May 22, 2023
News
At first glance, Hadia's home is not very different from other ones. Only the plastic on the ceiling and the lack of windows show that it is a makeshift shelter. Nevertheless, it looks like a home that is carefully taken care of by its inhabitants. Hadia's and her husband are among the internally displaced persons who have fled attacks by the self-proclaimed Islamic State. Caritas Czech Republic is helping them to live in dignity.
WHERE IS MY HOME: MORE STORIES
Safe and dignified home is crucial for people who lost their homes
Hadia Chairo Kaasim and her husband live in a house on the outskirts of Duhok in Iraqi Kurdistan and recently had their first child. Both fled to the region from Sinjar in 2014 to escape attacks by the so-called Islamic State. They met in the village of Sharya, from where they moved to the suburb of Duhok, which is the provincial capital. There are 11 people living together on the fenced property, but Hadia and her husband have their own space to themselves, which they look after carefully.
Unlike many others, they even have furniture - most shelters are furnished only with blankets and mats. Hadia's family even has a hot water boiler in the bathroom, and there is even air conditioning in the shelter. "We've been here for 8 years, that's why we're so settled," Hadia says.
Caritas Czech Republic helped Hadia's family to secure a more decent place to live. We are distributing materials to the internally displaced people to repair and modify shelters and build latrines. Hadia appreciates this help very much. The heavy rains that hit the region last autumn destroyed their toilet and thanks to the building materials from Caritas Czech Republic they were able to build a new one. Nearly 2,000 other families in the area have already benefited from similar assistance.
We don't just rely on humanitarian aid
Hadia and her husband are trying to become financially self-sufficient. As a young girl, Hadia worked as a seamstress in the village of Sharya. When her father died, she was able to support all eight of her siblings thanks to her stable income. Hadia continues to work as a seamstress today, but she has fewer customers. Hadia's husband works as a day labourer. Such employment is not entirely stable, but their combined income is enough to cover basic needs.
The family also manages a fairly large vegetable garden, where they grow tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, beans and other crops. As a result, they are almost self-sufficient in terms of food and can save on expenses.
Iraqi Kurdistan has become a safe haven for many people who have fled the Islamic State
When the self-proclaimed Islamic State took control of parts of Iraq in 2014, a large number of people from the volatile west fled to Kurdistan in the northern part of the country. Hadia was in this first wave of refugees; after the arrival of ISIS, her entire family left Sinjar, as did most of the local Yazidi population.
Kurdistan is still part of Iraq, but the region largely functions autonomously, with 90% of the local population in favour of independence in 2017. Unlike the rest of the country, the security situation in Kurdistan is good.
Caritas Czech Republic in Iraq
Iraq is still suffering the consequences of years of armed conflict and political unrest. The country was hit hardest by the invasion of the self-proclaimed Islamic State, which forced millions of Iraqis to flee their homes. To this day, many people still do not have adequate shelter, access to basic services or a sufficient source of income.
Caritas Czech Republic has been operating in Iraq since 2015. We have moved from providing immediate humanitarian aid to more sustainable forms of support, helping Iraqis rebuild their livelihoods and create new jobs. We are helping to provide shelter to people who have lost their homes, such as Hadia. In the Anbar region, we have focused on rebuilding infrastructure.
