June 29, 2023
News
Muna Abdullah Bazy is a 35 years old mother of six children from Iraq. She could not finish her education because she got married young and had to take care of the family. But her husband abandoned Muna and their children. Muna suddenly became a single mother and did not know how to provide for her family. Until she received a business training and a grant from Caritas Czech Republic.
Living in a previously bombed house
Muna lives in Anbar, a region in Iraq that was severely destroyed during the war with the so-called Islamic State. Even the house where Muna and her children live was bombed. The house has no front door and windows and no equipment inside. The walls are cracked, and the house can collapse at any time. Muna says their economic situation was not good already before the war, but the arrival of ISIS worsened it even more.
When Muna suddenly became a single mother, she had no clue how she could provide for her family. She had never worked before in her life and was dependent on the help of her brothers and parents. Then she learnt that Caritas Czech Republic offers business management training for Iraqis to help them open their own small businesses. Muna did not hesitate and registered for the training and was accepted.
After the training, Muna received a grant from Caritas Czech Republic to help her start her business. She bought clothes for women and children, and started selling them at her house. „Thanks to Caritas Czech Republic I am able to pay for all my family’s needs. I have a stable income and earn a living by selling the clothes,” Muna says happily.
“I don’t sell my stuff expensive or for high benefit,” Muna continues, “I just want to have affordable prices to have a good reputation so people can buy clothes from me.”
Caritas Czech Republic in Iraq
Iraq is still struggling with the problems caused by the devastating impact of the so-called Islamic State's rule. The armed conflict and political unrest have left Iraqis enduring prolonged suffering and hardships.
Caritas Czech Republic has been helping people in Iraq since 2015, starting with emergency aid and gradually transitioning to long-term support. In our largest project, we have been rebuilding infrastructure and creating employment opportunities in the Anbar region for people like Muna.
