July 26, 2021
News
Nineveh in Iraq is one of the most fertile areas in the country. However, under the rule of the so-called Islamic state, locals were forced out of their homes and the agricultural infrastructure was completely destroyed. Last year, we helped the people from Nineveh get back on their feet. One of them is also Elham.
Forced out of their homes
When the self-professed Islamic state was approaching the Nineveh borders, Elham, as well as most of her neighbours hoped that they will not reach them. However, the exact opposite happened and Elham alongside with her son and daughter had to leave her home and seek shelter elsewhere. At the time when the Nineveh area was finally liberated, Elham was able to return with her family back home. Nevertheless, she hardly recognized the place she once used to call home. Everything that the people have built over the years was destroyed and the Islamic state left the region in a complete havoc.
Entrepreneurship course from Caritas helps local people
Elham tried very hard to find a job and be the breadwinner, however, with no success. She longed for starting her own small business with homemade food. Her friend showed her Caritas’ programme that aimed at assisting the internally displaced people and helping them restart their life. Elham applied to one of our courses on entrepreneurship and after 4 weeks filled with workshops, she learned how to successfully establish her own small firm. “Caritas Czech Republic taught me how to for example determine demand, draw up a business plan, calculate the budget and test the business idea for refinements,” says Elham gratefully. “By the end of the training, I had a clear idea of how to assure the success of my small food business,” she adds.
Agriculture in Ninive
Elham is not the only one who received our help in finding her way back home. Alongside helping the people develop their entrepreneurship skills, we also helped farmers. “Agriculture in Nineveh is one of the most common sources of income and that is also why we help small producers or livestock carers. For example, we give them grain or the necessary tools for their work,” says regional director of Caritas Czech Republic Evžen Diviš.
Helping in Iraq
Although our project that focused on supporting the displaced people of the Nineveh area officially ended last December, we still help the citizens of Iraq and we are ready to assist them wherever needed. Currently, we are for example repairing shelters for vulnerable families in Duhok and also, with financial support of UNDP, we started our biggest international project yet in the Heet region, where we aim to help the locals with restoring their livelihoods and infrastructure after long-running war conflict.
