December 19, 2021
News
A resident of Heet District in Anbar, Zikra is a 20-year-old woman trying to find her own place in life. Her family consists of her mother, three sisters, and a brother. Now that Zikra is back in school, she has enrolled in the secondary school program. She joined the Like Skills Training organized by Caritas Czech Republic in Iraq and hopes to save enough money to pursue her dream of becoming a photographer.
Cash for Work initiative will help Zikra follow her dreams
As a photographer, Zikra previously worked with a number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and she also acted in various art projects in the city.
Zikra discovered the "Enhance Resilience of Vulnerable Communities in Anbar, Heet District" program through social media. To join the team of the Cash for Work program, she clicked on the link provided from the project on a social site. Caritas Czech Republic called Zikra to let her know she had been selected to take part in the project activities including the training which focused on various topics. For example, the participants learned more about the covid-19 disease and the ongoing pandemic, but also about practical topics such as time management and the concept of teamwork. The training covered also other themes like gender equality and safety and preventive measures against mines.
After the training, Zikra joined the Cash for Work activities.
For five days, she participated in the Cash for Work, Life Skills Training starting on 19th-23rd September 2021. In order to bring the school walls back to their former glory, she has begun cleaning and painting them as a part of the Cash for Work initiative.
Zikra wants to get better at photography
For Zikra, art has always been more than just a hobby or a way to pass time. She has worked as a photographer on numerous occasions because she is proficient in video design and photo editing. She appears on the city's stage from time to time in diverse performances.
As part of this initiative, Zikra hopes to save enough money to purchase her own camera and improve her artistic abilities by working on it.
Zikra's message to all young women
"The kitchen is only one part of your life. You are the center of the universe. In the end, it is up to you how things turn out for you. Let your hopes and aspirations be the pillars on which you build your life. Stay focused and don't let anything stand in the way of achieving your goals. Be a role model for others instead of letting rude comments get in the way of your success."
The project is implemented by UNDP Iraq in partnership with Caritas Czech Republic in Iraq with funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) provided through Kfw Development Bank.
