ABOUT US
In 2008 LTC Rick Burns worked to establish a Sister Cities International Friendship Partnership between Council Bluffs, Iowa and the Karadah District Council of Baghdad, Iraq. Inspired by that success, in 2010, Rick founded The Karadah Project International - a 501(c)3 Iowa corporation focused on sustainable projects in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Rick said, "What has animated me is a simple lesson I learned after a decade of deployments: “money spent” and “projects completed” are very poor metrics. We have used these measurements of choice because, very simply, they are easy. Conflict-ridden and post-war areas are horribly difficult places fraught with insecurity, economic devastation, with people whose lives have been almost irreparably disrupted.
To oversee, manage, track, and analyze projects in these areas is an epic challenge. The difficulty of the task, however, should not prevent us from doing all we can to insure the money we spend on projects is actually getting at the intended outcomes. Indeed, we are morally obligated to insure our projects do good and minimize negative unintended consequences.“
We are committed to building sustainable and long-term solutions in partnership with the people of Iraq and Afghanistan. We envision a world made better by equal access to ideas and partnering opportunities that empower people and communities to solve their own challenges and create their own destinies where sustainability, growth and innovation build civil, stable and economically productive communities.
Rick said, "What has animated me is a simple lesson I learned after a decade of deployments: “money spent” and “projects completed” are very poor metrics. We have used these measurements of choice because, very simply, they are easy. Conflict-ridden and post-war areas are horribly difficult places fraught with insecurity, economic devastation, with people whose lives have been almost irreparably disrupted.
To oversee, manage, track, and analyze projects in these areas is an epic challenge. The difficulty of the task, however, should not prevent us from doing all we can to insure the money we spend on projects is actually getting at the intended outcomes. Indeed, we are morally obligated to insure our projects do good and minimize negative unintended consequences.“
We are committed to building sustainable and long-term solutions in partnership with the people of Iraq and Afghanistan. We envision a world made better by equal access to ideas and partnering opportunities that empower people and communities to solve their own challenges and create their own destinies where sustainability, growth and innovation build civil, stable and economically productive communities.
Core Values
Integrity - Our partnerships, activities, services, and programs are consistent with our stated mission, compatible with our organizational capacity, respectful of the interests of our partners and sponsors, and managed with the highest level of professionalism.
Accountability - The true measure of our success is whether individual lives and communities change for the better as a result of our work. We are mission-focused, conduct program evaluations, produce measurable outcomes and insure sound financial management.
Stewardship - We are able to accomplish our mission through the generosity of others. We respect donors’ intentions and restrictions on the use of their gifts, and promote responsible stewardship of the resources they entrust to us for the accomplishment of our work. We are transparent in our dealings with others.
Excellence - We support and encourage visionary governance, exemplary management, excellent service and program delivery and exceptional staff. We value and uphold the highest ethical and professional standards in all of our working relations.
Dedication - Our commitment to accomplishing our mission is paramount and drives our daily decisions and our strategic planning. We work passionately toward accomplishing our mandate of a world made better by our efforts.
Innovation - We strive relentlessly to find new and better answers. We do not believe the best solutions have been found.
Accountability - The true measure of our success is whether individual lives and communities change for the better as a result of our work. We are mission-focused, conduct program evaluations, produce measurable outcomes and insure sound financial management.
Stewardship - We are able to accomplish our mission through the generosity of others. We respect donors’ intentions and restrictions on the use of their gifts, and promote responsible stewardship of the resources they entrust to us for the accomplishment of our work. We are transparent in our dealings with others.
Excellence - We support and encourage visionary governance, exemplary management, excellent service and program delivery and exceptional staff. We value and uphold the highest ethical and professional standards in all of our working relations.
Dedication - Our commitment to accomplishing our mission is paramount and drives our daily decisions and our strategic planning. We work passionately toward accomplishing our mandate of a world made better by our efforts.
Innovation - We strive relentlessly to find new and better answers. We do not believe the best solutions have been found.
SACRIFICE & HONOR
In our journey through life we come across people who touch us deeply. Their motives are pure, their intentions, frankly righteous. They are not perfect, but they are so good that we want to associate with them. One such man was Haidari. He worked tirelessly to facilitate our Goats for Khairabad project, quite literally "boots on the ground."
In August 2013 he was killed while working in his office.
We are forever in his debt; his family and loved ones are forever in our prayers.
In August 2013 he was killed while working in his office.
We are forever in his debt; his family and loved ones are forever in our prayers.