August 21, 2025
News
n the quiet streets of Bartella, Iraq, the smell of freshly baked kleicha and simmering dolma drifts from Samira’s home. At 60 years old, Samira has turned her lifelong love of traditional Iraqi cooking into a thriving home-based business after receiving support from Caritas Czech Republic. But it was not always like this.
A family recipe
Samira’s journey began when she was just a child. “My mother taught me how to cook when I was in the third grade,” she says. “I started helping her in the kitchen and never stopped. The first dolma I made had no salt!”
Over the years, Samira became known in her community for her skill and passion. Orders began arriving from all around, from Ankawa in Iraqi Kurdistan to Karakosh, another Christian town nearby. But while her talent was clear, limited equipment and resources meant she could only take on one order per week. As a widow and caregiver to her ill husband for over a decade, Samira struggled to support her family of eight.
Everything changed when she joined a livelihood support initative from Caritas Czech Republic. As a result, Samira received business skills training and a small grant to support her home-based enterprise.
Training that transformed a home into a business
“The training from Caritas Czech Republic taught me how to manage my work and home at the same time,” Samira explains. “I learned that I don’t need to open a shop. I can do everything from home.”
The grant, provided in two instalments, helped her expand her production. “With the first payment, I bought a refrigerator and a meat-cutting machine,” she says. “With the second, I stocked up on ingredients like rice and wheat.”
Today, Samira fills up to five orders a week, preparing all kinds of traditional dishes inlcuding kubba, kleicha, cheese sandwiches, and more during the holidays. Before Easter, she baked more than 55 kilograms of kleicha alone.
A legacy of knowledge and strength
Samira is not alone in the kitchen. Her daughter-in-law works by her side, and her grandchildren often run around nearby. “I taught my daughter-in-law everything I know,” Samira says proudly. “Now she can run the business too. If you want a stable income, you have to work hard — I’m sixty and can still do six orders a day!”
Her husband, who passed away after many years of illness, once refused to leave Iraq even when ISIS forced the family to flee to Erbil. “He said, ‘I will die in Iraq, I don’t want to leave my country.’ So we stayed. Now I have nothing… but I have this work.”
Thanks to her determination and support from Caritas Czech Republic, Samira no longer relies on relatives abroad to make ends meet. “Now I can cover the monthly income of my family with my own hands. I’m truly grateful for this opportunity.”
Her story extends even beyond Iraq. One of her daughters, now in the United States, has opened her own home-based food business, continuing Samira’s legacy across generations and other countries.
Caritas Czech Republic in Iraq
Caritas Czech Republic supported economic recovery and social inclusion across Iraq. Through vocational training, small business grants, and individual mentorship, we helped vulnerable individuals, especially women, build livelihoods during difficult times.
Samira’s story shows how a single investment in skills and confidence can transform a household. With continued support, more people like her can rebuild their lives and pass on their knowledge to others.
We supported Samira thanks to the financial assistance from Agenzia Italian Per La Cooperazione allo Sviluppo (AICS) and in partnership with the Italian Agency Condivisione Fra i Popali (CFP).
