August 2, 2023
Stories
Bidaa Mohammed is, a 26-year-old girl from Al-Amiriah district, Anbar Governorate in Iraq. She was born into a large family; her mother was a seamstress and passed on this tradition to her. During the ISIS control of Anbar governorate, Bidaa and her family stayed in the Al-Amiriah district. It has been three years since she started her tailoring profession. Thanks to Caritas Czech Republic, Bidaa can now sew more clothes and grow her customer circle.
Rising above challenges with courage and skill
Bidaa graduated from high school with an excellent grade, which allowed her to go to a good college. Unfortunately, she could not continue studying due to financial difficulties. During the ISIS control of her home region, Bidaa had to stay at home, and it was then that she learned sewing from her mother.
Bidaa now lives with her mother alone and is the provider of the house. She lost her father, and all her siblings are married. Bidaa used to sew with her mother’s old manual sewing machine, which was challenging for her as she could not sew more than two pieces in a day.
Fortunately, Bidaa heard from our field monitors about Caritas Czech Republic’s project that provides business management training to people in Iraq. She registered directly in her home district of Al-Amiriah as she needed to improve her business to be able to have a sustainable income. “The day I applied for the project, I felt eager and started thinking about how I could succeed,” said Bidaa.
We care about sustainable livelihoods
Bidaa participated in the business management training organised by Caritas Czech Republic, where she learned how to run a business, how to set up a work plan, how marketing mechanism works and how to ensure the sustainability of her work. “I learned how to sell, which is something I didn't know before,” says Bidaa.
She also grew her social circle and developed new communication channels with different people after participating in the social cohesion training organised by Caritas Czech Republic.
Bidaa received a business grant from Caritas Czech Republic, which allowed her to buy a new sewing machine, button-pressing machine, iron, and a small generator. This equipment was necessary for Bidaa to grow her business and earn a steady income for herself and her mother. “My mum helps me with the work, she cuts the garments, and now I can sew more than five pieces a day,” says Bidaa. Thanks to Caritas Czech Republic, Bidaa has doubled her productivity and gained more customers.
Dream of a brighter future
Bidaa’s business and personal life also changed after participating in the Caritas Czech Republic project. Bidaa was in a tough situation psychologically, “Before the project, I was trapped in a cycle of sadness and depression, after being a part of the project, I have found hope again. Participating in this project made me feel a decade younger,” says Bidaa.
Bidaa wants to have enough income, which will allow her to make her dreams come true and go to college. She advises all girls to continue their studies and never give up.
Caritas Czech Republic in Iraq
Caritas Czech Republic is supporting vulnerable people in Iraq in collaboration with Secours Catholique - Caritas France in a project titled "Emergency livelihoods support for vulnerable IDPs in Al-Amiriyah, Anbar Governorate". We provided business management training, social cohesion training, business grants, and on-the-job training for 100 beneficiaries in Al-Amiriah to help the internally displaced people and the host communities establish stable livelihood sources across diverse sectors.
Since its involvement in Iraq in 2015, Caritas Czech Republic has steadily transitioned from providing immediate humanitarian aid to executing longer-term developmental programs. Our primary aim is to aid people in regaining their original livelihoods and establishing new employment opportunities. For those who have been displaced from their homes, we strive to improve their living conditions through the provision of stable shelters. Unemployment is one of Iraq's most important challenges in its developmental stage. To address this, Caritas Czech Republic and its partners are relentlessly working on delivering durable and lasting solutions to combat unemployment.
