Where We Work:
Iraq
2012-2014
About the conflict
During the US-Iraq war, many civilians fled from the Central and Southern areas of Iraq into Kurdistan, an area that faced heavy persecution during former president Saddam Hussein’s regime but became a safe and well secured region after the U.S. invasion. A common destination of internally displaced persons, the city of Duhok nearly tripled in size from a population of roughly 114,000 in 1987 to 340,000 in 2013. Many of these new residents were women who had lost their husbands to the conflict and were seeking safety for themselves and their children.
About our approach
IPI partnered with local community leaders to establish an early childhood education center in the Kurdish city of Dohuk, Iraq. Aptly named the “Angels of Dohuk,” the self-sustaining center provided single mothers and refugee families with subsidized childcare so that the women could pursue gainful employment. The center officially opened in August of 2012, and shortly thereafter the government of Northern Iraq contacted IPI to emphasize that they have never seen a school grow so rapidly in such little time.
Lessons Learned
Sustainability: One of the first lessons we took away from our years of research was the importance of peacebuilding sustainability. Our work in Iraq asked, “how can we see to it that if one woman succeeds through our work, her success becomes the next woman’s opportunity?” So our goal was to make a school that served locals after we left.
Cycles of Success: Our goal was successful. Women who could pay for their children’s education did so and, as a result, sponsored a less privileged child. This support gave mothers the freedom to seek employment during the day. Once employed and financially stable, the mother would pay for her child’s education and, thus, sponsor another child. Therefore, allowing the cycle to continue.
Education: At the intersection of peace scholarship and practice, there is a great value that our team learned about in Iraq. Now, as an organization, we believe that knowledge without action can be ineffective, but action without knowledge can be destructive.
