Iraq
Addressing Trauma with Hands and Heart
Situation Report
Iraq continues to suffer from the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. The persistent wars in the region, which reached a climax in 2025 with the 12-Day War, continue to unsettle the people of Iraq to this day. Many have lived through years of war and are exhausted. The Iraqi government is striving to lead the country towards a better future, but faces major challenges in doing so. Due to persistent uncertainty, investment in the Iraqi economy is not materialising to the extent hoped for. Armed and religiously motivated groups within the country are opposing the government and hindering reconstruction.
Displaced people and minorities in particular are suffering as a result of the situation in the country. Many of them have had to endure precarious conditions for 11 years. Due to displacement, social stigma or past war injuries, they are unable to earn an income and are reliant on aid for their basic needs. Furthermore, access to medical care in remote regions, where many minorities and displaced people live, is very limited. One particular area of medical care is the treatment of war trauma through psychotherapy. Children from displaced families or ethnic minorities usually suffer from a lack of schooling, which means that they and their families have little chance of improving their circumstances.
1. Survival Aid for those in Need
Unfortunately, the number of people in need in Iraq remains high. The current crisis is hitting the poorest people the hardest, which is why Anugerah provided special assistance to this group in 2025. This included displaced people, often overlooked war widows and orphans, and members of marginalised minorities. In total, Anugerah was able to support 500 households regularly through aid distributions last year. In addition, Anugerah provided one-off assistances. Local staff, who have been active in humanitarian aid for years, carried out the distributions. Thanks to their local knowledge and expertise, the local staff were able to adequately help those in need and thereby give them hope for a better future.
2. Trauma Counselling and Medical Aid
Only when the wounds of the past are properly treated can they heal in the present and not lead to further harm in the future. The wars and insecurity of recent years have left deep scars on many people. Particularly the Yazidi women can be mentioned in this context, who suffered rape, humiliation and death threats at the hands of IS terrorists. In addition to physical injuries, they suffered deep psychological traumas due to this. During the reporting year, Anugerah supported trauma counselling courses attended by over 125 women and girls. They learnt techniques for coping with their trauma. In addition, Anugerah’s local team offered further training courses to the participants. This equipped them with the skills to earn an income and thus contribute to their families’ livelihoods.
As well as the trauma courses, Anugerah also funded the running of a travelling clinic. This clinic visits ten different remote villages and refugee camps at regular intervals. There is no other sufficient medical provision available in these areas. Those who are ill are examined by the medical team free of charge and receive the medication they need.
3. Educational Support
The foundation for a bright future is a good education. This is precisely why, during the reporting year, Anugerah supported a local educational initiative that enabled over 450 pupils to attend school. For many impoverished families from marginalised minority groups, this meant they did not have to take their children out of school. The pupils supported thus saw a huge improvement in their future prospects. Supporting children from minority groups helps to strengthen Iraq’s cultural diversity.
Project Summary
The projects supported by Anugerah in Iraq continued to make positive progress even during the challenging reporting year. Effective help was provided to those living in need or under oppression. When selecting its partners, Anugerah deliberately focuses on local people in order to empower them to help others in their own country. This approach has once again proved its worth over the past year. The enormous dedication of the local staff, their many years of experience and their exceptional local and specialist knowledge contributed to the success of the projects. They were encouraged by the many expressions of gratitude from project participants and aid recipients, who repeatedly emphasised the importance of the assistance provided. Anugerah would therefore like to thank all donors whose support has made these aid projects possible.