31-08-2024 | di COOPI

Rebuilding futures in Iraq: Aisha and Zainab's journey from conflict to hope

In the small village of Hejel Mashhad, within the town of Al-Shirqat (Iraq's Salahuddin province), two young cousins are rewriting their future against all odds thanks to COOPI – Cooperazione Internazionale. Thanks to the project “Schools Where We Want to Be - Inclusive, safe and quality formal education in Iraq” funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), Aisha, 10 years old, and Zainab, 9 years old, are now attending Al-jabal Akakhther Primary School, and their academic performance improved significantly. Once at risk of dropping out, they began to thrive, participating actively in their lessons and dreaming of the future: Aisha now aspires to become a teacher, determined to help other girls stay in school, while Zainab dreams of becoming a doctor to treat the poor children.

The two cousins were born during one of the darkest chapters in Iraq’s recent history. In 2014, both of their fathers were drawn into the armed groups sweeping through the region. By the time Aisha turned six, her father had lost his life in the conflict, and Zainab’s father followed a year later. The trauma of losing their fathers was compounded by the fact that both of their mothers remarried and left the girls in the care of their grandmother without any identification documents, essentially cutting them off from their rights and any form of social support.

Their grandmother, a resilient woman herself, took a bold step to secure a future for her granddaughters, and legally registered them under her name, an essential move that allowed the girls to attend school and be recognized by the state. This decision was pivotal, ensuring the girls had access to education and protection, even as the family’s circumstances remained dire.

In 2016, the family was forced to flee to Mosul, where they lived under the harsh rule of ISIS for a year before escaping to the safety of Jada’s displacement camps. Life in the camps, however, was fraught with hardship. Hunger, illness, and the absence of their fathers cast long shadows over the girls' childhood. When the conflict subsided and they returned to their village, they found their home destroyed. Despite this, their grandmother managed to purchase an unfinished, dilapidated house with the help of local donations, preferring its broken walls to the uncertainty of a tent. Yet, without a steady income, the family’s financial situation remained precarious.

It was at this critical juncture that the two cousins met COOPI – Cooperazione Internazionale, while it was providing school assistance for the highly vulnerable displaced, refugee and returnee population, with the aim of ensuring safe access to quality education services. In 2022, COOPI identified the sisters as vulnerable and in need of urgent support. Through its partnership with the Public Aid Organization, COOPI provided the family with financial assistance for school supplies and arranged for medical care, including eyeglasses for both girls. This support not only lifted the financial burden but also reignited the girls’ passion for learning.

“COOPI has had a great positive impact on their lives. Not only did they ease the financial burden of education, but they also reignited the girls’ passion for learning, setting them on a path toward a brighter future.”

Their grandmother affirmed.

Aisha and Zainab with their grandmother and COOPI staff

COOPI’s work in the Shirqat district of Salah al-Din Governorate extends far beyond the lives of Aisha and Zainab. This project provided educational support for 21 schools, focusing on creating inclusive, safe, and high-quality education environments for children. Their efforts are changing the landscape of education in post-conflict Iraq, ensuring that children like Aisha and Zainab have the chance to overcome their past and build a better future.

Iraq has been experiencing a very serious humanitarian emergency since 2014, with millions of refugees moving within the country's borders. COOPI has been present in the country since 2017, with emergency education activities for refugees and host communities in Mosul district (Ninawa) and later in schools in Shirqat (Salah Al-Din).