Local Media Attention and an Update on CRP Activities

COLLATERAL REPAIR PROJECT FEATURED IN LOCAL MEDIA

Last month Paris Aiken, a reporter from Medford (Oregon) Mail Tribune, visited CRP in Amman and interviewed co-director Sasha and our Iraqi colleague and translator Ghazwan. She also accompanied them on a home visit to a refugee’s home to hear their story and see first-hand the circumstances under which the vast majority of Iraqi refugees currently survive.

The story is available at  http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100503/NEWS/5030317

One important correction to the article:  UNHCR assistance (which many must rely on as their sole means of support) is not "100JD per month" -- the grant amount varies depending on number of members in the household. A single person receives 75JD (around $100) - a family of six receives 245JD (a little over $300). Even with cost of living being lower in Amman than in the west, Cash Assistance is inadequate to pay for more than the rough basics: rent in what are many times substandard flats; utilities if people are extremely careful in use, and low cost foods. 

We are grateful to the Medford Mail Tribune for the article about CRP and for bringing awareness of the refugee crisis to the general public. We encourage you to share the story with others.  Much more media attention needs to be paid to this tragic situation which has been so sadly ignored.

CRP CENTER IS OFF AND RUNNING

Meanwhile, CRP is working very hard instituting our new Amman Center. Here are some of things we’re up to:

•             We are establishing a lending library of Arabic language books. Even used paperbacks are too costly for most refugees to buy and, lacking citizenship, they do not have access to public libraries. Their only reprieve from the harshness of their lives as refugees is escape into tv - although they most often watch the news, fixated (naturally) on what is happening in Iraq in their concern for loved ones left behind.  A library will give them a reprieve from the continual diet of disturbing news and hopelessness.

•          We have also instituted English Language social nights for those who want to learn or improve the basics of English.  Without the option of ever returning to Iraq and currently living shadow lives with no future for themselves and their children in Jordan, many Iraqi refugees are anxious to resettle in UK, Australia or the US. Knowing the basics of English will give them a foot-up if they are resettled. We’ve been fortunate to have a cadre of young American volunteers who are studying Arabic at the University of Jordan and who lend their energy and language skills for the socials. Nineteen men and women attended our first English Language Social event. We hope to continue this on a weekly basis as well as plan other cultural and community gatherings as a means of building bridges of peace and mutual understanding.

•          One thing we know is that all kids love to draw and love art projects. Put a bowl of crayons and a few pieces of blank paper on the coffee table and, without hesitation or coaxing, they begin making pictures. Art is not just a means of creative expression but is also therapeutic.  We want our center to be a place for kids to gather to express themselves through art projects as well as other activities - and hopefully, in the future, we want to include art opportunities for adults too.

•  Most of us know how valuable it is to have a photographic memory of our families and our children as they grow. Digital cameras are a luxury far beyond the budget of Iraqi refugees. Many have been here in Amman for several years now, their children are growing with no photographic record of them during these years they've spent in exile.  One low cost project CRP plans to initiate in May is visiting families to take family portraits that will be printed and given to them.  Feeding the soul can sometimes be as important as feeding the body.

•          One room of our center is dedicated to distribution of free, gently used clothing that has been donated to us.  We already have many donations of clothing and are in need of racks and shelving to facilitate orderly browsing and selection.

•          CRP also facilitates Iraqis accessing vitally needed services from other NGOs - but mainly UNHCR.  Because of the scope of UNHCR's caseload of refugees, refugees sometimes become "just numbers" and when UNHCR monthly cash assistance is cut suddenly (by error sometimes) or a family has waited months until they are completely destitute and in deep crisis, CRP can intervene.  On their own, Iraqis have a very hard time getting their cases heard by UNHCR (because UNHCR is swamped with such requests).  We can directly inform UNHCR about these individuals/families crises and request a reassessment if cash assistance has been stopped or request expediting eligibility assessments to speed up the process for new applicants.  We are successful very often in facilitating refugees getting this absolutely vital assistance from UNHCR.

CRP has long dreamed of instituting a center where Iraqi refugees can gather to socialize, make friends, learn together and celebrate shared cultural events. Our dreams depend on our donors and you have made it possible for the dream to come to this point. We thank you!!  Now, we need your continued support to perpetuate and expand the reality that has evolved. We understand that times are difficult for many of us, so if you’re not able to donate at this time, we understand. But you can help us in another way: Please spread the word of our work to your family, friends and groups and encourage them to be involved in our work.

Thank You!

A Mother’s Tale: A Journey from Hope to Destitution

This is Toti, an amazing woman. When her husband was captured and held as a POW in Iran for 7 yrs, Toti took their 5 children, bought a small plot of ground in a tiny village in N Iraq, and built a house by hand! She then supported her family alone by doing house-cleaning - working so hard that she was able to care for her kids & put away some savings. When her son, Soreen, was diagnosed with leukemia and needed a bone marrow transplant, it took all of those savings – plus the savings of all of their relatives in Iraq and a grant from King Abdullah of Jordan to pay for it. Now they are destitute.

Soreen, 31, is currently in Amman with his mother, recovering from pneumonia - they had to leave behind her husband and four other children that still live at home because Soreen's doctors in Iraq told him that they do not have the capability in Iraq's nearly incapacitated medical care system to adequately take care of him. He is a high risk patient.

                                                                                                                                                             They had been relying on Soreen's father sending money here to support them from his $250 bi-monthly military pension (he is disabled after his 7 years as a POW in Iran) and extended family -- but now they are all tapped out. When Soreen came down with pneumonia there was no choice but to hospitalize him. We got a message from another Iraqi (thank you "K"!) telling us of this family's crisis and have been working on finding a solution non-stop since last night. 
Hospitals here often hold patients "hostage" - not allowing them to check out -until they can pay their full bill. And every extra day incurs further expenses!
We contacted the billing dept at the hospital to ask if they would make an exception and allow Soreen to go home and give us time to find a way to pay the bill.  They would not.
We contacted UNHCR and they contacted CARE. This amazing group of people in both offices were able to, on short notice, rush to make a determination that CARE could give nearly $700. 
CRP, because of our frayed shoestring budget and because it is the end of the month when funds are low anyway, was only able to put in $75. 
An amazing group of Soreen's neighbors and friends - all impoverished Iraqi refugees themselves, pooled their money for their rents and other bills and sent the funds off to the hospital to pay Soreen's bill and get him released. How utterly amazing that those with so little gave more than they could, in fact putting themselves at risk to help him!

Soreen is home tonight! We are all grateful and tired but it isn't over yet.

CRP *must* find a way to reimburse the Iraqi families who pitched in to help this young man. We cannot allow their generosity to put them in crisis. So, I am pretty much begging for help to repay them so they can pay their rents and feed their families.
We need to raise close to $600 within the next couple of days.  If you can help with even a small amount, please help.
You can make a tax deductible contribution via credit or debit 
card through our secure donation page: 

www.collateralrepairproject.org/Donate.html
If you prefer helping by check, you can find our mailing address on the same link -- but please message me to let me know your pledge so we can expect your check.
If you are in Amman and want to help out, please contact me,
THANK YOU in advance!

Fairy Child of Amman

When Collateral Repair Project visits Iraqi refugee families, we always take gifts for the children. This is Fatima, one of Um and Abu Noor's four daughters. Um Noor was the recent recipient of a Micro-Project: an automatic washing machine to replace her old and falling apart semi-manual one.  Um Noor takes in laundry to help support her family.  As soon as Fatima put on her fairy wings with lights inside, she began to dance and sing!

TODAY - Thursday March 25 2010

Today's efforts have been too mundane for me to want to bore you with: scavenging the neighborhood shops for the hard-to-find boxes for packing, buying garage bags for packing clothes and bedding, washing glassware, and sorting things so that the move can be relatively organized. I hope to get everything unpacked in the new place quickly so that we can return to our direct work with refugees as quickly as possible. The big move will take place on Tuesday!

For those of you who haven't been following us, we are moving from our cramped current location that consists of two adjacent flats (apartments) to a new single flat that is much more spacious and that (best yet!) has much lower rent. We are combining staff lodging (one room) with CRP office / distribution center / activities center.

This move will make our work more efficient, save money, and - because of the dramatic increase in space - allow us to create more low-cost onsite activities. We are eager to begin!

We plan to hold conversational English-language "socials" for refugees who want to improve their functional English (especially important for those who are to be resettled in English-speaking countries) - and will, as well, provide a place to socialize with others. We plan to have regularly scheduled "arts and crafts" activity days for kids, led by some of the many talented Iraqi artists here. We are considering hosting "play groups" where mothers and young children can come together to socialize and, sometimes, have discussions about parenting challenges and child-health issues. We want to have Iraqi cultural celebrations - an example might be hosting a potluck meal of dishes that are particular to different provinces of Iraq. And many, many more ideas - too numerous to list here!

We have wonderful volunteers from the west who are here in Jordan, studying Arabic at Jordan University. We've invited them to use our space to develop their own activities. One activity they are already planning is to host an "age-peer social" where they plan an event where these western students and Iraqi young adults can get together and learn more about each other while having fun.

We hope, over time, to build a small lending library of books for all ages.

And, of course, we will continue to have good gently used clothing and household items available in our one-room "free store" as well as periodic large distributions of food, coats for kids in winter, and other locally donated items.

A center such as this has been our dream for several years. We had a much more grandiose vision we had aimed for a couple of years ago but the cost of realizing this vision was more than we could afford and we reluctantly had to abandon it. Now, even though this new center is a much more modest version than our original, we are just as excited at the possibilities it will provide to increase the ways CRP provides services to Iraqi refugees.

For the next few days, until this move is completed, daily posts may be suspended. I'll post only if something comes up that isn't associated with boxes and newspaper-print muddied hands.

We'll post photos of the new center as soon as we've moved in and are somewhat organized.

After the move, we'll resume home visits and our posts will return to being about challenges faced by the Iraqi refugees we meet and how we try to help them overcome these challenges. Until then, if you're in the area and want to give a hand with the move on Tuesday afternoon, get in touch!

CRP Today

 Today at 9:55am

The morning began as it usually does, reading my email over coffee and scanning for new articles and reports about Iraqi refugees and related subjects.

The rest of the morning and into early afternoon was spent writing the first of these "TODAY's" and posting it to all CRP fb pages and sending to Mary so that she could post it on our blog.

I found it somewhat enlightening for me to mull over and recall the previous day (since Jordan is separated by many hours from the west, I am writing the previous day's journal the following morning here, while most of you are sleeping)The pace of many of my days here is hectic and although every refugee and their family are unique, their challenges and our responses are similar much of the time: they need cash assistance, someone needs a prescription medicine, used items we have for distribution are needed by many, etc etc. It sometimes feels to me that every day is an extension of the previous - that they are indistinct from one another. I appreciated noting yesterday's specific tasks and the individual families we assisted .I nearly always feel that I am climbing a mountain and that, when I reach it's summit, there is only another mountain that must be climbed. Writing each day's work as separate entities allows me to realize the "valleys" and to stop and pay closer attention to the "scenery" .

I think keeping this daily journal will be as beneficial to me as I hope that it is for you!

After posting the TODAY, I took care of some CRP-related correspondence:

- again, to volunteers with the Iraqi artists/craftspeople project

- to Deb Rodriguez with Oasis Rescue (you may know Deb by her work with the "Beauty Academy of Kabul" who has offered to donate, through Oasis Rescue, some terrific "beauty salons in a box" that CRP can give to Iraqi women here as Micro-Projects for home salons. (Thank you, Deb!!) Mostly discussed logistical stuff with Deb.

- follow-up email to discuss scheduling our new round of home visits with visiting fellows of the Regional Human Security Center who are specifically interested in the challenges and barriers to Iraqi refugee children accessing education in Jordan.

- received an invitation to:
" "Under the patronage of HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal, the Refugee Studies Center (RSC) at the University of Oxford, and the Regional Human Security Centre located in Amman, Jordan, cordially invite you to attend our upcoming one-day event at the Kempinski Hotel on April 13, 2010. The event will focus on the current situation of both internally displaced Iraqi citizens and Iraqi refugees residing in foreign countries. The briefing aims to provide an open platform for constructive discussion, which will offer policy makers a strong idea of the key principles involved with this critical issue""
-- to which I, with pleasure, accepted.

I then met with Ghazwan and Aden, a young Iraqi man enlisted to help, to go to pick up a cooking stove donated by the parents of one of my dear Jordanian friends. (THANK YOU! You know who you are!) and delivered the stove to the widow Haiyat (with 7 children) that, along with her large family, has many needs. She had been cooking on a table-top gas "camp-type" stove and was more than delighted to receive the stove, as you can imagine! Cooking for such a large family on a small stove is a challenge and now she will be able to include baked items in their menu.

When we came into her home, we were pleased and amazed to see her only son, Abdullah, sitting near his mother and READING. Less than a month ago, Abdullah (age 15) was fully illiterate. He had to go to work at age 11 in very low-paying menial jobs to contribute his family. Before that, he had no opportunity to attend school because of the war and then lack of opportunity when his family arrived in Jordan. It was not until 2007 that Iraqi children could attend public schools here and his mother could not afford to send him to private school. His sisters are all in school and doing very well but Abdullah had missed too much school to ever hope to return. Now, because of a wonderful benefactor in the US, Abdullah is receiving intensive private tutoring in reading and writing Arabic. A very bright boy, he is catching on amazingly fast. He was working for less than $3 per day, 6 days every week, doing menial labor and contributing this to his family. His benefactor is also paying to Haiyat the amount of money Abdullah formerly made at this job so that his new "job" is only to be a student. We are so proud of Abdullah for how responsibly he is taking this on. 

We were also pleased to see that Haiyat's youngest daughter, Anoud (age 4) was looking so well. When we last saw her, only a little over a week ago, we had to visit her in the hospital. She was very ill with bronchitis, not uncommon in the cold stone houses with insufficient heat here. Anoud is disabled - paralyzed and cognitively delayed - and recently diagnosed with a seizure disorder. Bronchitis is even more dangerous for her and we were very worried about her. Haiiyat was exhausted - spending her nights sleeping upright in a hard chair in Anoud's hospital room and then, in the daytime, rushing home to make sure the other children's needs were met. Seeing Anoud with rosy cheeks and clear eyes was a relief. And we were very happy to be able to deliver the stove to her mother, to relieve her of some of the work of caring for her family.

Next, we continued on in the truck to the home of Abu Mais and his family. CRP is moving into a larger, much less expensive flat here but the reason it is less expensive is because it's unfurnished (unfurnished flats in Jordan do not have anything in them - not even appliances) This family has finally, after over two years of waiting, interviews, security checks, etc, was accepted for resettlement to the US and were leaving the next morning for their flights. They had been selling everything they owned and CRP purchased their refrigerator and stove. We loaded them on to the truck and then visited with the family for a while, reluctantly saying our goodbyes.

CRP has known this family for over two years. We first provided Um Mais with a home salon Micro-Project and, most recently, helped them by enlisting our volunteers to translate correspondence in Arabic from them into English that was necessary toward their resettlement. We had provided the children with warm coats in winter and their youngest,baby Samir, with milk under our MILK for KIDS project. We were saying goodbye to old friends, not just assistance recipients.

Although pleased that they finally were going to be resettled,the parents were very nervous at the same time - they have heard that it is very hard for new immigrants to the US, that many newly resettled Iraqis are in crisis because they cannot find work - or adequately paid work - before the few months of assistance they receive when first arriving runs out. Their English skills are very limited. They are leaving behind everything they have ever known, taking nothing but some clothes, to begin a new life in an alien culture and at the worst economic time. I told them to send us an email as soon as they are able to after they arrive and let us know how they are. We will keep in touch and, if they find themselves in crisis, we will try to find someone in their new community to befriend them and help them explore and access possible solutions. They seem relieved and promise they will keep in touch.

We took some last minute photos and went through another round of long embraces and kisses before we turned to leave. As we walked away, Ghazwan wiped tears from his eyes, "I hate this part" he said, "It brings it all back to me, the memory of the night my brother and mother left (to be resettled) It brings it all back"

The pain being separated by continents from close family is nearly unbearable. As of now, Ghazwan and his wife's file is still in only "protection" unit at UNHCR. Files must be moved from the protection unit to the resettlement unit before they can be considered for possible resettlement. Sometimes this happens rapidly and, for others, like Ghazwan, their files remain in protection year after year, taking away any hope of reunification with loved ones or escaping the challenges they face here as nonresidents.

We installed the appliances in the new CRP flat and did a run-through to see what was needed. Ghazwan and I returned to my flat and, over a quickly grabbed shwama sandwich, discussed moving logistics, arranged for a truck for the move, and then a few of the cases we are working on now. He made arrangements for someone to bring me some old newspapers I need to wrap glass items in for the move and then left, to finally go home to see his own children.

I downloaded photos that I took at our visits to Haiyat and Abu Mais families and sent them to Mary and to the donor who contributed the stove to Haiyat. I wrote emails to my own adult children who I neglect too much because of the demands of CRP days. I did some personal chores and then, rubbing my sleepy eyes, went to bed and tried to read myself to sleep.

I was still awake at 3 a.m. so gave up, got up and checked my email and facebook. I had online conferences with Mary and some others who were in the middle of their early evening and went back to bed around 7am, falling over into immediate and deep sleep.

CRP Today March 23, 2010

Dear Friends,

This is the first of our posts that will tell you what CRP is doing on a daily basis. We hope that you'll get a better idea of how we spend our time and your contributions by sharing a brief diary of our days with you. We'll usually post once a day, at the end of each day. You'll read about our visits with families and the assistance you provide to them - as well as the sometimes mundane but necessary tasks that fill our days. We hope that you'll get a better sense, not only about what CRP accomplishes for Iraqi refugees but also the myriad challenges Iraqis in Jordan face.

TUESDAY MARCH 23 2010:

Began the morning by writing two letters to UNHCR to inform them about two different Iraqi families who arrived in Jordan in late 2009, registered with UNHCR as Asylum Seekers but who still have not received UNHCR cash assistance. One family consists of parents and 4 minor children - the other consists of a grandmother, parents and 6 minor children. They have been surviving on charity-such as food boxes from a local church but they have no cash, making them extremely vulnerable because they cannot pay their rent and utilities. (CRP provided them with a package containing meat and chicken and we will keep in touch to make sure that they are ok until they receive cash assistance through UNHCR) I asked UNHCR if these families' cash assistance might be expedited. (it can take months for families to begin to receive cash assistance after they have applied) UNHCR has been very responsive when informed about emergency situations such as these.

Updated our fb group post about the Valentines Day party CRP hosted for 50 Iraqi refugee children and their parents. Explained that the date of the party was also the anniversary of the US bombing of Baghdad's al-Amariya bomb shelter where hundreds of mostly women and children were incinerated in the place they had sought safety. So the Valentines Day party was not only a fun day for these kids and their families but also a way to provide distraction from their collective grief on this somber day.

Updated our fb pages with notice of our worrisome financial situation and plea for help to keep us here and able to continue our work

Engaged in online chat with our good partner in the UK - Iraq Solidarity Campaign about ways that CRP can increase awareness of our project and inspire support. Iraq Solidarity said they would increase their outreach - and did - thank you, ISC!

Wrote emails to local volunteers who are helping to organize venues for Iraqi artists and craftspeople in Amman to catch them up on where we are at on this end.

Read information about minimum items to be provided to Iraqis when they are resettled to the US - passed this info along to Mary (our co-director) in Oregon who, along with others in her community, are preparing to provide supportive friendship to an Iraqi family we have been advocating for resettlement to S OR.

Made arrangement to pick up a good used stove donated by a CRP friend in Jordan that will be given to Haiyat, the young widow with 7 children. Haiyat has been cooking for her family on a small table-top "camp stove" for several years. She is thrilled to be getting this stove. (photos coming after we deliver to her on Wed )

With Ghazwan (CRP Iraqi colleague in Amman) called 20+ Iraqi artists and craftspeople to ask them to give us samples of their art/crafts next week.

We also called to arrange pick-up of a stove and refrigerator that CRP purchased (the new flat is completely unfurnished - thus the low rent) from an Iraqi family who are being resettled to the US this week as well as a time for us to say tearful goodbyes to this family CRP has known and assisted for over two years.

Iraqi father stopped by to give us an update on his family's crisis situation. He has a large family - 2 of the children with severe medical conditions - both parents suffering from extreme depression (father was kidnapped and badly tortured) which appears to render the parents sometimes incapable of being able to function adequately in dealing with challenges. Last week he told us they were being evicted because of past-due rent (had used money to pay for medications and treatments for their ill children instead) and that the landlord had hired a lawyer who threatened to report him to the police if rent in arrear was not paid (nearly $500) It was certain he would be jailed until the rent was paid. We had contacted UNHCR who only suggested that he go to Legal Aid. Last night he said that Legal Aid could not offer any help - only suggested that he try to "work things out" with the owner. The owner compromised by not reporting him to the police but insisted that he move his family out of the flat by tomorrow. This man was combing the streets, desperately looking for an inexpensive apartment to rent immediately. I wish I could have offered some possibilities for him but, as I have been looking madly for a new flat for CRP, I know that there are not many empty flats in available in this area. CRP does not have the funds to offer to put the family in a hotel for a couple of days. We are very concerned about this family and will check in with him tomorrow and hope a solution has been found. We will maintain frequent contact with the family and seek out possible resources other NGOs might be able to offer. This is a very worrisome situation and frustrating because we do not have the resources to help financially at this time.

Ghazwan accompanied me to sign the lease for the new CRP distribution center / activity center / office (and staff bedroom)! Through this move we have reduced our per month rent from $420 mo to only $280! And, best of all, we doubled the amount of space over what we have had which will enable us to accept more donations for distribution as well as hold informal classes (ie such as conversational English and handicrafts), cultural celebrations, and children's activities - as well as, of course, having a place where Iraqis can come to us to seek assistance. The landlords live in the same building and are pleased to be able to rent their flat to us for our work - after checking in with the neighbors to make sure no one had problems with this. This is important because unhappy neighbors can cause problems if they complain to the authorities - not for CRP but for Iraqis who would come to our center. We are relieved to find this larger and less expensive location - and nervous about our ability to keep the commitment we've made by signing a 1-year lease. We know our work is too important to end and how valuable it is to Iraqis so we, for now, must go forward in trust that others will recognize this and support our work.

After signing the lease and returning to my flat, Ghazwan called newly arrived families to schedule home visits with them for assessment for our assistance and finished calling the artists/craftspeople on our list.

Then Ghazwan left to pay the rental agent the remaining 10JD ($14) of the 20JD that we agreed we owed him for finding the new flat. The agent was not hired by the owner but only had heard that the flat was empty and led us to it. Ghazwan called me afterwards, justifiably upset, because the agent, once Ghazwan got to his office, changed his mind about the amount - insisting on 50JD instead of 20! He told Ghazwan that I am a "rich American woman with a NGO" (a common mis-perception here) and still, after Ghazwan explained our situation, insisted on 30JD. As happens often here, this was argued passionately. Ghazwan knows how little money we have and how what we have is needed badly to help refugees and he was loath to hand over much more than was appropriate. Two Iraqi men nearby cautioned Ghazwan, reminding him that the owner could call the police and only make more problems for him (Iraqis who are victims are often punished while their perpetrators go free. They are very vulnerable to exploitation because of this. Ghazwan apologized for paying 30JD to the agent and insisted that I take it from his wages. I told him that he had made the right decision and that this (in the big picture) relatively small amount of money was well worth avoiding prison. And besides, the new landlord,in kindness and in appreciation of CRP's work, had insisted that we not pay any rent for these last days of March, even though we have taken residency already - so in actuality, we did "lose" less money than we saved.

It must be very hard for Iraqi men here to know that they must back-down and accept intimidation and exploitation. It surely is a searing humiliation. We so very much appreciate Ghazwan's work with us and his willingness to put himself in the position to have to endure this type of humiliation and frustration sometimes - as well as enduring reminders of his own and his family's trauma and loss when he accompanies me to visit other families and hear their painful stories. He is one of the many Iraqi heroes and heroines that give so much of themselves and without whom CRP could not exist. Our gratitude can never be sufficient for all they do.

Conferenced via chat with Mary in the US re the events of the day.

Responded to a good suggestion from Dana with Code Pink re possible partnership with another organization.

Electrical black-out had me scurrying to light candles and finish internet-related work. Power resumed just as I finished. Washed my dishes and headed to bed.

7 years later, let's not forget

Over and over, Iraqis here tell me that they believe we are "good people", that they know we care because, they say, they remember seeing us in huge numbers in the streets, protesting the war before the March 2003 invasion and during the early years of the occupation. 

For Iraqis, the war is not just a bad memory marked off once a year on a calendar page; it persists, filling every moment of every day as relentlessly and brutally as during those early days of "shock and awe" in 2003. They may escape temporarily into sleep at night but their dreams are broken by the certainty that they will only waken to yet another day of suffering, grief and loss.

If we are to be worthy of Iraqis' generous opinion of us, let's prove that we have not forgotten them and that we still care.  Let's renew our determination to end their suffering under this war and occupation by taking to the streets to make our protest as focused on their plight and as passionately visible as it was in 2003. And, let's reach out to help these weary innocent victims of the nightmare of war survive. 

Let's remember them - not only on this day but every day until that faraway time when Iraq is finally  and fully free from occupation and its resulting violence and human tragedy.

Let's remember them the same way we would hope others would remember us if we were in their shoes. Please.

drawing by my young friend "Hadia": Iraqi blogger and author of IraqiGirl - Diary of a Teenage Girl in Iraq

http://iraqigirl.blogspot.com/

from despair to hope

AHMED We took Ahmed shopping for his Micro-Project a few days ago. A very talented graduate of Baghdad University of Art, Ahmed wanted basic supplies so that he could paint and then sell his paintings to support himself.

Ahmed arrived in Amman in January of this year, fleeing persecution and death threats that tormented him in Iraq. He came with one suitcase of clothes and a little money that rapidly evaporated when he paid rent for a substandard room in the basement of a shabby building and bought food - when he could. He told us that he was eating only one small meal a day until just before we met him when even that one meal became unaffordable.The events that led to him fleeing Iraq have left him traumatized and he wept frequently as he cautiously told us his story. He told us that he'd been in despair and had frequently contemplated suicide - he showed us the scars from one attempt to end his own life. With no income and no solutions in sight, his hopelessness was increasing despite having escaped death to safety in Jordan. CRP, in your names, provided Ahmed with immediate cash assistance for his basic needs, food, a blanket, and some basic household items. We presented his case as an emergency to UNHCR who fast-tracked him for assessment for their cash assistance program (usually new arrivals face a wait of several months) and, when we explained Ahmed's unique situation and why he should be considered to be considered extremely vulnerable and a candidate for resettlement to a third country as soon as possible, UNHCR immediately moved his case from protection only and into the resettlement unit.

Now, in addition to having his immediate critical needs met and with hope of resettlement so he can build a new life in safety, the art supplies that you provided for him will allow him to spend his time pursuing his passion instead of in depression, hopelessness, and in the struggle for daily survival. 

We've witnessed a dramatic change in Ahmed's spirit in just a couple of weeks since our initial meeting with him - because of the support and assistance you've provided for him. The only tears he's shed recently are from joy.

YOU did this! Thank you!

But we would like you to hear Ahmed's gratitude in his own words:

I am Ahmed, a young Iraqi man, born in 1980, single, and I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Painting Division, from Baghdad University of Art. I arrived in Jordan on 3^rd January 2010 from Iraq, with only my suitcase, a little money, and a huge pain and sorrow, which is the same of all Iraqi people both inside and outside of Iraq.

I was afraid,very worried and disappointed because I had many problems in Iraq and worried about the unknown future waiting for me here in Jordan. I won’t speak much more about myself or about my case because this is not the reason to write these lines. Instead, my goal is to draw attention to Collateral Repair Project existing here in Jordan, working to help Iraqi people that need assistance.

By chance I met this organization and they agreed to make appointment to hear from me about my case and my circumstances, and what reasons forced me to leave Iraq and come to Amman.

CRP made me welcome with kindness and visited the room where I live to know more about my situation in Amman. They helped me with a sum of money because I had used the money I had when I came to Amman. They gave me food supplies, cleaning items and kitchen equipment. But most important for me, CRP gave me painting supplies I need, and everything that I need to open a new painting project, because it is my speciality in study.

This action makes this organization more special than any others because it helped me as an individual person, it gave support and the chance to open a project in my study field.

More and above, CRP helped me to overcome my constant sorrow and disappointment and encouraged me psychologically and emotionally.

CRP contacted the UN Office for Refugees (UNHCR) in Amman, where I was able to register as a refugee and (CRP) gave them a summary of my situation to support my case, explaining on my behalf some aspects of my case in detail. As the result of their effort, I had a visit from UNHCR at my room to see my situation firsthand, in order for me to maybe get some financial aid to help with living expenses. Also on the same day, an employee of the UN Office contacted me to inform me that I had an interview the next day to submit a statement for a decision about my status in Jordan (from protection to resettlement)

If I did not have this support from the CRP in all these areas: financial, psychological and emotional, I would not have overcome my disappointment and troubles that I had all the time before.

I promise, if I succeed to stay in Jordan, and that make much money from the sale of my paintings, it will be donated to CRP in order to support more Iraqi people.

I give a message for everyone: if you can, make contribution to this organization. Do not hesitate, because CRP is humane and the people in it deserve all the respect for what they do.

Finally I would like to repeat, if I did not have this support from CRP in all these ways, I could not have overcome my problems. So please help Collateral Repair Project to be able to help more people suffering from a difficult situation financially and emotionally - Ahmed

Please give now so others can be helped:

http://collateralrepairproject.org/Donate.html

SOS from CRP

Another dreadful anniversary of the 2003 invasion of Iraq is approaching rapidly. Seven years later, Iraqis are still suffering from the "shock and awe" that resulted in over a million dead, and millions more maimed, widowed, orphaned and displaced.

Despite rosy reports in western mainstream media, Iraq's security has not significantly improved and Iraqis like Ahmed are still fleeing for their lives. Those already living as refugees in neighboring nations are sinking into deeper and deeper destitution each year they are in exile. The global financial crisis has resulted in cutbacks and elimination of vital assistance programs that were already insufficient to meet their most basic needs.

CRP's ability to provide Iraqi refugees with assistance has also been affected - even more so than large international NGOs as our donor-base, although dedicated, is comparatively much smaller. We have always operated on a shoe-string budget but now that shoe-string is dangerously frayed and we are in danger of having to fold.

Although we have trimmed back our projects and cut expenses wherever we could, at this point we have only enough funds for one more month of operation and to provide assistance to these innocent victims of war. We know how necessary our work is and we are frightened for those who, like Ahmed, depend on us. What will happen to them if we can no longer be here to help?

If you can, please donate now to assure we can continue

giving Iraqi refugees help - and hope - in your name

Many of you have already given generously and we know that some of you are unable to give financially again right now.

But there is another vital way you can contribute:

CAN YOU GIVE A FEW MINUTES OF YOUR TIME TO HELP?
YOU, AS A SUPPORTER OF COLLATERAL REPAIR PROJECT, KNOW ABOUT THE CONTINUING DIRE SITUATION OF IRAQIS IN EXILE AND YOU KNOW WHY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT COLLATERAL REPAIR PROJECT CONTINUES TO BE HERE FOR THEM.

WON'T YOU PLEASE TELL YOUR FRIENDS, CO-WORKERS, E-MAIL / SOCIAL NETWORK CONTACTS, FAITH COMMUNITY, AND OTHERS?

Here are some links to help you:

Collateral Repair Project web site: http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/

This blog: http://www.collateralrepairproject.blogspot.com/

Follow us on Twitter: @CRProject

Find us on facebook: Collateral Repair Project

Join our facebook GROUP:

Collateral Repair Project - Helping You Help Iraqi Refugees

Donate: www.collateralrepairproject.org/Donate.html

Contact us: info(at)collateralrepairproject.org

Collateral Repair Project interview

Part 1 of a series of interview questions posed to CRP by our partner in the UK, Iraqi Solidarity Campaign. Please be so kind as to pass this along and, if you can, please contribute so that we can continue to provide critically needed assistance to the displaced Iraqi victims of of war:

www.uruknet.info/index.php?p=m64098&hd=&size=1&l=e

Fire and Water

SEEHAM has little recollection of the day in 2004, not unlike many others, when she walked in the local souk (open-air marketplace) to do some shopping. Despite her lack of memory about this day, it ended up to be the most memorable day of her life.

As with too many Iraqis since the US-led invasion of Iraq, going about their usual business, her life was irrevocably changed by what should have been the most ordinary of errands when a suicide bomber detonated near her in the marketplace.

She does remember the carnage; body parts strewn around her and then, nothing. Seeham carries enough evidence with her now to let her know exactly what happened. Her head and right side of her body are badly scarred and deformed from the burns she suffered in the attack. Her right hand is nearly useless.

Seeham found out about CRP and asked to meet with us about her situation. My Iraqi colleague and translator, Ghazwan and I had an earlier appointment with another family that ran late. It was dark when we finally arrived outside Seeham’s building and Ghazwan called her to let her know we were outside and needed directions to her apartment. She told us to wait and in a few moments a woman, disguised by the evening shadows, came out to meet us and directed us to go up the stairs, following behind us. It was not until we entered the apartment that I saw her terribly damaged face.

Seeham made us at ease with the seeming comfort that she has with her body and its dreadful fate. She spoke with confidence and made no effort to hide herself. After a few moments, I barely noticed her disfigurement as it was obscured by her dignity and determination. Although she is only thirty-six years old, her age seems timeless.

She told us as much as she could remember of the event and showed us a form issued to her on the day of the bombing by the local police. It read “victim of suicide bombing. Provide care at (name of) hospital”. It hit me as odd that this form seemed so matter-of-fact, as it was just a routine occurrence that scorched this woman’s body but then, in Iraq, suicide bombings are routine now. ..phenomena that did not exist until after the invasion.

Seeham first entered Jordan in July of 2009 when doctors in Baghdad told her that she needed a procedure that Iraq’s beleaguered medical system could not provide. Seeham describes it as “shaving” of the burned layer of skin from her face and chest. Her beloved cousin brought her to Jordan and the procedure was attempted at a hospital here in the capital, Amman. But the equipment broke down while she was undergoing treatment and was canceled. She and her cousin returned to Iraq – and Seeham carried another burden with her; when she returned to Baghdad, she was diagnosed with Hepatitis that she likely contracted in the hospital.

Seeham was treated for the Hepatitis and spent a good part of her time in hospitals and then, at home, under the care of her cousin and his wife. As she spoke of them, it was obvious that her dependence on them was for her emotional well-being as much as for their care of her ailing body. Her face brightened and she stated firmly that she “must” be with them. She shows me another medical report that states she must have the shaving procedure because, if not, she will certainly develop skin cancer.

Then, in January of this year, Seeham returned to Amman with her cousin and his family. Her cousin had been notified that he, his wife and child would be resettled to Germany. Seeham was hopeful that she would be allowed to go with them or, at least, join them later. But, since her case file with UNHCR is separate from theirs, she was not included in the resettlement but, instead, her case was referred to resettlement alone. Offered resettlement to the USA, she refused it, knowing that this would end any hope of joining her cousin. Now she has been offered the opportunity to be interviewed by an Australian delegation for resettlement. She wanted advice about whether or not she should turn them down, too. She desperately wants only to be reunited with her cousin and yet she is terrified that she will remain stuck in limbo in Jordan and without the follow-up care she badly needs. She told me, “I cannot sleep at night. All night I lay awake, trying to decide what is best, what I should do. I cry all night. I am so tired but I cannot stop thinking about this. I need to be with them (her cousin and family). If I go alone to another country, who will take care of me? I cannot be alone.” She pleads with me to help.

I offer to contact a NGO in Amman that may be able to help her get the skin-shaving. She is not interested. She only wants to join her cousin and “then have treatment when they can take care of me”.

Seeham had told me that she heard Germany was no longer accepting Iraqis. I told her that I would try to find out. Sadly, I was told that as of now, Germany is not accepting any new Iraqi immigrants from Jordan as their quota is closed and there are no German delegations scheduled to come here. I was told to tell Seeham to not count on German delegations coming in the future, although it is possible that they will send more, depending on if Germany opens its doors to more Iraqis.

Seeham also asked me to find out what will happen if she turns down the offer to be interviewed for resettlement to Australia. I was told that “if some-one refuses resettlement to a certain country that case will normally not be submitted anywhere else.” However, in compelling cases, subsequent offers of resettlement are sometimes granted.

I will talk with Seeham tonight. I’m afraid that I have nothing to offer her to give her hope or make it any easier for her to decide whether or not she should agree to be interviewed by the Australian delegation. If she turns it down, there is no guarantee that her case will not be removed from consideration for resettlement completely – and even if it is not, there is no way to know if it could be possible in the future for her to be considered by Germany.

I dread situations like this, where I am approached to find solutions and can only offer bad news in response. Iraqis have suffered tremendous trauma from war and its losses. In exile, without legal residency, they have few rights and even fewer of those rights allow them any power to change their situations. They are desperate for anyone that they perceive (accurately or not) to have “more power” than they do to intercede for them. I have learned to be cautious and brutally honest; there is little if anything I can do and to foster false hope and then suffer it being crushed is the cruelest pain of all.

Even knowing Seeham as little as I do, I have the strong feeling that discouraging report to her will not deter her determination to be reunited with the only family she has. She knows what she needs and she believes, like most Iraqis, that one is not defined by themselves alone, that one forms their identity and purpose by their family and community.

This has been one of the least-acknowledged losses Iraqis suffer. While in Iraq, they’ve all lost family members and close friends to death – initially, by the Coalition forces, and then later by criminals, unfettered because of the dismantling of the police and other security forces under Bremer. Later, many more lives were lost (and are still being lost) to sectarian killings – often brutally executed. Millions lost their homes or the ability to live in them when death threats by sectarian militias forced them into exile – both inside Iraq and to neighboring nations. They lost, not only their material possessions, but also careers and everything they had worked to provide for themselves and their families. Even before this exodus, families were kept apart – travel, even within the same city, meant traversing roadblocks that were often manned by sectarian militias or gangs who demanded to see identification – and if ones name indicated they were from the “wrong” sect, death or kidnapping and torture was likely.

Refugees in Jordan and other neighboring countries suffered these losses but many still had the meager comfort of knowing loved ones remaining behind in Iraq were relatively close – within a day’s ground travel time. Daily “miss calls” (calls that are rung to ones phone but not answered) keeps loved ones in touch, letting them know that , for another day at least, they are alive. There is always the hope, however futile, that things might improve and families and communities can reunite in some way.

But, over years of living in destitution and with Iraq’s security unimproved to any real degree, with the death threats that forced them to flee still in place, most realize that they cannot return to Iraqi. Resources , such as savings, they may have brought with them are gone, humanitarian aid (never sufficient, even at best) is being cut and Iraqis find themselves boxed in, unable to return to the lives they left behind and unable to live in exile. Many look to resettlement as the only way to begin to live again.

But accepting resettlement is not an easy decision for most. They know it means being separated by continents from loved ones. It is a very final decision that they know, in many ways, severs them from their past. I have spent the last few hours with departing Iraqis as their family and friends gather to say goodbye. It’s a bittersweet time; joy for those departing that they can now look forward to living freely, and deep sorrow at parting from one another. Mothers and fathers are separated from their adult children and grandchildren, brothers and sisters and their spouses and children who have always shared the same home grab hold of one another, not wanting to say goodbye, not wanting to leave. When the car arrives to carry them to the airport, the round of farewells and embraces continues, everyone unwilling for it to end, for the final moment when they must leave. Those left behind stand in the street, watching until the tail-lights of the car are no longer visible, tears running down their faces; grown men burst into tears and women clutch their children, burying their faces into their hair as their tears flow. Children who are too young to understand look solemn; they will not really understand until their repeated “Where’s grandma? I want my grandma” for the next days and weeks eventually diminish and then stop when she never returns. But adults left behind never stop hoping to reunite with those who’ve left. It is as if an essential part of them is missing and they have no choice but to be put back together again.

When I attended the farewell of one family, as the car was moving out of sight, I was urged to step back out of the street and onto the curb. Then one of the children was instructed to pour a pitcher of water into the street. It was explained to me that this is an Iraqi custom, that the water symbolizes a way for the loved ones to return to one another. I had to leave this liquid path to make sure that it led directly between those leaving and those behind. There could not be any impediments that might block or divert it.

So I understand Seeham’s insistence that there must be a way. And I know that if there is not, part of her will never be whole. And I wish I could help somehow – to be a part of that clear path that leads to joyous and healing reunion – but the information I can offer makes me only another who stands in the road and blocks the way.

Can You Help This Boy?

"Rahm" is nine years old. He was born early - at only 7 months gestation. He is a twin but his brother did not survive. He has an 11 year old brother and the boys and their parents are extremely impoverished.

"Rahm" got off to a rough start and his life is not easy now but he faces still another challenge - one that can be dealt with - if only his parents had enough money to take care of it. As it is, they struggle to pay the rent and feed the boys. "Rahm", because of his early birth, was born with undesended testicles.

His parents have had no money to take him to doctors to discuss treatment of this problem but, last year, "Rahm" became very ill and was taken to the hospital for emergency treatment. When the doctor examined him, he told the parents that this problem must be dealt with as soon as possible. In fact, the physician told them, it is getting to be "too late" and really, now is his last chance. If he does not have corrective surgery now, he will never be able to have children. This condition also explains why "Rahm" has involuntary urination. Rough on a young boy who already fears going to school because the non-Iraqi students there bully and beat him because he's Iraqi.

CRP does not usually ask for contributions for medical-related issues because their cost can be so high but we know that there are no other options for this boy and we must ask.

Cost for his surgery and related tests and hospitalization will be somewhere between $500 - $800.

If you are able to help this boy, please contact us: http://collateralrepairproject.org/ContactUs.html

***note "Rahm" is not this boy's name. We want to protect his dignity and privacy by not revealing his true name nor publishing his photo

Iraqi Refugee Kids Get New Wniter Coats