Iraq

Nearly forty years of armed conflict has dealt a massive blow to Iraq’s infrastructure and government institutions, which are struggling to rebuild the country. Though gains have been made in the economy and security at the national level, the delivery of basic services such as safe drinking water and electricity remain a constant struggle for ordinary Iraqis. Tensions between the Iraqi people and their government continue to persist, particularly among the country’s large youth population, which remains highly mistrustful of the political system. Perceptions of a lack of fairness in the political process coupled with few opportunities to earn a living has increased tensions along ethno-sectarian lines in recent years, creating a constant threat of renewed conflict.

Since 2003, Relief International has provided water, sanitation and hygiene services in Iraq to more than one million of the country’s most vulnerable people, working in refugee camps, internally displaced persons camps, host communities, areas of return, and areas destroyed by years of conflict.

We are also helping to rebuild the local economy of Hawija, the last area of Iraq to be liberated from ISIS control. We are providing small grants to help establish businesses and cash-for-work activities. Our goal is to regenerate markets in Hawija and facilitate further returns of displaced people to their homes.

In remote western Anbar Province, Relief International is the only international NGO providing healthcare to vulnerable populations cut off from services, including Syrian refugees crossing the border. Overall, RI has provided 289,855 free healthcare consultations across Anbar.

“Iraqis are hungry for a sense of normalcy that has been denied to them over the last three decades. Relief International’s efforts target basic needs of the most vulnerable communities.”