allow them to grow stronger.”
| Date Taken: | 06.16.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 06.21.2010 09:08 |
| Story ID: | 51725 |
| Location: | NOW ZAD, AF |
| Web Views: | 184 |
| Downloads: | 155 |
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