Lutheran World Relief is operating in conflict-affected parts of Iraq, where families are seeking to rebuild after enduring trauma and loss at the hands of the Islamic State.
West Mosul was pummeled by ISIS, and as many as 4,000 civilians perished, 900,000 fled, and more than 90 percent of houses and buildings are dust and debris.
Our work in Mosul is bringing psychosocial counseling for children and families who are returning to their homes and those trapped in Mosul’s cruel, 3-year-long siege. We are also providing women and men the opportunity to learn new and valuable skills, like mobile phone repair — a marketable skill that also helps families reconnect to loved ones displaced by the conflict — and emergency medical response training, which is especially valuable in a region where the medical care infrastructure has been decimated.
On the Ninewa Plains of northern Iraq, the Islamic State targeted Christians and other ethno-religious minorities, forcing large numbers of people to flee for their survival.
Our work in northern Iraq supports families who are returning home and rebuilding their lives after great loss and terror. Returnees have found their homes and farms burned and looted, and many report continued feelings of suspicion and isolation. We are supporting families to rebuild stable and resilient economies, including installing wells and pumps for clean water, restoring farms and lost herds and providing tools and training to boost agricultural production and access to markets.
