Blog Contributor .
Chief of Party Joshua Owens
Joshua Owens is the chief of party on the USAID/OTI Iraq Community Resilience Initiative (ICRI-Ta’afi) which focuses on enhancing public service delivery, rehabilitating community infrastructure, restoring livelihoods, and addressing social issues threatening stability in Iraq.
by Joshua Owens
The Case for Continued Support to Sinjar: Ta’afi Lessons Learned and Strategic Opportunities
Sinjar, a remote district in Northwest Iraq, has suffered from neglect and political isolation for decades. In 2014, ISIS’s occupation caused severe infrastructure damage, mass displacement, and the disappearance, enslavement, or murder of nearly 8,000 civilians. The Yezidi community suffered greatly. Many outside Iraq will recall dramatic news reports on U.S. food assistance airdrops to…