Iraqi camp families struggle to make a living

Iraqi camp families struggle to make a living

Mosul, Iraq
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In northern Iraq's vast desert Khazer camp, residents are opening street stalls, taking on odd jobs and trying out entirely new professions, anything to scrape out a living.

. Mosul, Iraq. Reuters/Muhammad Hamed

Aysar Issa has turned his hand to fixing shoes to support his family of eight.

"My brothers and I are working in the camp to survive" he said. "We receive little more than 5,000 Iraqi Dinars ($4.28) a day, but we have no other choice since we cannot return to our village."

He and his family fled after fighting destroyed their village, Khorsibad, north of Mosul. Like many others in the camp, they arrived with little cash and few possessions. They have had to fend for themselves.

. Mosul, Iraq. Reuters/Muhammad Hamed

Younis Mahmoud has returned to his old job as a barber - an occupation that was heavily restricted by Islamic State militants.

"I used to work as a barber in Bartella (a largely Christian town outside Mosul), but when Daesh took over in 2014 ... shaving beards was forbidden, and there were rules on how to cut hair," said the 21-year-old. "I was even fined and lashed when I gave a young boy a modern haircut."

. Erbil, Iraq. Reuters/Muhammad Hamed
Once the owner of a shop selling women's clothes, Josephine Elias fled with her husband and six sons after Islamic State occupied their village in 2014. She says the family has split now: two of her sons have emigrated to Europe with the help of the United Nations there, and two others are renting a house outside the camp. "I have been doing embroidery and handicrafts, which impressed some neighbours and relatives in the camp. Some people, those with money, asked to buy the embroideries for a small price. Some pieces I just give as a free gift. Many of us don't have enough money," Elias said. She relies on her husband's money.

The numbers of people pressing into camps has increased since Iraqi government troops, backed by a U.S.-led coalition, launched an offensive to push Islamic State out of Mosul, the fighters' main Iraqi stronghold.

More than 500,000 people have fled there and surrounding areas since October, according to government figures provided by the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR.

Medical and humanitarian agencies estimate the total number of dead and wounded - both civilian and military - at several thousand.

. Erbil, Iraq. Reuters/Muhammad Hamed

Nashwan Yousef fled the mostly Christian village of Qaraqosh, where he owned a supermarket, and headed towards Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region.

He now lives in Ashti camp in Sulaymaniyah, where he has managed to open another smaller supermarket, with support from the church.

"I will go back to Qaraqosh as soon as it is safe," he said. "I want to rebuild my destroyed house, even if I have to live in a tent in front of the house until I can do so."

Writing by Bushra Shakhshir

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Slideshow

Once working in interior decoration, Saleh Hassan Mohammed left his home after Islamic State took control of Mosul in 2014. The family first took refuge to another village before settling in Khazer camp. He earns 6,000 dinars a day ($5).
. Mosul, Iraq. Reuters/Muhammad Hamed

Once working in interior decoration, Saleh Hassan Mohammed left his home after Islamic State took control of Mosul in 2014. The family first took refuge to another village before settling in Khazer camp. He earns 6,000 dinars a day ($5).

Noah Wa’ed, 48, an Iraqi Christian displaced from Qaraqosh, fled with his family when the Islamic State occupied his village in 2014. Wa'ed remembers how the residents of Qaraqosh, a village with a majority of Christians, were helping each other, how the rich helped the poor, how they had first welcomed the displaced Christians from Mosul before all were forced to leave. During their escape, the family lived in a church for three days, in a school for three months, later in a hotel and then a house they shared with several families. "Life inside the camp is good but I hope to return to my village if life returns to normal," he said.
. Erbil, Iraq. Reuters/Muhammad Hamed

Noah Wa’ed, 48, an Iraqi Christian displaced from Qaraqosh, fled with his family when the Islamic State occupied his village in 2014. Wa'ed remembers how the residents of Qaraqosh, a village with a majority of Christians, were helping each other, how the rich helped the poor, how they had first welcomed the displaced Christians from Mosul before all were forced to leave. During their escape, the family lived in a church for three days, in a school for three months, later in a hotel and then a house they shared with several families. "Life inside the camp is good but I hope to return to my village if life returns to normal," he said.

Kamal Nofal, an Iraqi displaced from the village of Khazer, fled the Islamic State stronghold of Mosul with his family. "I was a taxi driver before 2014 and everything was ok but Islamic State fighters shooed us out of the village to Mosul and confiscated our property." He has been living in Khazer camp for four months and earns between 7,000 and 8,000 dinars a day ($6 to $7).
. Mosul, Iraq. Reuters/Muhammad Hamed

Kamal Nofal, an Iraqi displaced from the village of Khazer, fled the Islamic State stronghold of Mosul with his family. "I was a taxi driver before 2014 and everything was ok but Islamic State fighters shooed us out of the village to Mosul and confiscated our property." He has been living in Khazer camp for four months and earns between 7,000 and 8,000 dinars a day ($6 to $7).

Ahmed Mohamed Yassin, an Iraqi displaced from Aden district, fled with his family. "When I was living in Mosul, I was selling cigarettes. Life was good, the markets were booming, but after Daesh came in 2014, they imposed taxes on all sectors under the pretext of Sharia. They confiscated a total of 16 million Iraqi dinars: I had nothing left but managed to escape and out of fear hid in my uncle's home for a week." Yassin has been living in the camp for four months and is earning between 5,000 and 6,000 dinars a day ($4 to $5). "It is an acceptable source of income."
. Mosul, Iraq. Reuters/Muhammad Hamed

Ahmed Mohamed Yassin, an Iraqi displaced from Aden district, fled with his family. "When I was living in Mosul, I was selling cigarettes. Life was good, the markets were booming, but after Daesh came in 2014, they imposed taxes on all sectors under the pretext of Sharia. They confiscated a total of 16 million Iraqi dinars: I had nothing left but managed to escape and out of fear hid in my uncle's home for a week." Yassin has been living in the camp for four months and is earning between 5,000 and 6,000 dinars a day ($4 to $5). "It is an acceptable source of income."

Qassim Hassan Dawood, an Iraqi displaced from the village of Khorsabad, fled with his family. "During the fighting, we hid in the bathroom for ten days until the area was liberated and then we rushed out towards the Iraqi forces. They helped us leave... to Khazer camp, which is like heaven compared to (life under) Islamic State." Dawood says he earns 4,000 to 5,000 dinars a day ($3 to $4). "We are more comfortable here. It is enough that my children and I feel safe."
. Mosul, Iraq. Reuters/Muhammad Hamed

Qassim Hassan Dawood, an Iraqi displaced from the village of Khorsabad, fled with his family. "During the fighting, we hid in the bathroom for ten days until the area was liberated and then we rushed out towards the Iraqi forces. They helped us leave... to Khazer camp, which is like heaven compared to (life under) Islamic State." Dawood says he earns 4,000 to 5,000 dinars a day ($3 to $4). "We are more comfortable here. It is enough that my children and I feel safe."

Ahmed Saleh owned a restaurant in his home town, which he and his family left in 2014 after the fighting intensified. They first took refuge in a quieter village, where Saleh worked in another restaurant. In the camp, he earns 20,000 dinars a day ($17). "I can't see any future on the horizon, as I cannot continue to live in the camp and cannot return to my village," he said.
. Mosul, Iraq. Reuters/Muhammad Hamed

Ahmed Saleh owned a restaurant in his home town, which he and his family left in 2014 after the fighting intensified. They first took refuge in a quieter village, where Saleh worked in another restaurant. In the camp, he earns 20,000 dinars a day ($17). "I can't see any future on the horizon, as I cannot continue to live in the camp and cannot return to my village," he said.

Ahmed Ali Abdullah, 31, an Iraqi from Mosul's al-Shaimaa district, fled with his family. "After Islamic State took control of Mosul in 2014, the situation became very bad and work became futile because people were prevented from shaving their beards and having haircuts... so most customers just shaved at homes out of fear of the Islamic State. I closed my shop and looked for work in the market," Abdullah said. In the camp, he earns 10,000 dinars a day ($8.5) "There is no water, no reliable electricity or cold weather, but it is more secure and stable than Mosul."
. Mosul, Iraq. Reuters/Muhammad Hamed

Ahmed Ali Abdullah, 31, an Iraqi from Mosul's al-Shaimaa district, fled with his family. "After Islamic State took control of Mosul in 2014, the situation became very bad and work became futile because people were prevented from shaving their beards and having haircuts... so most customers just shaved at homes out of fear of the Islamic State. I closed my shop and looked for work in the market," Abdullah said. In the camp, he earns 10,000 dinars a day ($8.5) "There is no water, no reliable electricity or cold weather, but it is more secure and stable than Mosul."

Moataz Haitham Asi, 18, an Iraqi displaced from the village of Al Kweir, fled with his family. "I learned cutting hair from my father. I left school because I was worried about the ideas and curriculum which had been adopted in education," Asi says, remembering his youth in Mosul. "If a customer came to shave his hair or beard, we would put someone on the watch because we were worried one of the Islamic State people would come and arrest us." In the camp, Asi works with his father and earns about 5,000 dinars a day ($4).
. Mosul, Iraq. Reuters/Muhammad Hamed

Moataz Haitham Asi, 18, an Iraqi displaced from the village of Al Kweir, fled with his family. "I learned cutting hair from my father. I left school because I was worried about the ideas and curriculum which had been adopted in education," Asi says, remembering his youth in Mosul. "If a customer came to shave his hair or beard, we would put someone on the watch because we were worried one of the Islamic State people would come and arrest us." In the camp, Asi works with his father and earns about 5,000 dinars a day ($4).

Saif Ali Abdullah, 19, from Mosul's al-Shaimaa district, fled Mosul with his family. "During the recent battles between the Iraqi forces and Islamic State, I was shot in the head but divine care helped me and one of our neighbours who worked as a rescue worker in the civil defence also helped until we managed to get out with the help of the army." Abdullah completed his treatment in the camp. After recovering his health, he found work in one of the camp's supermarket. He is paid "about 4,000 dinars ($3.4) a day". Before Islamic State entered Mosul in 2014, he was a high-school student.
. Mosul, Iraq. Reuters/Muhammad Hamed

Saif Ali Abdullah, 19, from Mosul's al-Shaimaa district, fled Mosul with his family. "During the recent battles between the Iraqi forces and Islamic State, I was shot in the head but divine care helped me and one of our neighbours who worked as a rescue worker in the civil defence also helped until we managed to get out with the help of the army." Abdullah completed his treatment in the camp. After recovering his health, he found work in one of the camp's supermarket. He is paid "about 4,000 dinars ($3.4) a day". Before Islamic State entered Mosul in 2014, he was a high-school student.

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