Iraq
Over the past four decades, Iraq has experienced severe economic and social decline further aggravated by periods of political instability and armed conflict. People in Need (PIN) has been working in Iraq since 2003, primarily assisting in southern Iraq by renovating healthcare facilities and supporting local governments and civic initiatives in order to strengthen the country’s adherence to human rights.
Since the beginning of the conflict with the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in 2014 and the influx of Syrian refugees and internally displaced Iraqis, PIN moved its focus to the north, helping more than 550,024 people in need of assistance.
The scope of our outreach has had to adapt to the ever-changing situation in Iraq as well as to the needs of those most vulnerable. We responded to the emergency resulting from the conflict with the so-called Islamic State by providing crucial items, such as food, water, hygiene products, and in winter warm clothes, blankets, and stoves for heating.
Life is slowly returning to normal since the fall of the armed group. Schools have re-opened and people are returning to their homes that had been occupied. Nevertheless, the country will continue to battle the socio-economic consequences of armed conflict for many years to come.
Currently, our team focuses its efforts on education, livelihoods, water, sanitation and hygiene; and renewable energies in the governorates of Nineveh, Salah Al-Din and Kirkuk with the country’s main office located in Erbil as well as in the capital, Baghdad.
We are doing everything in our power to help people return to their homes as smoothly as possible. We are supporting children to start school again, to make-up for missed classes, and to cope with the psychological impacts of their experiences. Additionally, we are repairing water mains and other crucial infrastructure as well as distributing hygiene kits and organizing behavioral change campaigns to ensure improved sanitary living and support general livelihoods.
Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, we adapted our response to not only ensure the continued and safe implementation of our activities, but to help communities better mitigate its impacts. Door-to-door and social media awareness campaigns reached over 32,000 community members while hygiene kits and face masks distribution reached over 76,000 people. Additionally, we are facilitating the safe reopening of businesses and schools and supporting children and educators in the meantime with a PIN-created distance learning curriculum implemented through smartphone applications.
Find out here about People in Need’s specific projects in Iraq: Humanitarian Aid, Education and Practical Abilities, and Sustainable Livelihoods and Environment.
