CAR / IOM CASH FOR WORK

IOM's cash-for-work street cleaning project with local youths in Bangui, the capital of the Central African is underway, aimed at promoting cooperation and coexistence between Christian and Muslim communities. MINUSCA

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:32
• Production Date: 16 May 2014
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION - IOM
• Subject Topical: PEACE AND SECURITY; REFUGEES; DISPLACED PERSONS; DISASTER PREVENTION; DISASTER PREPAREDNESS; DISASTER RELIEF
• Geographic Subject: CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
• MAMS Id: 1024624

Description

STORY: CAR / IOM CASH FOR WORK
TRT: 1.32
SOURCE: MINUSCA
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH /NATS

DATELINE: 16 MAY 2014, BANGUI, CAR

Shotlist

1. Various shots, group cleaning the rubble from the street
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Sandra Black, IOM Communications Officer:
“This is part of our retention of communities, social cohesion program. We are trying to give people a reason to stay in their own neighborhoods. These are mixed neighborhoods in 5th and 3rd arondissements and we want them to stay that way. The economy of the Central-African Republic, Bangui, these people of these neighborhoods is really hurting a lot. So we give them employment and a chance to contribute to their neighborhood.”
3. Wide shot, workers shoveling garbage
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Sandra Black, IOM Communications Officer:
“Arondissment, that’s where we work, in the 3rd and the 5th, and we take people from that arondissement. We take people representatives from each cartier in that arondissement. So people can contribute to their community and help their neighbors. And people from the community can see that Christians and Muslims here in mix communities are working together for the good of Bangui.”
5. Close up, worker with pickaxe
6. Pan right, workers in rubble

Storyline

The International Organization on Migration (IOM)cash-for-work street cleaning project with local youths in Bangui, Central African Republic is underway, aimed at promoting cooperation and coexistence between Christian and Muslim communities.

The 3rd district of Bangui is one of the last areas in the capital where Muslims and Christians continue to live in relative harmony, despite intense pressure from armed groups. The goal of the project is to build and strengthen social cohesion and support the local economy.

IOM Communications Officer Sandra Black said that the IOM is trying to give people reason to stay.

“This is part of our retention of communities, social cohesion program. We are trying to give people a reason to stay in their own neighborhoods. These are mixed neighborhoods in 5th and 3rd arondissements and we want them to stay that way. The economy of the Central-African Republic, Bangui, and these people of these neighborhoods is really hurting a lot. So we give them employment and a chance to contribute to their neighborhood.” – said Black.

The youths are divided into five cleaning crews of ten people each, with a mix of Christians and Muslims, men and women. The 50 local youths represent all 29 neighborhoods of the district. Each group of 50 worked for a two-week period.

All workers are working in their own district, thus contributing directly to their own communities.

“And people from the community can see that Christians and Muslims here in mix communities are working together for the good of Bangui.” – said Black.

The IOM launched this project in beginning of March this year.

After months of fighting, there are some 701,500 internally displaced people in the CAR – 276,500 in Bangui and 425,000 outside the capital. Muslims as well as ethnic minorities have fled from most neighborhoods in Bangui.