21-02-2023 | di COOPI

Iraq. In Shirqat, Batool embroiders her future as an entrepreneur

Batool Basheer Hussain is a 31-year-old widow who lives in the small town of Shirqat-Baaja with her father and three children. She had been running a small tailoring business for some time, but her old sewing machines were no longer able to meet customers' demands and the strong competition in the area had put her work in serious difficulty. 

However, Batool was determined to change this. 

I asked the COOPI staff for support and this is how I managed to obtain the necessary funding to buy new and updated sewing machines. With this equipment, my business has become competitive again in the local market and I can now meet customer demands quickly.

Her perseverance and hard work were decisive: the business not only thrived, but also provided her with financial stability and a sense of personal fulfilment. As a result, she and her family have been able to afford a better standard of living thanks to her successful business.

COOPI - Cooperazione Internazionale has been present in Iraq since March 2022 with the project 'Interventions to promote access to livelihoods and income stabilisation for vulnerable families of displaced persons, refugees and retournees in Iraq', funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation. The project aims to improve the socio-economic conditions of the most vulnerable families affected by the crises, while also enhancing their ability to cope with food insecurity and impoverished livelihoods.

In conclusion, Batool Basheer Hussain is a young widowed woman and entrepreneur who overcame several difficulties and finally managed to turn her business around. Her determination and hard work serve as a reminder of the potential of small businesses and the crucial impact they can have on individuals and communities.

Since 2014, Iraq has been the scene of what has been described as one of the greatest humanitarian emergencies in recent years. There have been around 1.6 million refugees moving within the country's borders, while those who have gradually returned to their places of origin have been around 4.83 million. COOPI has been present in the country since 2017, and as of 2021 has launched two livelihood promotion interventions in the Shirqat district and the Sulaymaniya district (Iraqi Kurdistan Region) for the vocational training of young people and income generation: a step towards promoting greater self-reliance in favour of the vulnerable population, young people and women.