June 5, 2024
News
In 2014, ISIS invaded Iraq, shattering hopes for stability after the US invasion. Defeated in 2017, the extremist group caused a crisis with lasting consequences still felt in Iraq today. See how Caritas Czech Republic has been supporting Iraqis from the early days of the ISIS invasion until now.
Emergency response
When the so-called Islamic State invaded Kaasim’s hometown of Sinjar in 2014, he and his family were forced to flee. Ten years later, they live in Duhok in a makeshift home. To support him, Caritas Czech Republic provided Kaasim and his family with latrines. We also supplied a repair kit, which they used to build an extra room in their house.
Kaasim is only one of the thousands of Iraqis Caritas Czech Republic has been helping since 2015. We started working in the country by supporting families who fled the conflict, only to find themselves in shelters not suitable for long-term stays. Apart from construction tools and materials to secure a roof over their heads, we provided them with medical care, food, hygiene products, and household items.
Returning to normalcy
In 2017, with the defeat of ISIS - which at one point controlled more than a third of Iraq's territory – Iraq faced longer-term challenges introduced or exacerbated by the terrorist group.
The conflict, which cost the lives of tens of thousands of Iraqis, displaced over 6 million people within the country. In regions once under the control of the so-called Islamic State, homes, infrastructure, and agricultural lands were severely damaged, and due to a complex political and volatile security situation, more than 1 million – like Kaasim with his family – remain displaced. Those Iraqis, however, who decide to return, need assistance to rebuild their lives and shelters and return to a sense of normalcy.
“When I returned home, I found my workshop burned out and all of my machines and materials were destroyed,” recalls Mujahed, a carpenter who fled to Baghdad after the terrorist group attacked his hometown. He could no longer work or employ anyone. After selling all their family jewelry, he managed to repair one function of a single machine, but it was not enough to support his family or his workshop.
With our support, he Mujahed could buy the rest of the equipment he needed. “My workshop began to prosper once again. I was able to give four people a full-time job, and together we make all kinds of furniture to this day,” Mujahed notes.
In the years following the conflict, Caritas Czech Republic has supported many small business owners like Mujahed.
We have also been helping farmers by restoring agricultural lands and irrigation systems damaged during the conflict and supplying them with the necessary tools and seeds. “When I came back after ISIS left, I saw that my farm was completely destroyed,” notes Sami from the Al-Hamdaniya district close to Mosul, who thanks to Caritas Czech Republic received a grant to buy farming equipment. Nowadays, farming allows him to provide for 16 other family members.
Looking ahead
The above-mentioned issues in Iraq persist. Meanwhile, the country faces new challenges.
The prolonged conflict negatively impacted the job market, especially for young people who had just finished school. In a country with over half its population under 25, these young people suffer from high unemployment due to instability.
These days, Caritas Czech Republic therefore actively promotes youth employability and entrepreneurship through vocational and life skills training. For example, we supported 24-year-old Hanaa to expand her print and graphic design business.
Iraq is also one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change. Rising temperatures lead to water scarcity and desertification, triggering food shortages, displacement, and tension within the local society.
We introduce farmers – like Sami – to alternative farming methods suitable for the changing environment. Sami, who we also provided with a greenhouse, can now grow a much more diverse array of vegetables. “I am happy that I can now grow a much wider range of produce and that thanks to the greenhouse, I can harvest in winter as well. I’m also selling the produce at a nearby market,” he says.
We can help people in Iraq thanks to the support of our donors. Thank you for your help.
