Al Kawthar Project for Widows and Orphans in partnership with Beyond Conflict have started Mental Helath Support for Orphans in Iraq. We will be training frontline workers in the region on how to identify trauma in civilians and treat it. Iraqi trainees will be trained to assist children and families who have been devastated by decades of war, insurgency and terrorism.

Al Kawthar Project for Widows and Orphans, founded by Al Khoei Foundation together with Beyond Conflict started Phase One of the work for Iraq this month after scoping the needs on the ground for southern Iraq via meetings with the heads of leading Iraqi charities in the UK. We will then take further briefings from charities solely based in Iraq.

To date we have 4-5 NGOs committed to take part in Al Kawthar Project for Widows and Orphans and  first trauma counselling training for frontline workers on the ground in Iraq. We will use  information gathered to draw up a detailed training strategy. Our first team psychiatrists will visit Najaf to deliver the training and put that strategy into effect.

Staff members who work in this field from the NGO’s of Al Ridha Foundation (the General Secretariat of Imam Hussain holy shrine office), Al Noor Trust and Imam Ridha Foundation will be trained.