Iraqi Um Qasr school starts a new page after Agility renovations 

With no air conditioning, no heating, no running water, and dilapidated facilities, the school in the Iraqi town of Um Qasr was not a pleasant place for its 400 students aged 7 to 13. Then Agility Iraq stepped in. With financing and donations from Agility and help from both skilled and unskilled laborers, Um Qasr's school received a full renovation, inside and out.

With new plumbing, students now have toilet facilities with running water. A new air conditioning and heating system lets the school hold classes year-round, in any weather. New blackboards and whiteboards help teachers do their jobs, while extra desks make room for 75 more children to sit down and learn. Finally, the playground — once too dangerous to use due to neglect and damage — has been rebuilt and fenced in so children can play safely.

“It feels great to be part of a team and organization that has made a tangible contribution to the local community, in an area that really needed the help,” a Agility volunteer said proudly.