| The Collateral Repair Project an affiliate of International Humanities Center Micro-projects for Iraqi Refugee Women in Jordan - June 08 Your contributions purchased equipment & supplies for women to start small cottage industry to enable them to support their families |
Kareema
Kareema and her husband, Thigeel, are from Basra in southern Iraq. Thigeel worked
digging oil wells. They have six children: a boy, Hassan - age 3, daughter Fatima - 5,
another son, Hussein - 10, daughter, Ezidihar - 11, and 28 year old twins, brother and
sister, Ali and Entisar.
Thigeel was taken captive as a prisoner of war in the Iraq-Iranian war. He was held for
13 excrutiatingly long years. When he was released in 1997, his ordeal was not over.
He is now very ill, suffering from bronchitis and asthma. Also lending to the
heartache of this family, Thigeel's brother was tortured and then killed in Iran.
Hoping to escape the crippling economic sanctions imposed on Iraq, they left Iraq for
Jordan in 2001. They rent a humble home for only $57 a month. For a while, Thigeel
supported his family as a construction worker but his asthma became too severe to
allow him to continue this work. They receive a monthly living allowance of $212 from
an aid organization but it is hardly enough to support this family. In addition, they
had to borrow $600 to pay for necessary medicines for Thigeel's increasingly
worsening asthma, putting them in overwhelming debt for their situation.
Kareema wanted a sewing machine so that she can work in their home to increase
their income and hopefully to be able to pay off the debt that is weighing down on
them.
Kareema and her husband, Thigeel, are from Basra in southern Iraq. Thigeel worked
digging oil wells. They have six children: a boy, Hassan - age 3, daughter Fatima - 5,
another son, Hussein - 10, daughter, Ezidihar - 11, and 28 year old twins, brother and
sister, Ali and Entisar.
Thigeel was taken captive as a prisoner of war in the Iraq-Iranian war. He was held for
13 excrutiatingly long years. When he was released in 1997, his ordeal was not over.
He is now very ill, suffering from bronchitis and asthma. Also lending to the
heartache of this family, Thigeel's brother was tortured and then killed in Iran.
Hoping to escape the crippling economic sanctions imposed on Iraq, they left Iraq for
Jordan in 2001. They rent a humble home for only $57 a month. For a while, Thigeel
supported his family as a construction worker but his asthma became too severe to
allow him to continue this work. They receive a monthly living allowance of $212 from
an aid organization but it is hardly enough to support this family. In addition, they
had to borrow $600 to pay for necessary medicines for Thigeel's increasingly
worsening asthma, putting them in overwhelming debt for their situation.
Kareema wanted a sewing machine so that she can work in their home to increase
their income and hopefully to be able to pay off the debt that is weighing down on
them.
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Ruqaya - in her own words:
My name is Ruqaya, I am 48 years old. I hold Masters degree in Media. I
was director general in ministry of youth. I am a widow. My husband crashed
in a car, he was a professor in Baghdad university, he died before the war of
2003.
I was living with my husband before he died in Baghdad province, then after
his death, I returned to my parents house and lived with my parents and
three brothers - Ahmed, a journalist - Muhammad, a lawyer, and Hazem who
was with the Iraqi army. I don’t have children.
After the war of 2003 we received a threat message and the American forces
assaulted our house and taken my brothers, Ahmed and Muhammad, and
imprisoned them for around eight months and tortured them badly (Ruqaya’s
eyes full of tears and nodding her head as she recalls this) then after eight
months the American troops released them.
Five months later, the American troops arresed my brother, Hazem. Then,
after a year of his prison, Hazem was released but he got liver cancer.
Hazem is married and has two kids and he is still in Iraq , waiting for
somebody to help him enter Jordan for treatment purpose. So far no luck
even though he has all the required medical reports of his illness. My
mother died of heart attack ( Ruqaya began crying, recalling her mother's
face that she will never forget it)
So, I and my brothers, Ahmed and Muhammad, fled to Jordan in August-2005.
We reached Amman and rented a house for $212 per month. We registered
with UNHCR and we were promised to get financial assistance from an aid
organization since 2005 but till now we still didn't get anything. We get a
little assistance from my father who still lives in Baghdad and some
donations from other Iraqis. Neither my brothers nor me have a work here
although we tried many times.
Will you please assist me and provide me with materials to start my project?
With many thanks in advance.
My name is Ruqaya, I am 48 years old. I hold Masters degree in Media. I
was director general in ministry of youth. I am a widow. My husband crashed
in a car, he was a professor in Baghdad university, he died before the war of
2003.
I was living with my husband before he died in Baghdad province, then after
his death, I returned to my parents house and lived with my parents and
three brothers - Ahmed, a journalist - Muhammad, a lawyer, and Hazem who
was with the Iraqi army. I don’t have children.
After the war of 2003 we received a threat message and the American forces
assaulted our house and taken my brothers, Ahmed and Muhammad, and
imprisoned them for around eight months and tortured them badly (Ruqaya’s
eyes full of tears and nodding her head as she recalls this) then after eight
months the American troops released them.
Five months later, the American troops arresed my brother, Hazem. Then,
after a year of his prison, Hazem was released but he got liver cancer.
Hazem is married and has two kids and he is still in Iraq , waiting for
somebody to help him enter Jordan for treatment purpose. So far no luck
even though he has all the required medical reports of his illness. My
mother died of heart attack ( Ruqaya began crying, recalling her mother's
face that she will never forget it)
So, I and my brothers, Ahmed and Muhammad, fled to Jordan in August-2005.
We reached Amman and rented a house for $212 per month. We registered
with UNHCR and we were promised to get financial assistance from an aid
organization since 2005 but till now we still didn't get anything. We get a
little assistance from my father who still lives in Baghdad and some
donations from other Iraqis. Neither my brothers nor me have a work here
although we tried many times.
Will you please assist me and provide me with materials to start my project?
With many thanks in advance.
| “Thank you very much and let God helps you in your mission as you tried to help me, and I asked Gad to give the best health to continue what you started with ” Ruqaya |
Husband & wife, Entisar & Kamal
Kamal is an electrical engineer and worked with a
foreign trade company in Basra in the south of Iraq
prior to 1993. Enas is a housewife and together
they have three daughters: Noor -15, Hiba - 9, and
Dua'a is 3 years old.
Due to the UN imposed sanctions they left Iraq for
Jordan in 1993 to seek employment opportunities.
Enas turned her house over to her brother and his
family when they left. Soon after the 2003 invasion,
her brother was killed by militias and her home and
furniture were burned.
Kamal has not been able to find work in Amman
and the family has had some help from wealthy
Iraqi families but now their daughter Hiba needs
eye surgery which they are unable to pay for. They
are increasingly demoralized by their living situation
and the because they are unable to provide so
many important needs for their children.
They would like to start a small home business
baking and selling Iraqi bread, an important staple
in the Iraqi diet. Because this bread requires a
special large round oven not found in the average
household, if they have this special oven they can
sell the bread to neighbors and neighborhood
shops.
Kamal is an electrical engineer and worked with a
foreign trade company in Basra in the south of Iraq
prior to 1993. Enas is a housewife and together
they have three daughters: Noor -15, Hiba - 9, and
Dua'a is 3 years old.
Due to the UN imposed sanctions they left Iraq for
Jordan in 1993 to seek employment opportunities.
Enas turned her house over to her brother and his
family when they left. Soon after the 2003 invasion,
her brother was killed by militias and her home and
furniture were burned.
Kamal has not been able to find work in Amman
and the family has had some help from wealthy
Iraqi families but now their daughter Hiba needs
eye surgery which they are unable to pay for. They
are increasingly demoralized by their living situation
and the because they are unable to provide so
many important needs for their children.
They would like to start a small home business
baking and selling Iraqi bread, an important staple
in the Iraqi diet. Because this bread requires a
special large round oven not found in the average
household, if they have this special oven they can
sell the bread to neighbors and neighborhood
shops.
| " I ask Gad to give you all the best of health In *Shaa Allah (*God willing ) because you help me and my kids... thank you very much" Entisar |
Ne'am - in her own words:
I am 29 years old, I came to Jordan with my family on 1996 because of the blockade which was imposed on Iraq at that time and in order my mother finds a job opportunity because my mother separated from my father who
lives in Syria .We registered with UNHCR for getting asylum, we rented a house for $212 per month.
I continued my study until I finished the secondary school. After my graduation I married a Palestinian man and I moved to live with my husband in a separate house in Amman .My husband is an agent for selling clothes with a
little salary, not enough for feeding me and the two girls. We do not receive any financial assistance from any organization, I tried many times to find a job but I couldn’t.
I became hopeless and got depression because all the thinking how to feed my two daughters and to address their needs. I hope you can help me to stand on my feet again. I need laptop with printer to start a small project, I
made a deal with library to print for them. I appreciate your co-operation with me in this respect and I wish my dreams come true (Ne'am & her husband, Belal, have two daughters: Mariam, 9, and Ayisha, 3 years old)
I am 29 years old, I came to Jordan with my family on 1996 because of the blockade which was imposed on Iraq at that time and in order my mother finds a job opportunity because my mother separated from my father who
lives in Syria .We registered with UNHCR for getting asylum, we rented a house for $212 per month.
I continued my study until I finished the secondary school. After my graduation I married a Palestinian man and I moved to live with my husband in a separate house in Amman .My husband is an agent for selling clothes with a
little salary, not enough for feeding me and the two girls. We do not receive any financial assistance from any organization, I tried many times to find a job but I couldn’t.
I became hopeless and got depression because all the thinking how to feed my two daughters and to address their needs. I hope you can help me to stand on my feet again. I need laptop with printer to start a small project, I
made a deal with library to print for them. I appreciate your co-operation with me in this respect and I wish my dreams come true (Ne'am & her husband, Belal, have two daughters: Mariam, 9, and Ayisha, 3 years old)
Hanan
Hanan is married to Kahlid and they have 6 children - 5
daughters and one son. Hiba, the youngest, is 6 months old,
Yasser, their only son, is 6; Batool - 9, Khulood - 13, Zahra'a -
16, and Eman, their eldest, is 17 years old.
Before fleeing to Jordan, Hanan and her family lived near
Baghdad and shared their home with her husband's mother
and his orphaned nephews. Khalid was a train engineer.
They had a good life enjoying their close family ties.
Then, in 1992, Eman was born with severe facial malformation.
This has been attributed to Hanan being contaminated with
Depleted Uranium from US weaponry used against Iraq in the
Gulf War during her pregnancy. Eman had 3 surgeries several
years ago in the USA. Her father accompanied her and stayed
by her side over the 7 months it took to have all of the
surgeries.
Immediately upon their return to Iraq, their joy at Eman's
improvement was dampened because Khalid was accused of
being a spy for the USA on account of going there with his
daughter. He began getting death threats. They stayed with a
relative in another province for a few months before fleeing
the country entirely.
Life in Jordan has not been easy for them. They live in a damp
and sparsely furnished apartment that rents for $140 a month.
The aid organization that had paid for Eman's surgeries helped
them out for a few months but then this support ended. The
family was told they were eligible for a small monthly in late
January of this year but they have not yet received this help.
Hanan's family, although rich in love for one another, has
faced many hardships and is destitute. They need your help.
Hanan has taken a beauty and hairdressing course through an
aid agency. She would like to have a small home salon so that
she can provide for some of her family's needs. This will be a
good project for her daughters to join in with her.
Hanan is married to Kahlid and they have 6 children - 5
daughters and one son. Hiba, the youngest, is 6 months old,
Yasser, their only son, is 6; Batool - 9, Khulood - 13, Zahra'a -
16, and Eman, their eldest, is 17 years old.
Before fleeing to Jordan, Hanan and her family lived near
Baghdad and shared their home with her husband's mother
and his orphaned nephews. Khalid was a train engineer.
They had a good life enjoying their close family ties.
Then, in 1992, Eman was born with severe facial malformation.
This has been attributed to Hanan being contaminated with
Depleted Uranium from US weaponry used against Iraq in the
Gulf War during her pregnancy. Eman had 3 surgeries several
years ago in the USA. Her father accompanied her and stayed
by her side over the 7 months it took to have all of the
surgeries.
Immediately upon their return to Iraq, their joy at Eman's
improvement was dampened because Khalid was accused of
being a spy for the USA on account of going there with his
daughter. He began getting death threats. They stayed with a
relative in another province for a few months before fleeing
the country entirely.
Life in Jordan has not been easy for them. They live in a damp
and sparsely furnished apartment that rents for $140 a month.
The aid organization that had paid for Eman's surgeries helped
them out for a few months but then this support ended. The
family was told they were eligible for a small monthly in late
January of this year but they have not yet received this help.
Hanan's family, although rich in love for one another, has
faced many hardships and is destitute. They need your help.
Hanan has taken a beauty and hairdressing course through an
aid agency. She would like to have a small home salon so that
she can provide for some of her family's needs. This will be a
good project for her daughters to join in with her.
| “I wish the people who help me to gain this chance to support my family all the best and wish them progress” Hanan |
Home
| click on photo to see Iraqi fathers who received micro-projects in June because of your generosityur help |
Hakeema
We first found out about Hakeema and her family when we read the article,
Aid Shortage to Hit Iraqi Refugees by Suha Philip Ma’ayeh, Foreign
Correspondent for The National. Excerpt here:
"...Hakima Husseini, a 29-year-old widow and mother of three, lives in a
rundown hotel in central Amman, where a friend pays her US$7 daily room
rate.
She is another refugee who is almost completely dependent on what the
UNHCR provides."My children had bread for dinner last night, and today
we do not have any food for breakfast," said Mrs Husseini, whose
husband was killed four years ago in Iraq. "Nobody is helping us, I have
tried to reach the UNHCR to get help, but until now I haven't heard
anything."
So, we contacted Suha and asked her if she would help our Amman Team to
locate Hakeema. Suha contacted our Team and they were able to find
Hakeema and ask her what assistance she needs from us. Here is what
Hakeema wrote, in her own words:
I am Hakeema Musa Kadhum, 38 years old, widow and have three
children, two boys and a girl, their names are Ameer 10 years old,
Muhammad 9 years old and the girl’s name Ma’souma 6 years old.
We lived in Al-Karrada neighborhood in Baghdad province, my husband Ali
Hassan was working in free businesses (odd jobs) before his death, our
life was very happy and secure.
invading Iraq my husband was killed by shotguns of militias in Al-shorja
market (Hakeema began crying loudly as well as her children, remembering
their father and what a lovely days they had), two months later, I received a
threat message to leave my house, otherwise my children and I will be
killed, so, my friend who worked as a translator in Humanitarian
organization advised me to write an appeal to Red Crescent describing my
status and my suffering,, after a few days my friend told me to accompany
her to the Green Zone in order to meet an American officer. After telling
him my story, the American officer offered me to live inside the Green
Zone as well as he offered me a job as a supervisor inside Green Zone. I
accepted this job and moved with my children to live inside the Green
Zone and I still have the ID of the company (that she worked for).
At that time, my eldest son Ameer was suffering badly from heart disease,
so, a German organization offered me to take my son alone to Germany
for treatment, but I refused such offer because I want to be with my son
whenever he was, so, I asked my Uncle for financial assistance in order to
make the surgery for my son in Jordan.
Consequently, I and my children entered Jordan on May 2006 in order to
make the surgery. At first I lived at my friend’s apartment and my son did
the surgery successfully, but, my friend who I share the apartment with
her has been resettled in foreign country. So that, I moved to live in hotel
in down town of Amman with 7 JD per a day because I can’t pay the rent of
the apartment as well as my uncle stopped to assist me and no
organization or UNHCR assisted me although I went many times to UNHCR
explaining them my bad status. I can’t feed my children and my self even
the schools here refused to register my sons because they told us that
we haven’t fixed address for living.
So, I and my children became homeless, nobody caring for us but, there is
an Iraqi woman offered me to live with her in her small house without
money because she saw my miserable status and we moved to live with
this kind woman her name is Nooriya.
I hope from everyone hears my story assist me for my sons sake.
We first found out about Hakeema and her family when we read the article,
Aid Shortage to Hit Iraqi Refugees by Suha Philip Ma’ayeh, Foreign
Correspondent for The National. Excerpt here:
"...Hakima Husseini, a 29-year-old widow and mother of three, lives in a
rundown hotel in central Amman, where a friend pays her US$7 daily room
rate.
She is another refugee who is almost completely dependent on what the
UNHCR provides."My children had bread for dinner last night, and today
we do not have any food for breakfast," said Mrs Husseini, whose
husband was killed four years ago in Iraq. "Nobody is helping us, I have
tried to reach the UNHCR to get help, but until now I haven't heard
anything."
So, we contacted Suha and asked her if she would help our Amman Team to
locate Hakeema. Suha contacted our Team and they were able to find
Hakeema and ask her what assistance she needs from us. Here is what
Hakeema wrote, in her own words:
I am Hakeema Musa Kadhum, 38 years old, widow and have three
children, two boys and a girl, their names are Ameer 10 years old,
Muhammad 9 years old and the girl’s name Ma’souma 6 years old.
We lived in Al-Karrada neighborhood in Baghdad province, my husband Ali
Hassan was working in free businesses (odd jobs) before his death, our
life was very happy and secure.
invading Iraq my husband was killed by shotguns of militias in Al-shorja
market (Hakeema began crying loudly as well as her children, remembering
their father and what a lovely days they had), two months later, I received a
threat message to leave my house, otherwise my children and I will be
killed, so, my friend who worked as a translator in Humanitarian
organization advised me to write an appeal to Red Crescent describing my
status and my suffering,, after a few days my friend told me to accompany
her to the Green Zone in order to meet an American officer. After telling
him my story, the American officer offered me to live inside the Green
Zone as well as he offered me a job as a supervisor inside Green Zone. I
accepted this job and moved with my children to live inside the Green
Zone and I still have the ID of the company (that she worked for).
At that time, my eldest son Ameer was suffering badly from heart disease,
so, a German organization offered me to take my son alone to Germany
for treatment, but I refused such offer because I want to be with my son
whenever he was, so, I asked my Uncle for financial assistance in order to
make the surgery for my son in Jordan.
Consequently, I and my children entered Jordan on May 2006 in order to
make the surgery. At first I lived at my friend’s apartment and my son did
the surgery successfully, but, my friend who I share the apartment with
her has been resettled in foreign country. So that, I moved to live in hotel
in down town of Amman with 7 JD per a day because I can’t pay the rent of
the apartment as well as my uncle stopped to assist me and no
organization or UNHCR assisted me although I went many times to UNHCR
explaining them my bad status. I can’t feed my children and my self even
the schools here refused to register my sons because they told us that
we haven’t fixed address for living.
So, I and my children became homeless, nobody caring for us but, there is
an Iraqi woman offered me to live with her in her small house without
money because she saw my miserable status and we moved to live with
this kind woman her name is Nooriya.
I hope from everyone hears my story assist me for my sons sake.
| “God bless the people whose helping me as a widow with three kids and letting them live a better life with this difficult circumstances” Hakeema |
| " with all the words that I know … its not enough just saying thank you " Kareema |
" I thank all the American people who donate
the money so I could have this micro
project… I am grateful and thankful for you
for doing this for her, so I could give better
life for my two kids "
Ne'am
the money so I could have this micro
project… I am grateful and thankful for you
for doing this for her, so I could give better
life for my two kids "
Ne'am
click on photo to see some of the
many more families who are waiting
for you to fund their micro-projects
many more families who are waiting
for you to fund their micro-projects
