March 4, 2025
News
In the small Christian town of Qaraqosh in northern Iraq, 54-year-old baker Rajaa starts her day very early. By half past three in the morning, she is already up, preparing everything needed in her bakery, which stands right next to her house. When ISIS stormed the town, she was forced to flee. She lost not only her home but also her bakery. Thanks to the support of Caritas Czech Republic, she was able to not only rebuild her destroyed bakery after the war but also expand it.
From home baking to her own business
Rajaa has been dedicated to the baking trade since 2004. “I really enjoy this work,” she says contentedly. “I have always helped out in the kitchen at home. Cooking has become a natural part of my life,” adds the business owner.
However, when Iraq was taken over by fighters of the so-called Islamic State, Rajaa, like hundreds of thousands of others, had to leave her home in 2014. She fled with her family to Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan. She left behind not only her home but also her successful bakery. Qaraqosh was destroyed during the war. After returning home, however, Rajaa did not give up. On the contrary – she repaired and expanded her bakery and started again.
Bringing back the smell of freshly baked bread to a destroyed town
Thanks to the support of Caritas Czech Republic, she was able to attend business skills training and also received a financial grant. “I bought air conditioning to make it easier to work in this hot climate, and other necessary equipment,” Rajaa recalls with gratitude. As a result, she successfully restored her bakery and today employs 11 local women, with the work in the bakery bringing her great fulfilment.
“I love my work. The most important thing for me is that I can support myself with my own hands and be independent,” Rajaa says with pride. She works 7 days a week, getting up at half past three every morning because that is what the work in the bakery requires. In addition to regular customers, she also bakes bread for the local hospital. “I work at weekends too, even though they are usually days off. People in the hospital need my bread,” she smiles.
Ambitious plans for the future
Rajaa is ambitious and certainly does not lack plans for the future. “I do not just want to work; I also want to continue to grow,” says Rajaa, adding that she would like to expand her range to include other traditional baked goods, such as kleecha. This is sweet or savoury pastry filled with various fillings, the most common being date paste, traditionally prepared for festive occasions. “I will need a special machine and space for production. And one day, I would like to open a shop with traditional Iraqi sweets,” Rajaa describes her plans.
Her son helps her in the bakery, and she hopes to pass the business on to him one day. Besides him, she also has four daughters, two of whom are already married. “Everything I do, I do for my family,” says Rajaa.
Long-term support for women in Iraq
For women in the Middle East, becoming self-sufficient is not easy – they often face prejudice, limited opportunities, and difficult access to finance. Caritas Czech Republic, therefore, provides long-term support to women in the region, helping them develop their businesses and secure a better future for themselves and their families. “I am very grateful that I can support my whole family and do not have to rely on help from others,” says Rajaa proudly.
