Caritas aids families caught in Iraq conflict
Caritas Iraq is providing food, bedding and hygiene kits to 2000 Iraqi families who have fled their homes after fighting broke out in the north of the country. Read more on caritas.org.
Iraq is still suffering the consequences of years of armed conflict. The country was hit hardest by the recent 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 essential services or a good source of income. We have been working in Iraq since 2015 and have gradually moved from providing immediate humanitarian assistance to more sustainable aid. We help people rebuild their livelihoods and create new jobs. We help people who have lost their homes to secure permanent shelter.
For most Iraqis who had to leave their homes, the return is very complicated because they lost their source of livelihood and often a roof over their heads during the conflict. We, therefore, support them in rebuilding their original businesses or starting new ones. We help farmers to rebuild their fields and farms and provide them with seeds, equipment and the necessary training. We also empower women to integrate into the economy.
Some 1.2 million people remain internally displaced in Iraq, prevented from returning home by the volatile security situation. We help to provide decent shelter for these people, distributing shelter kits and building new latrines.