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Impact in Iraq

26 October 2020, Impact of Our Work, Voices from the Field

Working with communities towards a peaceful future

Since early 2019, Save the Children has led Building Peaceful Futures – a project supporting conflict-affected communities in Iraq. Supported by the Australian Government and implemented through the Australian Humanitarian Partnership, Save the Children has worked alongside Care International, Humanity and Inclusion, and the Norwegian Refugee Council to give a helping hand to communities, supporting them to return to a normal life.

When COVID-19 started affecting families in Iraq and our ability to reach them, all Building Peaceful Futures partners quickly adjusted their approach so that we were able to continue to give regular and relevant support.

Save the Children’s local staff in Iraq recently conducted a series of interviews with some of the families who have participated in our programs, to demonstrate the impact that the Building Peaceful Futures project has had.


 

Better health and hygiene

Access to safe water is a huge problem in many areas of Iraq, after conflict destroyed water piping and sanitation infrastructure in the worst-hit areas. Entire communities who were forced to flee returned to their homes in areas where government services had ceased, and rubbish and other waste quickly began to mount.


Watch Adnan, Farhan, and Ahmed discuss how the Building Peaceful Futures project has supported families in Hawija to get back on their feet by rehabilitating infrastructure and providing hygiene training to an array of groups across the community.


Responding to new needs

To combat the problems COVID-19 posed on already vulnerable communities, Save the Children quickly began distributing hygiene kits comprised of Dettol, sanitary pads, towels, and soap, which in addition to our hygiene promotion work, helped families protect themselves against the Pandemic.

Watch Huda, Save the Children’s WASH officer explain how we quickly reached families in these unprecedented times.

Quality education

Conflict rips children away from schools and destruction can drastically hinder their return. Save the Children, through the Building Peaceful Futures project, has helped kids return to a safe and fun learning environment – giving them the best chance to strive towards a brighter future.
Watch student Hussein and principal Majeed discuss how school partnerships with the Building Peaceful Futures project has enabled rehabilitation of facilities and provided a safer school environment for boys and girls.

Access to work

As conflict increased across Iraq, markets collapsed, and regular employment became scarce. While communities rebuild infrastructure and businesses slowly begin to reopen, Save the Children injected a much-needed boost with cash transfers to vulnerable families. 
The cash has in turn supported other people in the community as it is spent in local markets.

Watch Nawal, Ali, and Ameer discuss the problems their families faced and how cash support gave them the assistance they needed.


      

Building Peaceful Futures is supported by the Australian Government and implemented by Save the Children, Care International, Humanity and Inclusion, and the Norwegian Refugee Council through the Australian Humanitarian Partnership.

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