Reaching out for a bright future
Lilav’s return back-to-school in Iraq
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Erbil, 10 October 2022 - Lilav was born in Kawergosk Camp ten years ago. The oldest of three children, her parents had to flee Qamishli, in Syria, because of the conflict and took shelter in this camp in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
“I don’t even know how Qamishli looks,“ says Lilav.
In Camps like Kawergosk, UNICEF and its partners engage with communities, encouraging them to send their children back to school. During the summer, Lilav attended remedial education classes at a UNICEF-supported school in the camp.
“I was so happy to attend summer classes,” says Lilav.
Now, most children like Lilav are ready to return back to school as summer vacation ended.
“I am very happy to go back to school, especially now that my mother bought me a very nice school bag,” says Lilav with joy.
As part of this UNICEF-supported back-to-learning campaign, 400 social mobilizers also got trained, reaching 20,000 children, including 4,000 refugees and 8,000 internally displaced children who have dropped out of school. To further support children’s return back to school, teachers were trained, school supplies were provided, and school water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities were refurbished.
This campaign is part of broader efforts to help all children, including Syrian refugee children like Lilav access quality inclusive education. UNICEF and UNHCR, with education partners, supported the Ministry of Education of the Kurdistan Regional Government to launch the Refugee Education Integration Policy. This policy aims to facilitate refugee students’ integration and participation in the community.
“This way, children can learn the language of the host community, in addition to Arabic and English, and can develop positive relationships,” says Teija Vallandingham, Chief Education, UNICEF in Iraq. “This will also help them to access higher education and future employment opportunities in the KRI, while maintaining their language and culture.“
In the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, schools opened their doors by mid-September 2022. This academic year will be the first year where the education reintegration policy (REIP) will be rolled out. Grades 1-4 will be the first to reap the benefits of this policy, while the lessons learned will inform its roll-out covering other grades in the coming years.
“We want to make sure that refugee children like Lilav, have access to quality education to enable them to learn in a child-friendly environment,” says Vallandingham.
"I love my school very much,” giggles Lilav. “Returning back to school makes me very happy despite the fact that it is inside the camp.”
Thanks to the United States Government's support, UNICEF and its partners are supporting quality and inclusive education for the most vulnerable children like Lilav.
“I have many dreams. I want to start a new life, safe, without any violence,” says Lilav. “I also want to become an Arabic language teacher when I grow up.”
