Pictured above: The family belongs to the Christian minority in Iraq and is receiving support during this challenging time.
I visited Kaya and her family in their home, idyllically located in a small mountain village in northern Iraq. The air up here is pleasantly cool compared to the heat in the valleys where the larger cities are located. The view of the mountains is beautiful and everything is peaceful and serene.
In the small, bright living room, the father sits completely still. He only moves his head and eyes slightly. He suffers from an aggressive form of muscular dystrophy and the family doesn't know what to do. Before the disease, he was a high-ranking civil servant.
This Christian family needs extraordinary support and care, and a pastor leading the local relief team regularly visits the family and tries to encourage them. In addition, the children are involved in the school project supported by Danish European Mission donors.
Kaya tells our partner: "My name is Kaya. I'm 11 years old and in 7th grade. The situation here is difficult and my father is sick, but jI would like to thank everyone who has helped me get back to school recently."
Staying rather than emigrating
In 2014, hundreds of thousands of people fled headlong from Islamic State to the Kurdish autonomous region in northern Iraq. Since then, the Iraqi army, with Danish military support, has recaptured large areas from Islamic State. The destruction is great. Many refugees are still holding out in the country. Danish European Mission donors are helping to ensure that they can have a future in their beloved homeland.
The 11-year-old refugee girl Kaya believes: "Thanks to this project, my younger siblings and I have recently been able to go to school again. Thank you!"
