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EMPOWERMENT OF WIDOWS INITIATIVE

There are an estimated one million widows in Iraq. In a country with a population of only thirty million people, that means a lot of women are struggling to provide for their families with very little support.

AMAR provides 1,000 widows and female heads of households with education and skills training including literacy and numeracy, sewing and design, food preparation, hair dressing and IT.

By teaching key literacy and numeracy skills, as well as providing vocational training, AMAR has set out to help people take control of their lives and support their family. 

One of the classes which took place in the Al Karkh district was The Art of Cutting and Sewing. Taking place over 15 days, the class brought together 14 women from the area to learn both the theory and practice behind sewing.

Many of the women who took part in this project had been widowed, or their husbands and fathers had fallen ill, making them the chief income provider for the family.

Zeina Imad Jawad is a mother of seven children who lives in Al-Abidi region on land owned by the government. Zeina is an active woman who regularly attended the courses run by AMAR to support her family since her husband had been in an accident which left him paralyzed and also affected his mental health.

When she heard about the free training courses she decided immediately to enrol in an effort to provide for her family. She had thought about asking her children to quit school so they could help work and earn money and buy medication for their father, but thanks to the course, Zeina should be able to support her family with her new skills.

Another class which took place in the Al-Karkh region was Hairdressing and Cosmetology.

Sixteen women from the local area attended, where they learned about skincare, moisturising, cleansing and how to apply makeup. They also learned how to cut and colour hair.

Sukaina Kathem is a fifty-year old widow with a family of seven who lives in a very small apartment. Her husband died a long time ago, and she lost both her parents 25 years ago. Sukaina has very little support from other members of her family. After learning about the free training sessions provided by AMAR, she vowed to enroll and attend every workshop in order to help her face all the obstacles in her life. She has learned a lot and now runs her own business from home.

Computer Training Sessions were held in the Al Karkh district for 20 days. Six women came from the local area to learn about access programmes, databases, and emailing.

The IT training has greatly impacted on the lives of these women. They are taught to be independent, have new job opportunities and are connected to world events through the internet.

All the women who attended the IT course were tested and showed amazing progress in just a matter of sessions.

Mona is a 45 year old widow who lives in a one room house with her three children. Her husband died in a terrorist bombing and she lives off her husband's pension which is not enough to cover the rent.

She enrolled in the computer training course and now has a job as a data entry clerk at a local company.

A number of tutoring sessions were also given to classrooms of 45 students in mathematics, and 51 students in Arabic lessons.

The levels ranged from primary to intermediate, and the maths lessons introduced topics like addition, subtraction, multiplication and measurement. The Arabic lessons consisted of reading and introducing the students to more complex vocabulary.

AMAR also provided overviews on women's legal rights and how to assert their rights through legal procedures. This knowledge is vitally important to women struggling to provide for their family.

While the women are in classes their children are invited to attend nursery - provided as part of the programme.

The children enjoy sports and games in the morning, followed by breakfast where they learn about the importance of nutrition.

Afternoon sessions comprise of more formal educational lessons, and at the end of the week an open day is assigned for birthdays, reading stories and other activities.

Daily the children practice physical education and learn about the benefits of fitness and sport. The children often sing songs and organise and perform in their own plays, which is extremely helpful in building up their confidence and character.

EMPOWERMENT OF WIDOWS INITIATIVE

​The IT training has greatly impacted on the lives of these women. They are taught to be independent, have new job opportunities and are connected to world events through the internet.

​The levels ranged from primary to intermediate, and the maths lessons introduced topics like addition, subtraction, multiplication and measurement. The Arabic lessons consisted of reading and introducing the students to more complex vocabulary.

The children enjoy sports and games in the morning, followed by breakfast where they learn about the importance of nutrition.

The IT training has greatly impacted on the lives of these women. They are taught to be independent, have new job opportunities and are connected to world events through the internet.

The levels ranged from primary to intermediate, and the maths lessons introduced topics like addition, subtraction, multiplication and measurement. The Arabic lessons consisted of reading and introducing the students to more complex vocabulary.