Iraq

The year 2022 showed once again that Iraq is still not a free nation. Last year, Iraq's approximately 41 million inhabitants continued to suffer from the consequences of the civil war, the difficult economic situation and the not fully implemented democratic system. Although the intensity of the civil war decreased, there were still 740 civilian casualties in 2022. Tensions continue to run along the social, ethnic and religious boundaries which have separated the respective social groups in the 19 years since the invasion of the US army.
In addition to the internal Iraqi tensions, neighbouring Iran and Turkey are causing destabilisation in the country. There are still 1.2 million IDPs in the country. Added to that are about 260,000 Syrian civil war refugees. One third of the IDPs live in refugee camps, all others live in makeshift shelters, rent with other families or live on the streets. They, and also the communities which host them, require international assistance.
The refugees and IDPs who have experienced the greatest misery in war zones are also the ones who suffer the most under the poor economic situation. They have lost everything, and because they live in camps they have no real opportunities to get a job and feed themselves and their families. Russia's invasion of Ukraine caused increased wheat prices and shortages of various food items worldwide. The overall cost of living also increased in Iraq. The situation is exacerbated by the increasing scarcity of water, which is related on the one hand to the continued desertification in the once more fertile south, and on the other hand to the increased capacity and use of Turkish dams so that the Euphrates carries less water than Iraq needs.

a) Emergency Relief for IDPs 

Anugerah continued to support IDPs in the last year. In northern provinces of the country such as Dahuk, Erbil and Nineveh, Anugerah distributed food parcels to IDPs living in remote mountain villages. Due to scarce income opportunities and miserable living conditions, these families continue to rely on aid. Unfortunately, they receive nothing from other aid organisations. In 2022, 10,500 families received food parcels from Anugerah (approximately 52,500 people). The majority of these parcels went to orphans and widows with their families. In addition to the food parcels, hygiene parcels were distributed where needed and heating material and blankets were distributed in winter.

b) Trauma Recovery and Medical Aid

In the last 20 years of civil war, the people of Iraq have had a terrible experience. A low point was the terrorisation of the population by the Islamic State. Villages of religious minorities such as Yazidis or Christians were attacked and men were killed while women and girls were raped and sold. Boys were forcibly Islamised and trained as child soldiers. Members of the minorities were a popular target for kidnappings with the goal of demanding ransom from relatives in the West. Past horrors still stick with many today, even though it is culturally challenging to talk about trauma. A regular daily routine helps to cope with trauma, but this is not given in the refugee camps.
Anugerah's trauma courses counteracted psychological damage in the reporting year. A total of 135 women, all of whom have experienced similar things, met in groups with an average of 15 participants under the professional supervision of a trauma therapist. In these meetings, the women began to heal internally. In addition to the help in processing trauma, the women were given the opportunity to contribute to their family's livelihood and to get into a regular daily routine through vocational courses. At the beginning of the courses, many felt like they were trapped inside a dark hole. But little by little they began to open up, and after completion of the course they can now face everyday life in a positive way. In addition, a moving medical clinic travelled to remote mountain villages where the inhabitants have no or hardly any access to medical care. As a result, 6,100 people received medical care in the year under review.

c) Education and Income Support

The importance of education for the economic strength of a nation has long been known. That is why Anugerah works to ensure that children from internally displaced families and from families living in remote villages have access to local schools. The entire age spectrum is taken into account, from school beginners to youths who are following a higher education and are about to graduate.
Although education opportunities are available in the country, many children do not have the means of transport to a school. This is where Anugerah steps in and provides school children with transport to and from school. In the course of the last year, almost 500 students benefitted from this offer and attended school every month, except during school holidays. Additionally, students who come from impoverished families were supported through scholarships. Apart from the support of school children and youths, Anugerah offered vocational courses for adults which were sometimes linked to the opportunity to work in a business.

In various areas, Anugerah was able to support many Iraqis in their need: in dealing with trauma, in addressing the needs of the present and in investing in the future so that we can work towards a flourishing Iraq together. Anugerah's commitment was only possible through the collaboration of many dedicated, local staff members who impressively care for the needs of their compatriots. In the work for the poorest, Anugerah is grateful for their local staff members, the good cooperation with local authorities as well as the support from Switzerland. Anugerah remains dedicated, so Iraq can overcome the trauma of the past and look joyfully toward the future.