Duhok, KURDISTAN (April 12, 2018) – Rwanga Foundation, NGOs and International NGOs held the renovation completion ceremony for the Zawita Public Park.
Zawita Public Park (Deshta Bere): During a 3 months period, Rwanga Foundation, the Harikar QIP team and the UNHCR Protection and Community Service team invited 15 Members of the Zawita district community to a ‘Participation Mapping’ in order to assess the needs of the Zawita Public Park and to collect the communities ideas and wishes for improving the parks quality and to apply it on the Park.
Provided with a map of the Zawita park site showing the boundaries, roads and existing buildings, 15 local host community members, IDPs and refugees collected their ideas and drew and wrote down the facilities they thought necessary to be added to the park by using various stationary items. The purpose of the invitation was to empower the community through involving them in the planning and decision-making of the project and to form a basis for socioeconomic integration.
Guided by facilitators, the Zawita community then shared their ideas and decided for the most important facilities they believed to be necessary for the park. Among the most important ideas, facilities like shaded seating areas, outdoor gym facilities, children playgrounds, water features and prayer areas had been chosen and proposed to the project coordinators. The meeting was adjourned after general discussions with the participants and a round of refreshments.
Through GIZ and the ‘Cash for Work’ program new roads had been build, old roads had been renovated, pathways created, fire barriers made, walls around trees retained and channels constructed. Playgrounds had been prepared and fixed, sport instruments installed, bathrooms build and public lightings installed, as well as solar systems and public benches placed by UNHCR and the Harikar team. The machines to build and construct were provided by the Directorate of Forestry. Furthermore Rwanga Foundation was holding awareness sessions on environment to locals, IDPs and Refugees, as well as printing and fixing signboards and trashcans, inside and outside the park.
In total 8575 persons could benefit of the project which majorly was implemented by using natural materials. The number consist of 5,700 IDPs, 2700 Locals and 175 Refugees.
The Zawita district, in the Duhok governorate, lies on the road towards Swaratuka, Sarsink and Solav, 16 kilometers northeast of Duhok. Because of its special natural beauty, it has become a place for picnics and recreational activities. The district has an area of approximately 41,591 ha with almost 30,129 ha of it covered with natural forest. The park is situated on the road to Bablo Park near the old Zawita-Amedi road and is around 26,500 sq. meters big. Renovating this park will support protecting the nature and environment of the area through the sustainability plan of the partners.
