Under the auspices of Mala Mustafa Barzani, the Barzani Charity Foundation (BCF) in collaboration with One Vision International Organization held the ceremony of opening Kawnagund school in Mergasor district in Erbil on Tuesday, October 4, 2022.
The ceremony began with the national anthem ‘Ay Raqib’ and a minute of silence in tribute to the honored martyrs of Kurdistan.
Afterwards, Mr Halgurd Sheikh Najib, Supervisor of Soran Independent Administration, delivered a speech. After welcoming the audience, he expressed his delight that the school was built in a remote village. He thanked the BCF and One Vision International for covering the cost of the school construction and said that the ninth cabinet of the KRG and the Prime Minister has paid special attention to the education sector and instructed them to closely monitor the education process. He added that 500 million dinars have been allocated from the budget of the Soran Independent Administration for the renovation of schools in the region. At the end of his speech, he stressed that according to the guidelines, it has been decided to provide all necessities for students after graduating from secondary school and admission to colleges and universities so that their families do not have to migrate to the cities.
In another part of the ceremony, Mr Ahmad, Director of Education of Mergasor District, presented a plaque of appreciation to Mr Musa Ahmad, President of the BCF.
Then Mr Musa Ahmad delivered a speech and welcomed the participants and said: “We are proud of the presence of Mr Malah Mustafa Barzani and his concern for the region, especially for education.” He also warmly welcomed the participants and stressed that “students are the future of Kurdistan and the hope of the Barzani’s great path” and said: “We are proud of the saying of the late prominent Kurdish leader Mustafa Barzani which says “it’s an honor to serve one’s own nation.”
“At the beginning of this year, President Barzani emphasized the importance of education in a statement, and we as the Barzani Charity Foundation always consider ourselves as the Peshmerga of the President, especially in the field of service. This year alone, we have carried out 182 educational projects,” he added.
The BCF president also noted that they have renovated 203 schools for $2.3 million in 2022 alone, and more than $300,000 was allocated for the construction of this school in Kawnagund, $100,000 of which was funded by the One Vision International.
Mr John Miller, President of One Vision, delivered a speech and said: “Our organization is here today along with the leaders of Kurdistan and the BCF to invest in the lives of the youth of Kurdistan. Helping to provide a new building where they can learn and an education that will allow them to be more productive members of this community in the future. This is not just another building of blocks and mortar and a great looking playground. This is a place where many young people can look forward to learning. This is a place where many young people can honor the investment that has been made in their lives by BCF and their donors.”
Finally, he thanked Malah Mustafa Barzani and Musa Ahmad, President of the BCF for their warm welcome, noting that they are grateful to be part of this project and look forward to continuing the partnership with the BCF and conducting more humanitarian work in the future.
Then Mr Ghafoor Ahmad Malah Suwar, Mayor of Mergasor district, welcomed the participants and said that 265 students will benefit from the 12th-grade school in Kawnagund village. He thanked the KRG Prime Minister for his role in the education that for his efforts the education process did not disrupt despite the coronavirus pandemic which the whole world was suffering from. He said: “It is a matter of pride and honour for us that the Barzani Charity Foundation was established under the slogan of the late Barzani “It is an honor to serve one’s own nation.”
He stressed that Malah Mustafa Barzani has been a constant supporter of education and played a significant role in the renovation of 20 schools in the Mergasor district, and last year, he helped them in providing buses for students and teachers. He also noted that the Soran Independent Administration has allocated more than 140 million dinars for the renovation of schools in Mergasor district.
At the end of the ceremony, school supplies and bags were distributed to the students.
It is worth mentioning that the school is dedicated to secondary education and consists of 12 classes and 265 students will benefit from it and the construction of the building created 450 job opportunities.
