Ibtisam, God’s mercy, Tawfiq (center)
General Coordinator, FUAD (United Relief and Sustainable Development Corporation)
FUAD aims to support and enhance humanitarian action in Iraq by improving resilience in societies. We were founded in 2003 to respond to internal displacement and the ongoing armed conflict caused by military operations in Iraq. We support internally displaced people and refugees, focusing on women, children, special needs, the elderly and any other people in need of humanitarian assistance.
Our partnership with Oxfam started in 2017. Oxfam provides reinforcement to FUAD employees in various technical fields. Aside from capacity building, Oxfam helped provide us with the basic funding that allowed us to cover the cost of important equipment such as the generator and security system that was not previously covered in other projects. Their FUAD support helped continue what we do.
Iraqi society is conservative and ruled by tribal traditions. Women are still expected to manage additional responsibilities regardless of their position; this creates barriers for women to be accepted into the workplace. Many women need their families to agree to work while men are seen as decision makers in their private lives. And get paid more! ”
The conflict in Iraq has left many widows and girls without a family. With no economic support from the local authorities, women suddenly found themselves facing responsibilities they had not previously had.
She inspired me every time I saw the smile of someone who helped us. I am also an inspiration when people tell us how satisfied they are with our services. This gives me the great motivation to work harder so that they can have everything they need to live in their communities.
I hope that in the future, Iraq will be a united society, welcoming people from all minorities to live together in peace. A society with enough flexibility to build and enhance educational and economic services. This could help Iraq improve and be among the most powerful economic countries. ”
