- Iraq, Al-Hay Al-Askari, Shirqat, Salah Al-Din Province
- European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations
Through legal, psychosocial and educational support, TGH helped Farah return to school and regain her confidence.
Farah (not her real name) was just nine years old when her future already seemed in jeopardy. After leaving the Al-Hol camp with her family, she was displaced again, this time to the Shirqat district, due to severe economic hardship. Having been out of school for more than three years, the young girl was facing an increasing number of risk factors that threatened her well-being and her right to an education.
Successive displacements, poverty and family instability had turned her daily life upside down. Without official identity documents, she lived in isolation and lacked self-confidence. To make matters worse, the social stigma associated with her father’s past involvement with armed groups posed a significant barrier to her integration.
Terre des Hommes Italy eventually identified her situation and entrusted TGH with supporting the young girl as part of a joint project supported by the European Union (DG ECHO). To ensure effective coordination between humanitarian organisations and continuity of support services, TGH conducted a further assessment, enabling a support plan to be put in place for Farah and her family.
To help them overcome the initial obstacles, the family was referred to legal services to assist with obtaining identity documents, while discussions were held about the importance of schooling. Meanwhile, the girl received initial psychological support to provide her with emotional support before being taken into care by TGH’s specialist teams.
Thanks to close coordination with the Ministry of Education and the Shirqat Education Department, the necessary authorisations were obtained, enabling Farah to return to school despite having been out of education for such a long time.
Enrolled in Year 1, Farah began her journey with impressive determination. Month after month, her confidence returned, her relationships improved, and she became a particularly committed pupil. Today, she has passed her exams with flying colours and will move up to Year 2 with outstanding results. This is a fine example of how resilience, combined with appropriate support, can transform a person’s future.
