Drawing Dreams: Farah's Journey to Education

Ninewa, Iraq, 11 August 2024 - Drawing vivid pictures in her small notebook helps 10-year-old Farah channel her vibrant imagination to escape the hardships she faces. Alongside her two sisters and one brother, Farah's family originally hails from Baaj district in Ninewa governorate, Iraq. Their lives were upended in 2017 when conflict forced them to flee to Syria, where they spent nearly a year at the border. In Syria, Farah’s father went missing.  The family then endured the harsh conditions of the Al-Hol refugee camp in Syria from 2018 to 2023.

"Life in Al-Hol camp was so difficult," recalls Farah’s 35-year-old mother. "The area was not ours; you felt like you were in prison. There was no going out and coming back to the center, even if one was sick, it was too difficult to let them out. We were constantly afraid for our children."

Upon their return to Iraq in 2023, they stayed at Al Jadaa 1 rehabilitation center for 11 months. "When we came to Al Jadaa center, the situation was different; it was safer," Farah's mother continues.

The Impact of Legal Support on Farah’s Family

Farah and her siblings faced another challenge: they lacked identification documents, making it difficult to enroll in school. At Jadaa rehabilitation center, a school was established for the returnees to ensure education despite the absence of proper documentation. However, once they left Al Jadaa center, continuing their education without identification became a significant challenge.

Thanks to the legal support funded by the Government of the United States and facilitated by UNICEF, Farah and her siblings now have the opportunity to continue their education. The legal team diligently worked on the paperwork, transferring them to an outside school. "Now I’m in the second grade," Farah proudly says.

Farah’s 8-year-old brother, Adam, also attended school and was in the same grade as Farah. Both siblings had a fondness for the Arabic language and dream of becoming Arabic language teachers in the future.

UNICEF's intervention is pivotal in providing not only legal documents and education but also hope and stability for Farah's family. Their ongoing legal support aims to secure identification documents for the entire family, ensuring a brighter and more secure future; age- and gender-sensitive psychosocial support was also crucial to help them cope with the changes and find their way through. 

Through the Government of the United States’ funding, and the support and facilitation of UNICEF’s dedicated teams, families like Farah’s can rebuild their lives, one step at a time, reaffirming that every child deserves the chance to dream.

Note: To protect the privacy and confidentiality of individuals mentioned in this story, some of the names have been altered.