December 22, 2015 Iraq

Children in Iraq have to overcome their traumas

Big eyes and a dark blue sweatshirt of a European football team, Zirak is hiding under the hood and peeks to see what's going on around him. Zirak is 9 years old and is afraid of thunderstorms. He fled from the village of Sinjar and now lives in Baadre, a village in the governorate of Dohuk, in the semi-autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan.

His house is a makeshift building of gray bricks, and the roof is covered with blue sheets to prevent water, when it rains, to penetrate into the walls. Along with other children Zirak receives regular visits by social workers of Caritas Czech Republic: game therapy, painting, handicrafts are among the main activities that take place under their watchful eye.

Then they are able to evaluate the signs of trauma that have to be addressed. Anxiety, phobias, tendency to isolation: it is not easy to see these children smile, not even when they play. But slowly, even Zirak starts to smile.

Caritas Czech Republic is working with partner organizations to help victims of the conflict and internally displaced population in Iraq thanks to Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic in the framework of Humanitarian Aid of the Czech Republic.