Street Lawyers, Doctors, Hope Buses for Iraqi Kids

The Iraqi Children Foundation's newly released 2023 annual report highlights exciting growth in the range of services and geographic reach of projects benefiting Iraq’s most vulnerable and marginalized orphans, street kids, child laborers, disabled children, and child victims of sex and human organ trafficking.

ICF Chairman David Collins says of the report;  “When ICF and its Iraqi partners show up in the darkest hours of a child’s life, the change begins.  ICF delivers free legal protection, education, nutrition, disability care, and psychosocial services for children in Baghdad, Mosul, and Fallujah.  Too many boys and girls are out of school, on the streets, working as child laborers, and exploited by criminals and traffickers who target them for prostitution, labor, and the sale of human organs. We focus our core investments on high-impact, life-changing interventions for these kids, rather than one-time handouts."

Illustrated by lots of pictures and stories of children, the report features key achievements from 2023: 

•  2023 was ICF’s biggest year ever for program spending, with an increase of 12.24% over 2022.

• For the first time in its history, ICF invested in a project in Fallujah, rescuing a clinic serving disabled children from permanently closing its doors.  During the first six months, 831 services were provided to disabled children including medical consultations, physical rehabilitation, and psychosocial services. 

• This was the first full year of operating three “Hope Buses” in Baghdad, with a record 172 poor orphans and street children attending classes either full- or part-time, and an estimated 36,000 nutritious meals served. 

• In Mosul, ICF continued to support its first successful center for vulnerable girls, and began preparing for the launch of a second center. Many girls were previously displaced by ISIS’ occupation and have returned to Mosul.  The center provides critical support to girls experiencing trauma, psychological distress, negative coping mechanisms, and gender-based violence. 

• The “Baghdad Street Lawyers,” a team of female and male lawyers, handled 547 cases during the year, providing free legal protection for children who are exploited by criminals and human traffickers, abused by employers, or face other risks, and securing critical legal documents children are required to have before they can attend school and access benefits. 

 We hope you are proud of the change you make possible. How many kids can we show up for in 2024?  The answer is up to you! 

Gratefully,

Cindy

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Iraqi Children Foundation - CFC#95191

PO Box 233,Falls Church, VA 22040-0233

Mobile: +703.963.3832

cindy@iraqichildren.org

Links:

• 2023 ICF Annual Report