May 8, 2025
News
Najlaa lives in Karakosh, a town in northern Iraq. She is 50 years old, works as a seamstress, and her story is one of grief, faith, and quiet determination. In 2023, she lost her son in a car accident. Since then, she has been dreaming of opening her own sewing workshop – and naming it in his memory.
Sewing with meaning
Najlaa lives in a rented home with her other son, his wife, and their now one-year-old daughter. Her daughter lives away from home. “My dream is to have my own house – a place where I could grow my business. I want to create something lasting that will carry my son’s name,” she says.
Najlaa specialises in sewing religious garments – not only for local churches, but also for customers in larger cities like Duhok and Erbil. She built these contacts years ago, when her family was forced to flee from Karakosh due to ISIS. “When we escaped to Erbil, I kept working there. That’s how people got to know me, and now they still order from me, even though I’m back home,” Najlaa explains.
She could earn more sewing everyday clothing – but that is not what matters most to her.“If I sewed regular dresses, I might make more money. But when I sew for churches, I feel like I’m part of something meaningful. Like I belong to the faith,” she says.
Support that makes sense
Najlaa is one of many women in the Hamdaniya district supported by Caritas Czech Republic to restart or grow their own small businesses. She received training and financial support, which helped her take the next step forward. Her son now helps her with the sewing.
“This support gave me courage. It helped me decide not to give up – to keep going. Sewing is what I know, and now I can do it fully,” she says.
Caritas Czech Republic in Iraq
Caritas Czech Republic supported people in Iraq who are rebuilding their lives after years of war and displacement. We help them find employment or launch their own small businesses – through skills training, financial support, and long-term guidance.
